The art of specialty claims

Specialty insurance claims often involve significant disruption to both businesses and lives. They can be complex, costly and lengthy. As such, specialty claims require a commitment to relationships and a focus on solutions. By combining technical skills, commercial pragmatism, transparency and an authentic human touch, Robert Mercer, Head of Claims at Liberty Specialty Markets highlights how his team supports brokers and clients when it matters most.

Changing claims environment

The commercial landscape has changed strikingly since the late 1990s when Liberty first started in Australia. 

Our clients now contract with customers and suppliers from diverse locations on increasingly complex terms, operate under constantly evolving legal and regulatory frameworks, manage economic uncertainty and appropriately support changing environmental, social and governance demands. Cumulatively, we live in a world that constantly demands more from businesses and businesses demand more from insurers, especially when a claim is made. 

​Where the stakes seem perpetually high, companies are careful about the insurers they choose to help manage their risk. As a Fortune 100 company, and the largest mutual organisation operating in P&C markets, Liberty uses our broad global reach, strong balance sheet and highly experienced claims team to forge relationships that help support our clients as they face unpredictability. 

Being local matters

Fortunately, Liberty’s claims professionals are never more than a phone call away. 

With high local claims authorities and the ability to make decisions quickly, our team has the expertise and experience to support our brokers and clients through losses big and small. 

​We strive to consistently deliver best-in-class service to all insureds for all claims, but our relationship-driven, people-first approach to complex claims is what truly sets us apart.

The human element

Complex claims result from difficult and unexpected events. Insurance policies are often called upon where technology has failed, construction has gone awry, human error has occurred, or systems have not operated as intended.

Standing by our brokers and clients through these times means our claims team has witnessed every conceivable human emotion. Clients ring us as they are dealing with anger, anxiety, grief and disbelief. It’s not uncommon for them to feel bewildered, experience regret for inadvertently acting on or giving incorrect advice, or to be stunned by the ferocity of natural forces. But whatever the emotion, and whatever the context, our first job is always to help them through what is often a harrowing experience.

We also recognise that sometimes, those involved in a claim face personal exposure. From health and safety obligations to customer demands and regulatory or disclosure requirements, businesspeople justifiably place great significance on their reputation, professionalism and livelihoods. When our clients make a claim with Liberty, they are dealing with someone who strives to understand the various pressures they are under

Fair and dependable

Whether we're paying our client directly or indemnifying them against a third-party allegation, our people-first approach means dependably working together towards a fair claim outcome. 

We understand that reasonable minds can differ sometimes, especially where a claim is inherently complex. We also understand that the longer a claim goes on, the more challenging it can become.

Liberty’s claims team knows how to handle candid conversations and work collaboratively. We strive to demystify the claim process, tailor a strategy to the circumstances of our client and ensure all parties have realistic expectations of what a policy can deliver. We also recognise that brokers and clients need to be informed and contribute to key decisions because their input is essential to maintaining alignment during a long-running claim.

Best-in-class service

Like our customers, we’re skilled professionals 
committed to what we do, and we’re drawn from a diverse range of backgrounds.

We offer our clients access to a local specialist who takes full ownership of their claim, working consistently with broker and insured from the outset to understand what has happened, deliver the best service we can and find effective solutions. 

Last year, the National Insurance Brokers Association voted Liberty the number one claims team across all seven performance categories, recognising timely claims resolution, staff knowledge, proactivity and professionalism amongst others. 

Bringing it all together

The art of specialty claims management lies in balancing people, policy, pragmatism and fairness. Just as no two clients are the same, each claim is unique. 

There is no “one size fits all” approach to managing specialty claims and the more complex the claim, the more tailored our approach must be.

Our team is constantly learning, always responding to new circumstances and continually striving to stay abreast of developments in technology, regulation and trends that impact the businesses and industries we insure. By doing so, we can most effectively support our clients when the unpredictable happens. From the very raw challenge of helping our clients following a workplace injury or fatality, to donning our boots and literally wading through water in the aftermath of a flood, from managing the results of a vessel fire to helping an insured navigate the complexities of a securities class action, we’re in your corner for the long run.