Principal Claims Adjuster, SIU

Applicants must be a resident and work from one of the following states: WA, OR, or ID, with occasional travel to our headquarters in Seattle, WA.

About Us

At PEMCO, we’re all about people – our customers, our employees, and the community. We’re a mutual insurance company owned by our Northwest policyholders, providing auto, home, renters, and boat coverage. Recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Best Insurance Companies in both Auto and Home for 2026 and by Newsweek as one of America’s Greatest Midsize Workplaces 2025, PEMCO is consistently recognized for outstanding customer service, employee expertise, community partnerships, and social impact programs.

Our social impact programs motivate high achievement by youth in education; build stronger and greener communities; and increase safety at home, on the road, and at play. We’re committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, fostering an inspiring and inclusive workplace that builds fairness, encourages collaboration, and celebrates individual differences.

Responsibilities

• Represent the company and actively participate in industry association meetings with SIU professionals, insurance industry partners, and law enforcement agencies.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on fraud detection, investigation strategies, and SIU best practices; provide training, coaching, and consultation to claims personnel and business partners.
• Provide fraud awareness training and investigative guidance to internal stakeholders; serve as a resource to claims personnel and company leadership.
• Proactively partner with claims personnel to identify potential fraud indicators, generate quality SIU referrals, and share emerging fraud trends and investigative insights.
• Travel as needed to support investigations, industry engagement, training initiatives, catastrophe response, and other business needs. Occasional CAT duty as needed.
• Review and evaluate incoming referrals to determine investigative needs, assignment priorities, and appropriate SIU involvement.
• Ensure claim referrals are proactively handled in accordance with all applicable statutes, regulations, policies, procedures, and compliance requirements; prepare annual fraud reports for regulatory agencies.
• Direct SIU investigations, including conducting examinations under oath (EUOs) when appropriate.
• Develop and execute investigative strategies for referred claims; conduct in-depth interviews of policyholders, claimants, witnesses, and other involved parties.
• Conduct thorough investigations in adherence with SIU policies, procedures, regulatory requirements, and industry best practices; gather and analyze evidence, develop investigative findings, provide recommendations, and engage internal or external experts as appropriate.
• Demonstrate behaviors consistent with PEMCO's values, Code of Ethics, and commitment to exceptional customer and employee experiences.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• B.A. or B.S. degree or equivalent work experience (business or related field).
• 10 years of progressively responsible experience in insurance claims, investigations, SIU operations, fraud detection, law enforcement, or a related investigative field required.
• Experience handling multiple lines of insurance claims, including both personal auto and homeowners/property claims, is strongly preferred.
• Associate in Claims (AIC) designation from AICPCU/IIA, Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), or other insurance, investigative, fraud, or law enforcement-related certifications preferred.
• Investigative Expertise: Demonstrated ability to conduct complex investigations, evaluate evidence, identify fraud indicators, analyze information from multiple sources, and develop defensible conclusions and recommendations.
• Analytical Thinking: Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills with the ability to assess complex and often ambiguous situations, identify patterns and trends, and make sound business decisions.
• Claims Expertise: Comprehensive knowledge of personal lines claims handling, including auto and homeowners/property claims. Ability to apply policy, coverage, and claims-handling knowledge to identify fraud indicators and support effective claim outcomes.
• Communication & Influence: Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to conduct interviews, present findings, provide training, and effectively communicate with internal and external stakeholders.
• Collaboration: Proven ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with claims personnel, legal counsel, compliance partners, law enforcement, industry organizations, and other business partners.
• Confidentiality: A high degree of integrity, professionalism, and discretion in handling confidential and sensitive information.
• Skilled proficiency in MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook) and other business applications required.
• Valid driver's license and acceptable driving record required.
• Knowledge and understanding of applicable insurance regulations, SIU requirements, investigative standards, and industry best practices.
• Strong understanding of the insurance industry, emerging fraud trends, claims practices, and regulatory environments; ability to adapt investigative strategies to changing business needs.
• Ability to serve as a trusted resource and subject matter expert by providing guidance, coaching, and fraud awareness education to claims personnel and business partners.

Pay

Compensation decisions are determined based on an individual’s qualifications, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

• Greater Seattle area target pay range: $105,762 - $129,264. The full pay range is $88,135 - $146,891.
• Outside Greater Seattle area target pay range: $93,337 - $114,079. The full pay range is $77,781 - $129,634.

Greater Seattle Area is defined as working within approximately 100 miles of Seattle. Outside Greater Seattle is defined as working approximately 100 miles or more from Seattle.

Benefits

Regular part-time PEMCO employees working at least 24 hours per week and regular full-time PEMCO employees are eligible for the following benefits:

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and eligible family members with generous employer premium cost shares.
• Employer-paid basic life and accidental death & dismemberment insurance policies.
• Long- and short-term disability benefit coverages.
• 401(k) plan with a generous employer match (2 for 1 on the first 6% employee pre-tax and/or Roth deferral, up to federal maximums).
• Vacation and eight paid holidays.
• Four floating holidays and up to ten days of sick leave immediately upon hire (pro-rated based on hire date and full-time/part-time status).
• Paid time off for bereavement, jury duty, and employee volunteering in the community.
• Education Assistance Program after one year of service.
• Scholarship program for children of PEMCO employees after one year of service; children’s birthday gift program.
• Flexible Spending Accounts, Employee Assistance Program, and charitable gift matching.
• Discretionary bonuses, tiered sales commissions, and/or incentives depending on role, contributions, and performance.