Senior Claims Manager - Workers' Compensation

GAIC Great American Insurance Company; California; Hybrid; USD 130,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Wellness plans

Parental leave

Tuition reimbursement

Paid time off and holidays

401(k) with company match

Employee stock purchase plan

Commuter benefits

Job summary

Great American Insurance Group is seeking a Senior Claims Manager to lead a team of experienced workers’ compensation claims professionals in California. The role focuses on driving claim strategy, coaching staff, and delivering favorable outcomes through proactive management and expert analysis.

You will oversee complex claims, collaborate with insureds, and ensure high service levels. The position is largely remote with up to 35% travel, including overnight stays, and offers competitive

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• 10+ years of diverse workers’ compensation claims handling experience required.
• At least four years of California claims management experience required.
• Experience supervising workers’ compensation claims in Arizona, Nevada, and Oregon preferred.
• Demonstrated expertise in coverage analysis, reserving, claims investigation, and litigation management required.
• Experience managing claims for large or national accounts required.
• Proven leadership skills with experience coaching, developing, and managing experienced claims professionals.
• Strong communication, relationship-building, judgment, and strategic claims management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day activities and performance of a team of experienced workers’ compensation claims professionals.
• Guide claim strategies that emphasize proactive, creative, and timely approaches to achieving favorable outcomes.
• Coach and develop team members through ongoing performance management, feedback, learning, and professional development.
• Oversee complex workers’ compensation claims to ensure appropriate investigation, coverage analysis, reserving, and resolution strategies.
• Evaluate and direct the use of attorneys, surveillance providers, nurse case managers, and other external resources based on individual claim needs.
• Monitor litigation and vendor performance to ensure strategies remain effective, appropriate, and aligned with claim objectives.
• Partner with insureds to build support for claim strategies and maintain strong customer relationships.
• Develop approaches to mitigate potential losses through effective interaction with claimants, insureds, and other stakeholders.
• Promote timely return-to-work strategies, including collaboration with insureds to identify appropriate light-duty opportunities.
• Foster effective communication, collaboration, accountability, and sound decision-making across the claims team.
• Travel up to 35% of the time, including overnight travel, to support business, customer, and team needs.

Skills

Leadership

Claims management

Coverage analysis

Reserving

Investigation

Litigation management

Communication

Relationship-building

Strategic claims management

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Job description

Be Here. Be Great. Working for a leader in the insurance industry means opportunity for you. Great American Insurance Group's member companies are subsidiaries of American Financial Group. We combine a \"small company\" culture where your ideas will be heard with \"big company\" expertise to help you succeed. With over 30 specialty and property and casualty operations, there are always opportunities here to learn and grow. At Great American, we value and recognize the benefits derived when people with different backgrounds and experiences work together to achieve business results. Our goal is to create a workplace where all employees feel included, empowered, and enabled to perform at their best.

This position is not eligible for employment visa sponsorship. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for current or future sponsorship.

Who We Are

Strategic Comp is a leading provider of workers' compensation insurance for large employers committed to protecting their workforce. As part of Great American Insurance Group, we combine the strength and stability of a trusted organization with more than 150 years of history with the entrepreneurial spirit of a growing business. Through our specialized insurance expertise and field-based service model, we build lasting partnerships and deliver exceptional results for our customers. Our culture is built on collaboration, excellence, and a shared commitment to serving our customers and one another.

Position Overview

The Senior Claims Manager leads a team of experienced claims professionals responsible for managing complex workers’ compensation claims across California. This position oversees day-to-day team activities while driving claim strategy, customer service, employee development, and consistent execution of Strategic Comp’s claim philosophy. The Senior Claims Manager provides coaching and direction while empowering experienced adjusters to make thoughtful, proactive decisions that improve claim outcomes. This position works primarily from home and requires travel up to 35% of the time, including some overnight travel.

Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day activities and performance of a team of experienced workers’ compensation claims professionals.
• Guide claim strategies that emphasize proactive, creative, and timely approaches to achieving favorable outcomes.
• Coach and develop team members through ongoing performance management, feedback, learning, and professional development.
• Oversee complex workers’ compensation claims to ensure appropriate investigation, coverage analysis, reserving, and resolution strategies.
• Evaluate and direct the use of attorneys, surveillance providers, nurse case managers, and other external resources based on individual claim needs.
• Monitor litigation and vendor performance to ensure strategies remain effective, appropriate, and aligned with claim objectives.
• Partner with insureds to build support for claim strategies and maintain strong customer relationships.
• Develop approaches to mitigate potential losses through effective interaction with claimants, insureds, and other stakeholders.
• Promote timely return-to-work strategies, including collaboration with insureds to identify appropriate light-duty opportunities.
• Foster effective communication, collaboration, accountability, and sound decision-making across the claims team.
• Travel up to 35% of the time, including overnight travel, to support business, customer, and team needs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Generally, 10+ years of diverse workers’ compensation claims handling experience required.
• At least four years of California claims management experience required.
• Experience supervising workers’ compensation claims in Arizona, Nevada, and Oregon preferred.
• Demonstrated expertise in coverage analysis, reserving, claims investigation, and litigation management required.
• Experience managing claims for large or national accounts required.
• Proven leadership skills with experience coaching, developing, and managing experienced claims professionals.
• Strong communication, relationship-building, judgment, and strategic claims management skills.

Business Unit: Strategic Comp

Salary Range: $130,000.00 -$150,000.00

Benefits: We offer competitive benefits packages for full-time and part-time employees*.

• Full-time employees have access to medical, dental, and vision coverage, wellness plans, parental leave, adoption assistance, and tuition reimbursement.
• Full-time and eligible part-time employees also enjoy Paid Time Off and paid holidays, a 401(k) plan with company match, an employee stock purchase plan, and commuter benefits.

Compensation varies by role, level, and location and is influenced by skills, experience, and business needs.

Your recruiter will provide details about benefits and specific compensation ranges during the hiring process. Learn more at http://www.gaig.com/careers.

*Excludes seasonal employees and interns.

Great American Insurance Group understands the importance of choosing a financially strong company. We are an organization built for the long term and are committed to giving you that strength.

Why can you trust Great American Insurance Group? For nearly 150 years, Americans have trusted us to protect them. Our innovative insurance solutions and specialization serves niche marketplaces that we know well. This expertise gives us a successful foundation that spans generations.

You never know where a career in insurance will take you.

Whether you are starting your career or are looking for a company to grow your experience, at Great American Insurance Group, you can join our more than 8,500 employees to “Be Here. Be GREAT!” To learn more, visit our Career Page