Claims Specialist

About the role

Continental Western Group (CWG) is a regional property casualty insurance company offering commercial products and services through independent agents in the Midwest. Since 1886 - Strong, Local and Trusted. As a Berkley company, CWG enjoys operational flexibility to deliver quality coverage solutions. W. R. Berkley Corporation and its member insurance companies are rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best and carry an A+ (Strong) rating from Standard & Poor’s. This role can be based in either the Urbandale, IA or Lincoln, NE office with a hybrid schedule (four days in the office, one day remote when appropriate) or be fully remote for candidates residing outside a commutable distance but within the CWG regional footprint (WY, ND, SD, NE, KS, MN, IA, MO, IL, WI, IN, MI).

Responsibilities

• Investigate and handle high severity and/or complex commercial casualty claims promptly and equitably by analyzing coverage, liability and damages, evaluating reserves, negotiating settlement or conclusion.
• Handle litigated cases across general Commercial Bodily Injury and Property Damage, Construction Defect, Toxic Tort, and Professional Liability.
• Travel within CWG’s territory to attend mediations and/or trials when necessary.
• Collaborate in a learning‑focused environment, sharing expertise to impact the overall CWG Claims function.
• Work with accessible leadership to navigate claims to resolution on behalf of insureds.
• Investigate loss, evaluate exposures, establish accurate reserves, manage defense and settlement or conclusion of high severity/complex claims.
• Re‑evaluate exposures and reserves during the life of the claim.
• Enter claim data correctly into claim and related systems for reporting.
• Confer with Claims Supervisors, Claims Manager, and Home Office Claims staff to inform, solicit input, and strategize.
• Utilize Claims staff to assist with investigation.
• Coordinate investigation with Subrogation and Arbitration Units.
• Select appropriate outside legal counsel to coordinate defense of each suit.
• Strategize and evaluate, with assistance of outside defense counsel, to determine defense direction (defend to conclusion, compromise, or negotiate fair settlement).