Claims Adjuster

City

San Mateo

State

California

Job Location

San Mateo Corp Office

Position Type

Regular

The Claims Adjuster is responsible for prompt and independent review of all claims from Essex’s 250+ properties including, but not limited to, investigation, evaluation, advice, coverage analysis, negotiation, and settlement with insureds, claimants, adverse parties and counsel.

A successful candidate will have experience working through a high volume of claims and be able to guide Essex’s associates on incident response, collection and retention of necessary information, and appropriate engagement of third parties including cause and origin experts. A successful candidate will also be able to quickly identify subrogation or tender opportunities and pursue claims through settlement and pay out or tender acceptance, up to and including management of outside counsel. This role will handle all claims, with a focus on subrogation matters, ranging from thousands to millions of dollars in damages, covering California and Washington.

WHAT YOU WILL DO:

• Handle all property damage claims for 250+ properties across California and Washington from inception to resolution via ticketing system, while managing the claim volume effectively and efficiently.

• Use claims experience to appropriately guide on-site staff to the resolution of issues.

• Evaluate claims for subrogation and/or tenders to third parties, pursuing subrogation or tender to resolution.

• Achieve year over year subrogation recovery targets, in line with business’s historical numbers.

• Ensure tickets appropriately catalog claim history including action plans, relevant documents, communications, settlement agreements, and loss figures.

• Ensures quality and timely service is provided to all internal and external parties.

• Manage third parties assisting in claims process including, but not limited to, outside counsel where subrogation requires litigation, experts, carriers, and other vendors.

• Effectively negotiates and resolves litigated and non-litigated property claims, leveraging relationships to achieve optimal outcomes.

• Manage and controls loss adjustment expenses.

• Evaluate claims for trends and provide guidance to various departments on potential risk management solutions.

• Negotiate and use templates to prepare various agreements including Lease Terminations, Lease Extensions, Settlement Agreements, Payment Plans, Transfer Agreements, Relocation and Concession Agreements.

• Assist in developing materials and training for onsite staff on best practices for risk management from a property claims perspective, focusing on steps to resolve frequent issues.

• Undertake other assignments and tasks as directed.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.

• 5+ years of claims handling experience, preferably for an insurance agency or third-party adjuster.

• Demonstrated proficiency with ServiceNow or similar ticket-based claims management system.

• Demonstrated experience in investigation, evaluation, and settlement of claims with a high-volume case load.

• Multi-Family Building claims experience preferred.

• Dedication to customer service in a fast-paced environment while communicating with a variety of interested parties.

• Must be detail-oriented, self-motivated, able to work both independently and in teams, and able to prioritize time-sensitive projects.

• Strong knowledge of insurance procedures, policies, regulations, and practices.

• Ability to review and interpret ordinances, statutes, settlement agreements, contracts, and other legal documents.

• Familiar with litigation management and mediations.

• Ability to recognize claim trends and provide feedback on how to reduce exposure or improve claim recoveries.

• Strong organizational and time management skills, including the ability to triage a high volume of claims

• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications

WHAT THE JOB REQUIRES:

• Operates in a fast-paced work setting. Requires the ability to multitask and adapt quickly to changing priorities. May involve tight deadlines and high-energy work situations.

• Work is primarily conducted in an office setting. Requires sitting at a desk or workstation for extended periods. Involves the use of standard office equipment such as computers, phones, and printers.

• The position includes in-person work requirements consistent with the hybrid policy located at Essex's corporate offices in Woodland Hills, Irvine, Bellevue or San Mateo.  The hybrid policy is subject to change at Essex’s sole discretion.

• Requires the ability to sit or stand for extended periods. Minimal physical effort in the day-to-day tasks.

• Minimal travel may be required for occasional meetings, training, or conferences.

WHAT YOU WILL BRING TO THE TABLE:

• There are no formal supervisory responsibilities in this position. May provide informal assistance such as technical guidance and/or training to coworkers. May coordinate work and assign tasks.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Strong organizational and analytical skills. Ability to provide efficient, timely, reliable and courteous service to customers. Ability to effectively present information.

• Ability to comprehend, analyze, and interpret a high volume of claims. Ability to solve problems involving several options in situations. Requires intermediate analytical and quantitative skills.

• Decisions made with thorough knowledge of procedures and company policies to achieve set results and deadlines. Responsible for setting own project deadlines.

#LI-Hybrid

#LI-AA1

All full-time regular associates are offered competitive salaries, experience career growth, and are eligible for benefit packages that include medical, dental, vision, paid parental leave, 401k employer match, excellence rewards, wellness programs, and much more. With our Sunday property operations office closures, 10 paid holidays, and 15 PTO days, work/life balance is a priority! Additionally, most positions are eligible for a housing discount of 20%.

Essex provides great communities in which to live, work and invest. We are a purpose-driven company, and we pride ourselves on promoting an internal culture of growth and opportunity by engaging, enabling, and empowering our teams. Working at Essex is not a destination. It is a journey where you can confidently build your career.

The pay range for this position is $88,000.00 - $125,000.00 per year. New hires generally start between $88,000.00 - $106,000.00 per year. The final salary offer will be determined after reviewing relevant factors, including but not limited to skill sets; relevant experience; internal equity; and other business and organizational needs.This role is also eligible to participate in Essex’s discretionary Annual Bonus program that is commensurate with the level of the position.