Liability & Litigation Adjuster

Hippo Insurance; New Jersey; On-site; USD 110,000 - 133,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthy Hippos Benefits

Equity

Training and Career Growth

Flexible Time Off

Little Hippos Program

Job summary

Hippo Insurance in Morristown, NJ is seeking a Liability and Litigation Adjuster to manage complex homeowners property and liability claims, with emphasis on litigated files. You will investigate losses, evaluate coverage, and negotiate settlements while coordinating with policyholders, vendors and outside counsel.

The role requires strong communication, fraud-detection abilities, and a drive to exceed expectations in a fast-paced team environment.

Qualifications

• Five or more years in Property & Casualty claims with litigation exposure.
• Knowledge of homeowners liability, litigation processes and bad faith concepts.
• Active multi-state adjuster licenses with willingness to expand to new states.

Responsibilities

• Manage property and liability losses for Personal Lines Homeowners, focusing on litigated files.
• Contact policyholders promptly to set expectations and develop action plans.
• Investigate claims, review files, and determine appropriate plans of action.
• Analyze findings and policy language to determine coverage.
• Coordinate vendors for field work and maintain detailed electronic records.
• Negotiate settlements within authority and escalate to management as needed.
• Ensure timely follow-up and keep policyholders informed throughout the lifecycle.
• Adjust reserves reflecting current exposure and collaborate with legal counsel.

Skills

Litigation knowledge

Claim negotiation

Written communication

Team collaboration

Fraud prevention

Multi-state licensure

Education

Bachelor's degree in business or risk management

Professional designation such as AIC/SCLA preferred

Job description

Hippo was built on a promise: make homeownership effortless. Nearly a decade later, that mission still drives us. We use technology and data to help our customers stay ahead of problems and protect what matters most.

Today, that same tech-native approach powers our work beyond homeowners. Hippo operates as a diversified carrier platform, partnering with MGAs to deliver tailored program solutions that help them grow and deliver better customer experiences. Behind that work is a team that values ownership, curiosity, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

If you're energized by building what's next, we'd love to meet you.

About This Role:

The Liability and Litigation Adjuster manages a caseload of complex Homeowners' property and liability claims, with particular emphasis on litigated and pre-litigation files. This role is responsible for investigating losses, evaluating coverage, and negotiating settlements while maintaining close collaboration with policyholders, vendors, and outside counsel to achieve fair, accurate, and timely claim resolution. The Liability and Litigation Adjuster also serves as a technical resource and mentor to team members and may provide support at the supervisor level as needed.

About You:

• Must have knowledge and experience with homeowner liability investigation and litigation, both first and third party
• Critical Thinker, demonstrable ability to recognize irregularities and prevent fraud
• Superior communicator, both written and verbal
• Enthusiastic about working for a company focused on disrupting the norm
• Team player who enjoys helping and developing others
• Overachiever who is driven to exceed expectations
• Empathetic, dedicated to understanding the needs of our customers

What You'll Do:

• Manage all aspects of property and liability losses related to Personal Lines Homeowners claims, with emphasis on litigated files.
• Make prompt contact with policyholders to establish expectations, develop an action plan, and complete an initial exposure assessment.
• Investigate claims of varying complexity, including review and evaluation of transferred files to determine an appropriate plan of action.
• Analyze investigation findings and policy language to determine coverage.
• Communicate coverage determinations to policyholders in a clear, professional, and customer-focused manner.
• Assign and coordinate vendors for required field work.
• Maintain complete, accurate, and timely electronic documentation of all file handling activity.
• Evaluate and negotiate settlement amounts within assigned authority, escalating to management as appropriate, and issue payments accordingly.
• Ensure regular, timely follow-up on all assigned files and bring claims to prompt, appropriate resolution while keeping policyholders informed throughout the claim lifecycle.
• Monitor and adjust claim file reserves to reflect current exposure.
• Collaborate with property adjusters and legal counsel on litigated and potentially litigated matters.
• Serve as a technical resource, mentor, and trainer for team members; may provide coverage at the supervisor level upon request

What You'll Bring:

• The requirements below represent the knowledge, skill, and ability required to perform this role successfully.
• Minimum of six years of Property & Casualty claims experience, with at least three years adjusting litigated liability claims, including both first- and third-party matters.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Homeowners' liability exposure, litigation processes, and potential bad faith considerations.
• Experience handling complex first-party litigation, including files involving potential bad faith allegations.
• Working knowledge of claims investigation practices, policy interpretation, and settlement negotiation.
• General understanding of the principles of good faith and fair dealing, and the ability to apply them in file analysis.
• Thorough understanding of applicable Department of Insurance (DOI) regulations and compliance requirements.
• Active multi-state claims adjuster license(s), including Texas, with the ability to obtain additional state licenses as required.
• Bachelor's degree in business, risk management, or a related field preferred; or a high school diploma or equivalent combined with the required claims experience.
• Professional claims designation such as Associate in Claims (AIC) or Senior Claims Law Associate (SCLA) preferred.
• Strong critical thinking skills with the ability to identify irregularities and support fraud prevention efforts.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills, with attention to detail and accurate record-keeping.
• Ability to manage a varied caseload with sound independent judgment while collaborating effectively with team members, vendors, and outside counsel.
• Ability to perform effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic work environment and to prioritize competing demands.

Bonus Points:

• Experience with Special Investigations Unit (SIU) or fraud-related matters is a plus.

Benefits and Perks

Hippo treats its team members with the same level of dedication and care as we do our customers, which is why we're fortunate to provide all of our Hippos with:

• Healthy Hippos Benefits - Multiple medical plans to choose from and 100% employer covered dental & vision plans for our team members and their families. We also offer a 401(k) retirement plan, short & long-term disability, employer-paid life insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) for health and dependent care, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Equity -This position is eligible for equity compensation
• Training and Career Growth - Training and internal career growth opportunities
• Flexible Time Off - You know when and how you should recharge
• Little Hippos Program - We offer 12 weeks of parental leave for primary and secondary caregivers

The Morristown, NJ base pay range for this role is $110,000 - $133,000. Exact compensation may vary based on several job-related factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to: skill set, experience, education/training, location, business needs and market demands.

Hippo is an equal opportunity employer, and we are committed to building a team culture that celebrates diversity and inclusion.

Hippo's applicants are considered solely based on their qualifications, without regard to an applicant's disability or need for accommodation. Any Hippo applicant who requires reasonable accommodations during the application process should contact the Hippo's People Team to make the need for an accommodation known.