Senior Claims Specialist, Environmental Claims

AXIS (AXIS Capital)•Short Hills, NJ

10d•$140,000 - $155,000•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 investigates and evaluates coverage, liability, damages, and resolution strategies, and collaborates with internal and external partners to deliver timely, technically sound claim outcomes. It contributes to disciplined claim execution and portfolio oversight, works with underwriting, legal, actuarial, reinsurance, and other business partners, and helps develop environmental claims expertise across the Claims organization. The position requires working in the office three days per week and adhering to AXIS licensing requirements. Some travel may be required based on business and claim needs. The expected base salary is $140,000 to $155,000, with target incentive compensation based on corporate and individual performance. The company also offers a benefits package that includes medical plans, health and wellness programs, retirement plans, tuition reimbursement, paid vacation, and more. This is an existing vacancy.

Requirements

Significant experience handling complex environmental, toxic tort, long-tail casualty, or other technically challenging claims; commercial insurance industry experience is preferred.
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.
Clear and credible written and verbal communication skills, including 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.
Demonstrated 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.

Nice To Haves

Commercial insurance industry experience handling complex claims.
Professional insurance, legal, environmental, or claims designations.

Responsibilities

Assess complex environmental claims to determine coverage, liability, damages, reserve requirements, and settlement value.
Manage claims under environmental insurance products, potentially including pollution legal liability, contractors pollution liability, site-specific pollution, storage tank, and related coverages.
Develop and execute claim strategies for 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 and 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 according to internal guidelines.
Manage legal, expert, and vendor costs in collaboration 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 stay current on environmental law, regulation, science, and claims developments.
Mentor and serve as a technical resource to claims professionals, supporting skill development and career progression.
Work in the office three days per week, adhere to AXIS licensing requirements, and travel as required by business and claim needs.