A strong claims manager job description does more than just list tasks. It paints a picture of a strategic leader who will protect your company’s financial health, manage risk, and ultimately, keep your customers happy. This role is absolutely critical for building solid, scalable claims processes, especially if your company is growing fast.

Quick Guide to Writing a Claims Manager Job Description

If you're a busy founder or hiring manager, I get it—drafting the perfect job description can feel like a major hurdle. The secret is to think beyond basic administrative duties. The modern claims manager isn't just processing paperwork; they're a core part of your leadership team.

The right person for this job will do far more than manage a caseload. They will build and refine your claims policies, mentor and grow a team of adjusters, and use data to make smarter business decisions. Think of them as the guardian of both your bottom line and your customer relationships. A great claims manager drives down loss ratios, makes operations more efficient, and navigates tricky escalations with a sharp analytical mind and a human touch.

This is even more true for startups in insurtech or fintech. In these spaces, you need someone who not only understands insurance fundamentals but can also embrace new technology and tackle specialized risks like sophisticated fraud.

To help you get started, here’s a quick visual breakdown of the three main pillars of a standout claims manager job description.

This infographic shows how to create a balanced role profile by defining what the person will do (Responsibilities), what they need to know (Skills), and how you'll both know they're succeeding (Metrics).

To make this even easier, the table below summarizes these core components and points you to the exact sections in this guide for a deeper dive. You can use it as a quick checklist to build out your job description.

Core Components of a Claims Manager Job Description

By referencing these sections, you can quickly put together a comprehensive job description that attracts the right kind of experienced, forward-thinking candidates.

Defining Core Responsibilities and Duties

A claims manager does more than just push paper. Their role is a strategic one, sitting at the intersection of risk management, operational efficiency, and the company's bottom line. When you're writing a claims manager job description, you need to capture this mix of leadership, sharp analysis, and practical, hands-on work.

Think about it this way: the manager owns the entire claim lifecycle. From the moment a claim is filed to its final resolution, they ensure every step is handled accurately, fairly, and quickly. This oversight is what keeps customers happy and protects the business from taking unnecessary financial hits.

Strategic Oversight and Team Leadership

First and foremost, a claims manager leads and mentors a team of claims adjusters and examiners. This isn't just about assigning tasks. It's about setting clear expectations, providing continuous training, and being the final word on tough or high-value cases. Ultimately, they are responsible for building a team culture rooted in integrity and accountability.

Great leaders focus on these key duties:

• Performance Management: They hold regular one-on-ones to review an adjuster's work, offer coaching, and correct any compliance or quality issues.

• Workflow Optimization: They are always looking for ways to make the claims process smoother and faster, designing workflows that cut down on cycle times and boost the team's output.

• Talent Development: They invest in their people. This means creating professional development plans and training programs, similar to what you’d find at specialized centers like Travelers' Claim University, to deepen the team's expertise.

A truly effective claims manager doesn’t just manage people; they build leaders. Their goal is to empower their team to make sound judgments, resolve disputes effectively, and operate with a high degree of autonomy.

Policy Development and Financial Stewardship

Beyond leading the team, this role is deeply strategic. The claims manager is the architect of the company's claims policies, developing and refining them so they can support the business as it grows. This requires a solid grasp of industry regulations, risk, and financial metrics.

They are also guardians of the company's money. Job postings from firms like AppleOne and Velvet Jobs often stress the importance of adjusting claim reserves based on company policy, working with lawyers on litigation, and analyzing data to find trends that could lower loss ratios.

A core part of this financial responsibility involves handling different types of claims, like those from car accidents, which requires a deep knowledge of understanding accident rights and claim processes. This expertise is vital for supporting customers and recovering funds.

Other financial duties include:

• Fraud Detection and Prevention: They put systems in place to spot and investigate suspicious claims, which is an absolutely critical function, especially in insurtech and fintech.

• Subrogation Management: They lead the charge in recovering money from third parties who were at fault for a loss.

