Claims Handler

Kennedys is looking for an Assistant Claims Handler or Claims Handler to join their Insurance Division. This is a fantastic opportunity to join a market leading team, working on a variety of different cases with excellent long term progression opportunities. You will be able to work from home frequently with travel to the Taunton or Bristol office as and when required. Typically claims handlers work on a mixed portfolio of claimson behalf of leading insurers, acting under a delegated authority for pre-litigated matters from first notification of loss to resolution. Claims handlers continue to manage claims that fall outside of the delegated authority as an agent for the insurer client reviewing and managing panel appointment and reporting. Each claims handler will need to develop a broad knowledge of legal issues in respect of a variety of case types. The role demands the ability to understand and deliver a first class service to insurers' requirements and provide support to the relationship management of the client for the firm.

Team

Kennedys' Claims Handling team is one of the leading, most experienced claims handling teams in the UK, Ireland and internationally. Our team, based in Taunton and Bristol, handle claims on behalf of major international insurers, brokers, managing general agents and insurer-led schemes. We deal with thousands of notifications across all professions and also first party cyber schemes. Our claims handlers provide pro-active, responsive, and cost-effective claims services, driven by a desire to provide outstanding client service.

Business Lines

• Surveyors
• Engineers
• Solicitors PI
• Insurance brokers
• Construction professionals
• Barristers
• First party cyber
• Architects
• Accountants
• International businesses
• ATE/BTE.

Cases

• Defending professional indemnity claims against solicitors, barristers, accountants and insurance brokers.
• Defending professional indemnity claims against all constructions professional including architects, engineers, surveyors, quantity surveyors and project managers, including delay and overspend claims.
• Defending over-valuation claims as a result of the credit crunch and in particular aspects of fraud. (Buy-to-lets, multimillion pound over valuations of both domestic and commercial properties).
• Advising on coverage and policy issues.
• Handling third party property claims.
• Alternative dispute resolution including mediation and adjudication.
• Handling Before the Event (BTE) and After The Event (ATE) liability claims. First and third party claims.
• Defending catastrophic losses on behalf of international businesses.
• Defending D&O and employment claims against charities, schools and trusts.
• Handling first party losses on cyber claims from initial notification of loss to settlement.
• Working with the Incident Response Team to guide clients and triage claims.
• Providing coverage monitoring services to Insurers and advising on policy response.

Required experience

• Claims handling experience or alternatively paralegal experience (preferably gained at a defendant insurance law firm or with the insurance market).*
• We will also consider candidates who have completed a law degree and have an interest in Claims Handling or who have insurance industry experience.
• Experience of BTE or ATE claims is ideal but not essential.
• Liaison with clients, provision of customer service.
• Use of electronic case management systems.
• A proven ability of:
• Effective communication and negotiating skills.
• Influencing and building relationships.
• Organisational and prioritising own workload.

Benefits

• Matching pension scheme
• Fitness and wellness benefits
• Private medical insurance
• Corporate GP
• Life insurance and Income protection
• 35 hour working week
• Excellent resources via our online Learning Management System

About Kennedys

As soon as you join Kennedys you’ll be given opportunity to build your own personal client relationships, and we encourage you to do so. We value the relationships we build with our clients and we know that they appreciate our warm, friendly, human approach. We place emphasis on offering a transparent career path. Our partner and senior associate promotion process and criteria are clearly communicated throughout the firm. We are proud that many of our partners, including our Senior Partner, began their life in law as trainees with us.

*where a level of experience is indicated, this is a guideline only and represents the amount of time we would usually expect a candidate to accumulate the requisite level of experience. This does not preclude applications from candidates with more or less experience