Senior Claims Handler

Our Professional & Commercial Risks Team deals with a variety of insurance claims against businesses and their employees/directors. They act on numerous high value and sensitive claims for clients throughout the UK including solicitors, surveyors, accountants, brokers, engineers, architects and their insurers. The team are particularly experienced in the deployment of alternative dispute resolution techniques, including mediation and arbitration. The Bristol team includes commercial litigation (with a particular emphasis on financial services) and is in the top tier rankings for professional negligence in both the Legal 500 and Chambers directories, with a number of recognised leading individuals within the team. The team also includes a market leading claims handling team, handling several thousand professional and financial lines claims on an outsourced basis on behalf of London Market Insurers.

Key Responsibilities

• The overall purpose of this role is to provide a timely, professional and high-quality service to clients in the management of insurance cases.
• Senior Claims Handlers will typically work on cases with a value of up to £500k and/or more complex cases with, for example, coverage issues.
• Manage a varied caseload.
• Manage, with support from the Administrator, the set-up of new files by reviewing incoming instructions, completing case set-up form, identify relevant issues and passing to Claims Supervisor to allocate with recommendations.
• Conduct review of new cases, completing case checklist to identify coverage issues.
• Assess liability and quantum and establish strategy for the case.
• Draft correspondence to brokers/insured's requesting additional information as required.
• Resolve claims through negotiation of settlement, rebuttal of claim and/or declining of cover.
• Review panel reports and obtain instructions when appropriate.
• Maintain ongoing contact with the client throughout the process to report on progress and take further instructions.
• Play a key role in developing and maintaining client relationships.
• Ensure that the client’s brand and methodology are promoted effectively in all dealings with third parties.
• Instruct experts and external counsel where appropriate.
• Ensure that case management system and hard copy files are updated with diary dates as required by the case.
• Assume responsibility for quality control and client protocol compliance on own caseload, including accuracy and timeliness of record keeping, file management and management reporting and information.
• Handle confidential information in line with the firm’s data security protocols.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• Graduate calibre with an excellent Academic Record.
• An interest in the area of insurance claims management.
• Able to get started quickly with an appropriate level of support from senior team members.
• Previous experience of either working as a claims paralegal or similar within insurance, or in private practice as a paralegal/litigation executive.
• Experience in property and/or liability claims preferable.
• IT literate with working knowledge of Word and Excel.
• Knowledge/previous experience of case management systems would be an advantage but training will be provided.
• Client focused with an ability to build strong relationships with client and third party contacts at all levels.
• Able to work to deadlines, prioritise own workload effectively under pressure and manage conflicting priorities.
• Proactive and energetic with a tenacious approach to identifying issues and solving problems.
• Quality and customer service oriented with a concern for accuracy and an eye for detail.
• Team oriented. A collegiate approach to sharing knowledge and working with colleagues across locations is essential.
• Able to progress tasks using own initiative, seeking guidance and input from others where appropriate.
• Committed and enthusiastic with a mature attitude to work and a desire to commit long term to a career in this field.
• Confident oral and written communication skills.

About DAC Beachcroft

We are a leading international legal business with over 3,000 colleagues and a diverse range of capabilities. We are market leaders in insurance, health and real estate but with a full-service offering, including growing Financial Services and Tech capabilities. We represent a wide range of clients – from household names to government departments and NHS bodies. We act for nearly all of the top-20 UK and global insurers, we’re market leaders in the provision of strategic, commercial and regulatory advice to providers and commissioners in the health sector, and in real estate we advise all of the UK’s top-five housebuilders. We are a fast-growing international business with offices around the globe. In addition to our 11 UK offices, we also have offices in Bogota, Buenos Aires, Dublin, Lima, Hong Kong, Madrid, Mexico City, Miami, Milan, New York, Paris, Rome, Santiago, and Singapore plus a broad network of affiliations across the globe. At DAC Beachcroft we are committed to and recognise the importance of equity, diversity and inclusion across the board, including and beyond the protected characteristics. We take decisions based solely on merit. We value, welcome and seek out people with different backgrounds and life experiences, perspectives, beliefs, ways of thinking and identities.