Experienced Home Claims Handler

Hours: 37.5 hours on a rotational shift pattern including 2 in 4 weekends.

Salary: Competitive.

Contract: Hybrid - Leicester / Bexhill.

Role Purpose

Reporting to our Home Claims Leader, the Experienced Home Claims Handler will manage home claims within their authority limit. This role involves delivering effective claims support through desktop settlements or liaising with suppliers, while always being available to the customer. Handlers will also support the management team in achieving SLAs by effectively managing and allocating caseloads.

Job Details

• Manage a portfolio of claims with varying complexity to achieve optimal outcomes in line with Hastings 4Cs.
• Act as a technical referral point for colleagues, suppliers, and internal stakeholders.
• Ensure claims are adequately reserved, loss coded, and managed effectively for accurate pricing and reserving.
• Maintain and navigate various system platforms (e.g., Fintech, GW, Respond).
• Achieve outcomes that position Hastings as a market-leading home claims handling function, as directed by the leadership team.
• Collaborate with the Claims Team Leader to maintain best practice documents on technical applications for buildings, contents, recoveries, and subsidence.
• Handle and resolve complaints, including FOS referrals, and provide feedback to relevant parties as best practice.
• Ensure fair and reasonable customer expectations are met, providing fair outcomes. Challenge processes and procedures that do not meet these expectations.
• Complete company-mandated training and comply with FCA regulations.
• Ensure self and any direct reports achieve and demonstrate the required levels of competence.

Transferrable Essential Skills We Would Love You To Have

• Experience in Home Claims notification and case handling.
• Customer service experience, preferably telephony-based.
• Ability to communicate and work remotely using online tools (e.g., MS Teams, systems).
• Compliance with consumer duty when advising customers, with the ability to relay technical context and rationale.
• Efficient and accurate work in line with SLAs and targets, interpreting, tracking, and allocating incoming claims.
• Strong system skills, with the ability to navigate and update multiple platforms simultaneously.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to build strong relationships with internal colleagues, external suppliers, and customers.
• Understanding of the value and impact of our work for customers, the team, and the wider business.
• Ability to identify and support vulnerable customers appropriately.
• Understanding of general insurance and claims.

Reward

• Flexible Working: We champion a flexible and hybrid working approach. Discuss details with your recruiter.
• Competitive Bonus Scheme: All colleagues are eligible for our annual 4Cs performance bonus, based on Hastings' performance and your personal performance.
• Physical Wellbeing: We fund a healthcare cash plan for everyday health care claims.
• Financial Wellbeing: Includes 4x salary life assurance cover, income protection, pension contribution match up to 10%, discounts and cashback at retailers, fee-free independent mortgage advice, and free financial wellbeing support.
• Mental Wellbeing Programme: Access to the Thrive mental health app, 24/7 colleague assistance programme, in-house mental health first aiders, support groups, and a dedicated team.
• Additional Benefits: 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, with the option to buy or sell a week. Access to private healthcare, dental plans, discounted health assessments, cycle to work and tech schemes, discounted and free onsite facilities, social events, and more. Most benefits are available from day one, with some optional benefits available after probation.

As a Disability Confident employer, we’re committed to ensuring our recruitment processes are fully inclusive. For this position, we’re regrettably unable to accept applications through the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) due to the extremely high volumes of applications we receive. However, we provide an opportunity for all candidates to complete first stage assessments, in the form of some online exercises, which we can also provide adjustments for on a case by case basis.

At Hastings Direct, we’re committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, we encourage you to be open with us. Our recruitment team is here to provide the support you need to ensure a fair and accessible experience for all.

Hastings Group is an equal opportunities employer which means we treat people fairly. We welcome applications from all suitably skilled persons regardless of their gender, age, race, disability, ethnic background, religion/belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or marital/family status.