Senior Claims Specialist, Auto & Liability

MSIG Holdings•Chicago, IL

About The Position

The Senior Claims Specialist is responsible for the independent investigation, evaluation, strategy, negotiation, and resolution of highly complex commercial automobile and general liability claims. Matters may involve severe bodily injury, wrongful death, significant property damage, high-exposure litigation, complex coverage issues, and material financial or reputational risk. The role serves as a senior technical resource and drives disciplined claim strategy, reserving, litigation management, and stakeholder communication in accordance with company guidelines, delegated authority, regulatory requirements, and fair claims practices laws. The position independently manages complex claims and develops strategies addressing liability, damages, coverage, venue, litigation posture, resolution opportunities, and potential excess exposure. It directs high-exposure litigation with defense counsel, establishes and maintains reserves, makes recommendations above delegated authority, leads negotiations, and works with management, coverage counsel, and other stakeholders on coverage positions. The specialist also provides technical consultation to colleagues and may support training, file reviews, and special projects. The role maintains proactive communication with insureds, brokers, claimants, counsel, underwriting, management, and other stakeholders; participates in claim reviews, stewardship discussions, and account meetings; and maintains complete, timely claim documentation. It also supports regulatory and operational compliance, audit and quality requirements, and process-improvement work. Same-day and overnight travel may be required for mediations, trials, claim reviews, or customer meetings.

Requirements

High school diploma or G.E.D. required.
At least 10 years of progressively responsible commercial casualty claim experience, including demonstrated handling of highly complex, severe, and high-exposure automobile and general liability claims.
Demonstrated experience managing litigated claims, evaluating liability and damages, establishing reserves, negotiating settlements, and working with defense counsel.
Strong knowledge of commercial automobile and general liability claim investigation, liability analysis, damages evaluation, litigation management, reserving, and negotiation.
Ability to interpret insurance policies, endorsements, contracts, pleadings, medical information, expert reports, and other legal or technical documents.
Sound judgment and disciplined decision-making, including the ability to identify claim severity and escalate material issues appropriately.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including explaining complex claim issues to business partners and senior stakeholders.
Strong organization, prioritization, and file-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple complex matters and deadlines.
Proficiency with Microsoft 365 applications and ability to learn and effectively use claim management and related systems.
Maintain all required adjuster licenses and continuing education requirements for assigned jurisdictions.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree preferred.
Experience with catastrophic injury, wrongful death, excess exposure, and sophisticated coverage or contractual risk-transfer issues strongly preferred.
AIC, SCLA, CPCU, or comparable insurance designation preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

Independently investigate, analyze, and resolve highly complex or severe commercial automobile and general liability claims, including catastrophic bodily injury, wrongful death, significant property damage, and multi-party or multi-jurisdictional matters.
Develop and execute claim strategies addressing liability, comparative fault, damages, causation, coverage, venue, litigation posture, resolution opportunities, and potential excess exposure.
Establish and maintain timely, supportable reserves; recommend reserve and settlement values above delegated authority with clear rationale and documentation.
Direct high-exposure litigation in partnership with defense counsel, including counsel selection, litigation plans, budgets, experts, discovery, dispositive motions, mediation, and trial strategy.
Identify and promptly escalate significant developments, emerging severity, coverage concerns, and potential excess or reinsurance implications.
Lead negotiations and participate in mediations, settlement conferences, trials, and other proceedings as required; pursue strategic resolution while protecting the interests of the insured and company.
Analyze complex policy and coverage issues and work with management, coverage counsel, and stakeholders to ensure timely, well-supported coverage positions.
Provide technical consultation to claim colleagues on complex liability, damages, litigation, reserving, and negotiation issues; support training, file reviews, and special projects as needed.
Maintain clear, proactive, professional communication with insureds, brokers, claimants, counsel, underwriting, management, and internal or external stakeholders throughout the claim life cycle.
Participate in claim reviews, stewardship discussions, and account meetings, communicating claim status, exposure, strategy, and next steps in a concise, business-focused manner.
Build collaborative relationships while maintaining appropriate independence, confidentiality, and claim-handling discipline.
Maintain complete, timely, and accurate claim-system documentation, including evaluations, reserve rationale, litigation strategy, coverage analysis, action plans, and material developments.
Comply with company claim-handling guidelines, settlement and reserve authority, fair claims practices requirements, applicable regulations, licensing, and continuing education requirements.
Complete required reports, notices, and management or Home Office updates accurately and on time; support audit, quality assurance, and governance requirements.
Use approved claim systems, data, vendors, and expense-management processes; participate in projects, process improvements, and other assignments as needed.
Travel same-day or overnight as required, including for mediations, trials, claim reviews, or customer meetings.