Head of Casualty and Financial Lines Claims

The Head of Casualty and Financial Lines claims will proactively manage the portfolio, comprising General Liability, Management Liability, Professional Indemnity and Medical malpractice/healthcare claims. The role is primarily responsible for the oversight of all Casualty and Financial Lines claims adjustment in the UK, ensuring high-quality, timely, and fair evaluation and settlement of claims. The role will also sit on the global Claims Leadership Team and act as a global lead for Casualty and Financial Lines claims, acting as a technical expert and driving consistency across the regions. The postholder will work closely with the Claims Leadership Team in setting and delivering the claims strategy and will play a critical part in driving a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration, and customer excellence within the claims function.

Responsibilities

• Portfolio Management: Lead and manage all aspects of the UK Casualty and Financial Lines claims portfolio. Ensure timely, accurate assessment and fair settlement of claims, maintaining close control over high-profile, complex, and catastrophe losses. As global lead, you will set and oversee international practices, ensuring alignment with global standards. Drive excellent claim outcomes and monitor results, ensuring that the portfolio is appropriately reserved at all times. Act as the referral point for Casualty and Financial Lines claims and to have in place an effective process ensuring that potentially significant claims or claims issues are escalated to the Group Chief Claims Officer, UK Head of Claims or other impacted teams, as appropriate. Monitor the profitability of the accounts by reviewing the actual versus expected and provide meaningful input into claims MI reports, monthly tracking meetings and quarterly reserving meetings and to flag areas of the claims portfolio that are underperforming to underwriters, actuaries and management.
• Team Leadership and Development: Inspire stakeholder engagement and empower a high‑performing claims team. Ensure that your team is adequately resourced and pro‑actively seek to attract high calibre talent, where necessary. Set clear goals, objectives and expectations, and review progress against them. Motivate and mentor your team, ensuring that they have the requisite skills, knowledge and experience through ongoing training and development. Promote a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration, and accountability.
• Strategic oversight: Support the Chief Claims Officer and UK Head of Claims in the development and implementation of the global claims strategy. Provide strategic oversight and guidance, leveraging expertise to influence key decisions and drive business growth on a global scale.
• Projects and Change: Shape initiatives and lead strategic projects to improve efficiencies and support the continuous evolution of the claims capability. Guiding the team through change to successfully transform Claims into a value adding, high performing capability.
• Proactive management of delegated claims arrangements: Oversee delegated claims to ensure consistent and effective delivery of service to our customers.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain positive, collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including brokers, coverholders, DCAs, underwriters, actuaries, brokers, finance, and outwards reinsurance. Act as an escalation point for Casualty and Financial Lines claims matters globally.
• Collaboration and Influence: Facilitate effective communication and information sharing with global claims teams, including the US and APAC offices. Provide regular, high‑quality claims reporting, including significant developments and large loss movements, and contribute to global claims forums.
• Compliance and Governance: Ensure all claims activities adhere to internal processes and procedures, ensuring that each member of your team acts in accordance with the Claims Manual and their claims authority limits.
• Market Representation: Represent Canopius at market events, building a network of peer contacts and keeping abreast of market developments and industry best practices. Share market intelligence internally to inform underwriting and claims strategies.

Skills

• Proven technical expertise in Casualty and Financial Lines claims, with strong knowledge of market trends, contractual terms, and the evolving risk landscape.
• Demonstrated ability to manage and develop a team.
• Experience of the US litigation landscape highly advantageous.
• Experience in the London market is highly advantageous; knowledge of Lloyd’s preferred.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to represent Canopius professionally and build influential relationships at all levels.
• Strong commitment to customer service, accountability, and driving and implementing change.
• Recognised industry qualification (e.g., ACII, ARe, AIC) preferred.

Competencies

• Accountability and Proactivity: Take ownership for outcomes, act with integrity, and proactively address challenges and opportunities.
• Resilience: Demonstrate the ability to cope with and recover from setbacks or challenges, persevering under pressure and emerging stronger.
• Inclusivity: Champion a culture where all voices are heard, valued, and respected, supporting the unique contributions of every team member and stakeholder.
• Teamwork: Work effectively across global teams, building cohesive relationships and leveraging collective strengths to achieve shared goals. Foster a positive, inclusive team culture.
• Continuous Improvement and change: Drive a culture of practical innovation, regularly analysing business requirements and identifying strategies to improve claims outcomes and processes. Support the team through organisational change in processes, systems, and strategy.

Our Benefits

We offer all employees a comprehensive benefits package that focuses on their whole wellbeing. This includes hybrid working, a competitive base salary, non‑contributory pension, discretionary bonus, insurances including health (family) and dental cover, and many other benefits to enhance financial, physical, social and psychological health.

About Canopius

Canopius is a global specialty lines (re)insurer. We are one of the leading insurers in the Lloyd’s of London insurance market with offices in the UK, US, Singapore, Australia and Bermuda. At Canopius we foster a distinctive, positive culture which enables us to bring our whole selves to work to flourish as people, and build a business which delivers profitable, sustainable results. Based in incredible new offices in the heart of the City of London, Canopius operates a flexible, hybrid working model and is committed to providing an environment that challenges employees to be their best and where everyone's unique contributions are recognised, valued and respected. We are fully committed to equal employment opportunities for all applicants and providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions are made regardless of age, sex, gender identity, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, socio‑economic background, religion or beliefs, marital or caring status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. We encourage and welcome applicants from all diverse backgrounds. We make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process and during employment. Please let us know if you require any information in an alternate format or any other reasonable adjustments.