• Reserve Accuracy: They make sure the funds set aside for future claim payouts are accurate and sufficient. This prevents nasty financial surprises down the road.

Essential Skills and Qualifications for a Claims Manager

A great claims manager isn't just one thing. They're a unique blend of technical insurance expert, sharp-eyed analyst, and inspiring team leader. When you write your claims manager job description, you need to clearly spell out this mix of competencies. Think of it in two buckets: the technical hard skills they need to know, and the interpersonal soft skills they need to lead.

The right candidate can navigate the complexities of insurance regulations, analyze data with precision, and guide their team through high-pressure situations. Without this balance, you might get someone who knows the rulebook inside and out but can’t manage people, or a charismatic leader who lacks the technical chops to make sound financial and legal calls.

Technical Hard Skills

These are the non-negotiable, teachable abilities a candidate absolutely must bring to the table. We’re talking about the bedrock knowledge and practical experience that allow them to handle the core duties of the job, often proven through certifications, work history, and familiarity with specific industry tools.

Here’s what to look for on the technical side:

• Insurance Law and Compliance: This is paramount. A deep, working knowledge of insurance policies, state and federal regulations, and legal precedents is a must-have to ensure every claim is handled by the book.

• Claims Management Software Proficiency: Your candidate needs to be comfortable with the tools of the trade. Experience with major claims platforms like Guidewire or Duck Creek—or even your own in-house system—is key for keeping workflows moving and operations running smoothly.

• Subrogation and Litigation Management: A strong manager knows how to spot opportunities to recover money (subrogation) and can confidently oversee the litigation process when a claim ends up in court.

• Financial Acumen and Data Analysis: This role has a huge impact on the bottom line. The ability to set accurate reserves, spot loss trends in the data, and use those insights to shape strategy is what separates a good manager from a great one.

Essential Soft Skills

Soft skills are all about how a manager gets the job done. These are the interpersonal traits that shape how they lead their team, negotiate with attorneys, and talk to customers. They can be harder to measure on a resume, but they are just as critical for success in a role that demands both empathy and tough decision-making.

A manager's soft skills have a direct line to team morale, customer satisfaction, and your company's reputation. Industry leaders like Travelers build their customer-centric culture on integrity, accountability, and teamwork—all qualities driven by these crucial interpersonal abilities.

To get ahead of the curve, you might explore how predictive analytics in HR can help you identify the specific traits that correlate with top performance in this role at your company.

Here are the essential soft skills to screen for:

• Leadership and Mentorship: Can they build a great team? A claims manager's main job is to coach, develop, and motivate their adjusters. Ask for concrete examples of how they’ve grown talent and boosted team performance in the past.

• Negotiation and Conflict Resolution: This is where the rubber meets the road. A claims manager has to be a master negotiator, able to find common ground and reach fair settlements with everyone from emotional claimants to tough-as-nails attorneys.

• Ethical Judgment and Integrity: In this role, you’re constantly making calls with serious financial and personal implications. Unshakable ethics aren’t just nice to have; they're an absolute requirement.

• Customer Relations and Empathy: The best managers know how to connect with people who are going through a difficult time. They can show genuine compassion while still protecting the company’s interests and sticking to the policy.

Key Performance Indicators and Success Metrics

When you're writing a claims manager job description, you need to do more than just list out their duties. To really define what success looks like, you have to include the specific metrics they'll be measured against. These Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are what turn a list of tasks into a set of clear, strategic goals.

Including KPIs from the get-go gives you a data-driven way to evaluate performance and shows candidates exactly how their work connects to the company's financial health and customer loyalty. It attracts people who are genuinely results-oriented and sets the right expectations from day one, proving that you're a company that values accountability.

Financial and Efficiency Metrics

These KPIs are all about the financial and operational side of the claims department. They measure just how well the manager can control costs, make processes more efficient, and ultimately protect the company's bottom line.

