Senior Coverage Counsel: Liability Claims

Fortegra; Jacksonville, Woodbridge Township, Washington, Boston (FL, NJ, District of Columbia, MA); On-site; USD 160,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full benefits package including health

Job summary

Fortegra seeks an experienced Liability Coverage Counsel to act as a legal and technical resource within the Claims division. You will guide coverage on complex commercial liability matters, interpret policy language, manage disputes, and support resolution of high-exposure claims.

You will collaborate with claims, underwriting, product, and internal stakeholders, require strong judgment, and communicate complex issues clearly to legal and non-legal audiences.

Qualifications

• JD from an accredited law school
• Active license and good standing with at least one U.S. state bar
• 7–10 years of relevant legal experience involving insurance coverage, complex liability claims, or coverage litigation
• Experience analyzing Commercial General Liability and Excess/Umbrella Liability policies
• Prior litigation experience with an outside law firm is required, preferably involving complex insurance coverage or commercial liability matters
• Strong knowledge of insurance policy interpretation, coverage litigation, claims-handling practices, and applicable legal/regulatory requirements
• Experience drafting coverage opinions, reservation of rights letters, coverage position letters, and related legal correspondence
• Experience managing outside counsel and overseeing complex or high-exposure litigation
• Ability to evaluate complicated factual and legal issues, identify material risks, and provide practical, business-oriented recommendations
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Responsibilities

• Provide legal guidance and strategic counsel on complex coverage matters arising from commercial liability claims
• Review and interpret insurance policies, endorsements, applications, underwriting materials, and related documentation to assess coverage obligations
• Prepare and review reservation of rights letters, coverage position letters, DISCLAIMERS, and other coverage-related correspondence
• Advise claims professionals on coverage strategy, claim handling, litigation exposure, settlement considerations, and appropriate escalation of complex matters
• Evaluate claims involving multiple policies, coverage layers, insurers, insureds, and potentially overlapping or competing coverage obligations
• Provide guidance on priority of coverage, additional insured status, contractual indemnification, allocation, contribution, exhaustion, and excess or umbrella coverage issues
• Manage or oversee declaratory judgment actions, coverage litigation, and other disputes involving policy interpretation or the company’s coverage obligations
• Select, retain, and manage outside coverage counsel, including oversight of legal strategy, budgets, performance, and case outcomes
• Participate in mediations, settlement conferences, and other dispute-resolution proceedings involving significant coverage issues
• Partner with claims leadership on high-severity, complex, or sensitive matters, including claims with significant financial, regulatory, or reputational exposure
• Collaborate with Underwriting and Product teams to provide claims-based insight regarding policy language, endorsements, emerging coverage issues, and potential areas of ambiguity
• Monitor legal, regulatory, and industry developments affecting commercial liability coverage and communicate their potential impact to relevant stakeholders
• Identify trends across claims and coverage disputes and recommend improvements to policy language, claims practices, documentation, and internal controls
• Develop and deliver training to claims professionals and other business partners on coverage analysis, policy interpretation, litigation developments, and emerging risks
• Maintain accurate and timely documentation of legal advice, coverage evaluations, litigation strategy, and material claim developments
• Support audits, regulatory inquiries, and other internal or external reviews involving coverage-related matters
• Perform additional duties and special projects as assigned by the Chief Claims Officer

Skills

Insurance coverage analysis

Policy interpretation

Legal research and writing

Negotiation and dispute resolution

Outside counsel management

Cross-functional collaboration

Risk assessment and judgment

Complex claims consultation

Written and verbal communication

Business and financial acumen

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Job description

Fortegra seeks an experienced Liability Coverage Counsel to act as a legal and technical resource within the Claims division. You will guide coverage on complex commercial liability matters, interpret policy language, manage disputes, and support resolution of high-exposure claims.

You will collaborate with claims, underwriting, product, and internal stakeholders, require strong judgment, and communicate complex issues clearly to legal and non-legal audiences.