Senior Claims Specialist, Environmental Claims

AXIS • Princeton, NJ

8d • Hybrid

About The Position

AXIS Capital is hiring a Senior Claims Specialist for its North America Claim Team to manage complex primary and excess environmental claims arising under specialty environmental insurance products. The role works closely with internal and external partners to deliver timely, technically sound claim outcomes and contributes to disciplined claim execution, strong portfolio oversight, and effective collaboration across the business. It also supports the development of environmental claims expertise across the broader Claims organization.

The successful candidate investigates and evaluates coverage, liability, damages, and resolution strategies for complex environmental claims. Claim matters may involve pollution legal liability, contractors pollution liability, site-specific pollution, storage tank, and related coverages, as well as remediation costs, bodily injury, property damage, natural resource damages, regulatory action, and other environmental exposures.

The role requires regular collaboration with counsel, environmental consultants, experts, investigators, vendors, executives, brokers, reinsurers, actuaries, underwriters, insureds, auditors, and other stakeholders. The position is expected to be in the office three days per week, adhere to AXIS licensing requirements, and may require travel based on business and claim needs.

Requirements

• Significant experience handling complex environmental, toxic tort, long-tail casualty, or other technically challenging claims, preferably in the commercial insurance industry.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze environmental policies, coverage issues, liability, damages, allocation, and complex factual records.
• Working knowledge of environmental laws, regulations, remediation processes, and litigation trends relevant to environmental claims.
• Ability to develop and execute resolution strategies for high-severity, multi-party, or contentious matters.
• Strong judgment in establishing reserves, identifying material developments, and escalating significant exposures.
• Ability to direct counsel, consultants, experts, and vendors while controlling claim-related costs.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex issues to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Ability to collaborate across Claims, Underwriting, Actuarial, Reinsurance, Legal, Finance, and other business functions.
• Ability to lead process improvement initiatives, contribute to training materials, and critically review claims procedures.
• Commitment to continuous professional development and mentoring peers within the claims discipline.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent relevant experience.
• Must adhere to AXIS licensing requirements.
• Must work in the office three days per week.

Nice To Haves

• Professional insurance, legal, environmental, or claims designations are beneficial.
• Experience handling complex claims in the commercial insurance industry.
• Willingness to travel as required by business and claim needs.

Responsibilities

• Assess complex environmental claims to determine coverage, liability, damages, reserve requirements, and settlement value.
• Manage claims arising under environmental insurance products, including pollution legal liability, contractors pollution liability, site-specific pollution, storage tank, and related coverages.
• Develop and execute claim strategies for matters involving remediation costs, bodily injury, property damage, natural resource damages, regulatory action, and other environmental exposures.
• Analyze policy wording, historical operations, allocation issues, trigger and timing considerations, and interactions among primary, excess, and other available insurance.
• Direct defense counsel, coverage counsel, environmental consultants, experts, investigators, and other vendors to support effective claim outcomes.
• Identify material developments and emerging exposures, maintain accurate reserves and financial information, and escalate significant claims under internal guidelines.
• Manage legal, expert, and vendor costs with Litigation Management and Vendor Management teams.
• Communicate with senior executives, brokers, reinsurers, actuaries, underwriters, insureds, counsel, auditors, and other stakeholders.
• Partner with Underwriting and Claims leadership to identify portfolio trends and emerging environmental risks, and opportunities to improve policy language and claim practices.
• Lead or support initiatives to improve claims processing efficiency, technical quality, data integrity, and regulatory compliance.
• Participate in professional associations and continuing education to remain current on environmental law, regulation, science, and claims developments.
• Mentor and serve as a technical resource to claims professionals, supporting their skill development and career progression.
• Contribute to training materials, process improvement initiatives, and critical reviews of claims procedures.

Benefits

• Medical plans for employees and their families
• Health and wellness programs
• Retirement plans
• Tuition reimbursement
• Paid vacation
• Competitive target incentive compensation based on corporate and individual performance
• Comprehensive and competitive benefits package

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior