AVP, Casualty Claims

At Argo Group, you can make a direct impact while working in an organization small enough to be agile and big enough to make a difference. We ask you to bring a growth mindset and a desire to share your unique perspective with our dynamic teams.

Argo Group, a global multiline underwriter of specialty insurance and reinsurance products in the property and casualty market, offers a comprehensive line of high-quality products and services designed to meet the unique coverage and claims-handling needs of our clients. We foster an inclusive culture that embraces diversity and design thinking, relies on innovation and agility, promotes collaborative service delivery, frequent, integrated communication, and authentic recognition of excellence.

A Brief Overview

We are looking for a highly capable AVP, Casualty Claims to join our team and work from our New York City or Chicago office. We work together in the office five days a week in order to strengthen our culture, build team connections, and drive profitability. This role will manage a small team senior level adjusters and will adjudicate our most complex excess casualty claims emanating from policies written by Argo Insurance in Bermuda for our customers.  The role reports the Head of Argo Insurance located in Hamilton, Bermuda.

How You Will Make an Impact:

• Approximately 50% of the role
• Providing support to the underwriting team, actuaries and senior management, including advising on claims developments, trends and market issues and attending client meetings and market events to assist with business acquisition and developing the book;
• Ensuring full compliance with all stipulated global and local operating protocols, procedures and policies, service standards and regulatory compliance;
• Being a positive role model and proactively seeking to identify and implement continuous improvements to streamline the claims processes, procedures and systems to drive efficiency whilst promoting best practices;
• Working closely with claims adjusters/outside counsel to put cost-effective and appropriate litigation management strategies in place that will lead to the best overall outcome.
• Successfully supervise and provide training, mentoring, and technical oversight to a small team of adjusters.  The team primarily consists of individuals with broad knowledge and experience that adjudicate claims with potentially large loss reserves and impact to our bottom line.  Most of the claims this team handles have a broad set of issues that are typically difficult.
• Management of the team includes:
• Ensuring performance objectives and metrics are in place and being met to support and meet department goals.
• Conducting quality assurance audits and provide feedback to the employee.
• Providing direction, leadership and training.
• Being a positive role model in creating and adapting to changes in the work environment to improve overall results.
• Providing advice and oversight into claim disposition strategies.
• Working closely with claims adjusters and outside counsel to ensure cost-effective and appropriate litigation management strategies are in place that will lead to the best overall outcome.
• Managing expenditures for the team to budget / plan.
• Supporting the professional claims selection process to hire and retain claims professionals that consistently demonstrate appropriate technical expertise, maturity and a professional commitment to excellence and customer service.

• Approximately 50% of the role

• Working with limited oversight under broad management direction, adjudicate highly complex Argo Re Casualty claims, at the highest authority limits on assignments reflecting the highest degree of technical complexity, potentially with major impact on departmental results.Investigate claims promptly and thoroughly 

• Prepare reports for file documentation  
• Interview involved parties 
• Manage claims in litigation 
• Manage diary timely and complete tasks to ensure that cases move to the best financial outcome and timely resolution.   
• Properly set claim reserves. 
• Identify, assign, and coordinate the assignment and coordination of expertise resources to assist in case resolution. 
• Prepare reports for file documentation 
• Applying creative solutions which result in the best financial outcome. 
• Negotiate settlements 
• Processing mail and prioritizing workload.  
• Responsible for telephone calls and written correspondence to/from various parties (insured, claimant, etc.). 
• Have an appreciation and passion for strong claim management. 

What We Need:

• A J. D. from an accredited university required. A deep knowledge of claims adjudication is typically achieved through a minimum of seven years’ experience adjudicating casualty claims with exposure of $100,000 or more.  Preferably with 1 year in a Claims Supervisory capacity managing adjusters. 
• Ability to travel approximately 10% of the time, usually to Bermuda
• Must have good business acumen (i.e. understand how an insurance company works and makes money, including how this role impacts both Argo Group and our customers’ ability to be profitable).
• Ability to regularly exercise discretion and independent judgment with respect to matters of significance. This role primarily faces problems and issues that are difficult and require an understanding of a broader set of issues.
• Specialization across multiple jurisdictions but with a very strong focus on the US;
• In-depth knowledge and experience of assessing coverage under the Bermuda form as well as London and US excess forms with the ability to analyze complex coverage issues and challenge legal advice;
• Ability to understand and apply regulatory and legal requirements in the claims context;
• Must have excellent communication skills and the ability to build lasting relationships.
• Exhibit natural curiosity in order to consistently explore and consider all options and is not governed by conventional thinking.
• Desire to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent evaluation and strategic skills required.
• Strong claim negotiation skills a must.
• Knows how claims reserving techniques are used and how to assess whether a claim reserve is accurate.
• Must possess a strong customer focus.
• Effective time management skills and ability to prioritize workload while handling multiple tasks and deadlines.
• Demonstrates innovative thinking and regularly shares ideas to help the team whenever possible
• Ability to articulate the financial value of your work at multiple responsibility levels inside our clients’ business which may include CEO.
• Demonstrates inner strength.  Has the courage to do the right thing and demonstrates it on a daily basis.
• Intellectual curiosity.  Consistently considers all options and is not governed by conventional thinking.
• Proficient in MS Office Suite and other business-related software.
• Polished and professional written and verbal communication skills in order to present information accurately and effectively.
• The ability to read and write English fluently is required.
• Must demonstrate a desire for continued professional development through continuing education and self-development opportunities.
• Licensed Claims Examiner (Based on state) Must possess or have ability to quickly obtain a license in each jurisdiction requiring a license to adjudicate first party claims within 120 Days.

The base salary range provided below is for hires in those geographic areas only and will be commensurate with candidate experience. Pay ranges for candidates in other locations may differ based on the cost of labor in that location. In addition to base salary, all employees are eligible for an annual bonus based on company and individual performance as well as a generous benefits package.

New York City Pay Range:

$185,600 - $223,100

Chicago Pay Range

$170,300 - $204,300

Physical Demands

Unless otherwise specified below as an essential function of the job, this role generally operates within a standard office environment requiring the use of a PC and other related office equipment.

About Working in Claims at Argo Group

• Argo Group does not treat our claims or our claims professionals as a commodity. The work we offer is challenging, diverse, and impactful.
• Our Adjusters and Managers are empowered to exercise their independent discretion and, within broad limits and authority, be creative in developing solutions and treat each case as the unique situation it is. 
• We have a very flat organizational structure, enabling our employees have more interaction with our senior management team, especially when it relates to reviewing large losses. 
• Our entire claims team works in a collaborative nature to expeditiously resolve claims.  We offer a work environment that inspires innovation and is open to employee suggestions. We even offer rewards for creative and innovative ideas. 
• We believe in building an inclusive and diverse team, and we strive to make our office a welcoming space for everyone. We encourage talented people from all backgrounds to apply.

How We Work - Our Employee Values

Employees at Argo thrive together as a responsible, profitable specialty insurer where all stakeholders share in our success.  
 

We are committed to:

• Demonstrate entrepreneurial spirit:
  • Get the job done in a non-bureaucratic, resourceful manner.
  • Create a culture of accountability ensuring the delivery of world-class products and services.
• Do the right thing:
  • Act with integrity always.
  • Adhere to the commitments set forth in the Argo Group Environmental, Social and Governance program.
• Collaborate:
  • Create an open and transparent environment in which diverse experience, skill sets, and individuals can team together to drive optimal outcomes.
  • Encourage and include unique perspectives at all times.
• Respect each other:
  • Create an environment that promotes dialogue, mutual support and cooperation between and among all, where people are fun to be around, proud of what they do, and willing to achieve beyond normal expectations.