Claims Counsel

Who are we?

Howden is a collective – a group of talented and passionate people all around the world. Together, we have pushed the boundaries of insurance. We are united by a shared passion and no-limits mind-set, and our strength lies in our ability to collaborate as a powerful international team comprised of 15,000 employees spanning over 100 countries.

Our people are our biggest asset as well as our largest shareholder group and are everything that makes us unique; our inclusive culture, the quality service we offer our clients, and our continued growth, all come from our people-first approach. There’s no such thing as individual success. We all need to play our part, contributing our skills and experience to make a true difference. That’s Howden.

Why work at Howden?

We have always been employee-owned and driven by entrepreneurial spirit. Right from the beginning, we've focused on employing talented individuals and empowering them to make a real difference to the company, whilst building successful and fulfilling careers at the same time. Simply put, we hire talented specialists and give them what they need to make a difference for clients. Always have, always will.

People join Howden for many different reasons, but they stay for the same one : our culture. It’s what sets us apart, and the reason our employees have been turning down disappointed head-hunters for years. Whatever your priorities – work / life balance, career progression, sustainability, volunteering – you’ll find like-minded people driving change at Howden.

The Role

Claims counsel advising clients and colleagues on policy wordings, complex claims, regulatory matters and any other technical matter across HowdenCAP including support during placing / underwriting.

Provide support to brokers with client development and internal / external training, as well as mentoring / developing staff with less experience. Business lines include Credit & Political Risk, W&I, Tax & Contingent Risk, Environmental & Climate, and Title. Role also includes contributing to data collection strategy.

Key Responsibilities

Delivers high quality advice to the business in a practical and commercially focused way in relation to their area of subject matter expertise.

Manages assigned projects and contribute to other projects as required.

Provides relevant management information when requested.

Develops strong relationships with markets, both claims teams and underwriting (wordings development and negotiation)

Negotiate with markets to achieve the best outcome for the client

Assists brokers and account executives in relation to wordings, by providing advice to clients and by assisting in negotiations with the market

Drafts policy wordings and bespoke wording and claims related documentation as required

Develops innovative wordings products, by staying abreast of the market place and responding to client needs

Advises clients on any coverage issues

Monitors legal, regulatory and claims developments impacting clients or the division / department

Prepares thought-leadership articles, seminars, internal training sessions

Responsible for all stages of the claim advocacy process in relation to nominated clients. This is inclusive of advice around whether to notify, to drafting notifications, managing information flow, strategically managing the insurance market to driving successful claims resolutions

Assists with the development of claims data propositions

Interprets instructions and issues arising, and then implement actions according to policies and procedures

Skills & Attributes

Extensive experience of working within the insurance environment in a Claims or policy wordings development capacity, which may include time working in an insurance focused legal role in private legal practice or similar

Experience of working as a claims specialist or technical wordings specialist within the Lloyds and international markets

Advanced knowledge of the claims handling process and of specific product areas and related wordings.

Advanced knowledge of the market within which the company operates, including awareness of competitors, specific territory knowledge, cultural awareness.

Detailed knowledge and understanding of the insurance sector

Strong awareness of the regulatory environment and requirements along with how these impact on the Operating Entity’s activities as well as their own business unit

Able to work independently and use initiative

Networks extensively and is able to build sustainable working relationships

Strong negotiation skills

Analytical and able to make good decisions

Able to work flexibly to achieve tight deadlines / targets

An ability to learn and share learning

Coaching skills and the ability to manage more junior members of the team

Qualifications

Completed a law degree, the Graduate Diploma in Law, the CILEx Diploma in Law and Practice or similar legal qualification, or similar experience. Ideally 5 + years PQE but will consider all applicants.

Who we’re looking for

At Howden we value diversity - there is no one Howden ‘personality type’. Instead, we’re looking for individuals who share the same values as us :

Our successes have all come from someone brave enough to try something new

We support each other, in the small everyday moments and the bigger challenges

We are determined to make a positive difference, at work and beyond

What do we offer in return?

A career that you define.

Our business succeeds by allowing our people to make a mark in the areas they care about most : personal development, volunteering, and fundraising for charity, or creating new insurance products that address society’s greatest challenges.

And we know that separate home and work lives don't really exist. If you're happy and healthy at home, you're more likely to be happy and fulfilled at work – and vice versa. That's why we do our best to support our people in every aspect of their lives.

Diversity and Inclusion

At Howden, we consider our people our chief competitive advantage and as such we treat colleagues, candidates, clients, and business partners with equality, fairness, and respect – regardless of age, disability, race, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, or family circumstances.

Our sustainability promise

We’re on a life-long journey to become an ever-more sustainable group. It's a commitment to taking care of our people and the world we live in, to doing good business, and to making a positive impact wherever we can. Our governance processes, company policies, and review systems are all geared towards our goal of making a positive impact in the world. You can read more about our sustainability work here.

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