• Claims Cycle Time: This is simply the average time it takes to get a claim from opened to closed. A shorter cycle time isn't just about efficiency; it usually means happier customers, too. For example, a clear win would be taking the cycle time for auto claims from 21 days down to 15 days.

• Loss Adjustment Expense (LAE) Ratio: This ratio is a big one. It compares the cost of handling and settling claims to the total amount paid out. A lower LAE ratio is a strong sign that your manager is keeping administrative and legal costs in check without cutting corners on quality.

• Settlement Accuracy: This metric looks at the difference between the initial reserve set for a claim and what was actually paid out. High accuracy shows that the manager and their team are sharp with their initial assessments, which is crucial for accurate financial forecasting.

• Subrogation Recovery Rate: This KPI tracks how much money is successfully recovered from at-fault third parties after a claim has been paid. A high recovery rate puts money directly back onto the company's balance sheet. It's a direct contribution.

Quality and Customer-Focused Metrics

Of course, it's not all about the numbers. A truly great claims manager knows that financial efficiency can't come at the expense of fair treatment or a good customer experience. These metrics make sure the focus stays on quality and satisfaction.

A customer-first perspective is non-negotiable. Leading insurance companies build their entire claim culture around integrity and empathy, knowing that how a claim is handled defines the customer's entire relationship with the brand.

• Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) Scores: This is the most direct way to measure how happy your claimants are, usually through post-claim surveys. A high CSAT score is proof that the team is navigating sensitive situations with real empathy and professionalism.

• Fraud Detection Rate: This tracks the number and value of fraudulent claims that are identified and denied. For any fintech or insurtech company, this KPI is absolutely critical for defending the business against increasingly sophisticated schemes.

Claims Manager Salary and Compensation Benchmarks

Getting the compensation right is one of the most critical steps in attracting a top-tier Claims Manager. In a tight market, a competitive salary range in your claims manager job description shows you’re serious about finding an expert. It’s all about striking a balance—making an offer that secures the talent you need without blowing up your budget.

There’s no single magic number for a Claims Manager’s salary. It's a range shaped by experience, geographic location, and the types of claims they’ll be overseeing. For instance, a manager leading a large team, handling complex commercial claims, or specializing in a niche area like fintech fraud will naturally command a higher salary.

Base Salary Ranges by Experience Level

A Claims Manager's base pay is directly tied to their years in the trenches and their proven ability to lead. You have to match your offer to the right experience level if you want to attract the right people.

Based on recent market data, the average base salary for a Claims Manager in the United States is $87,267. This number shifts quite a bit with experience. A manager with less than a year on the job might start around $61,070, while someone in their early career (1-4 years) typically earns closer to $68,032. As they gain expertise, their value climbs, with senior-level managers commanding salaries well over $119,000. For more detailed breakdowns, you can dig into the numbers on PayScale.

Understanding the Full Compensation Package

A compelling offer is about more than just the base salary. The best candidates—especially those with in-demand skills in insurtech or specialized risk management—are looking at the whole picture.

A well-rounded compensation package usually includes:

• Annual Bonus: This is almost always tied to performance. Think back to the KPIs we discussed, like reducing the Loss Adjustment Expense (LAE) ratio or meeting subrogation recovery goals.

• Long-Term Incentives (LTI): In startups or fast-growing companies, equity or stock options are often on the table for senior roles.

• Comprehensive Benefits: Health insurance, retirement plans, and a budget for professional development are pretty much standard expectations these days.

If you need expertise without a full-time commitment, hiring a freelance or contract Claims Manager is a great alternative. Their rates can vary widely, from $33 to $106 per hour, based on the complexity of the work and their experience. To put together a truly competitive offer, you need to understand these market rates. For a more detailed guide on this, see our article on how to conduct market salary research. It'll walk you through how to benchmark your offers effectively.

Sample Claims Manager Job Description Templates

Writing a great claims manager job description from a blank page is a tough ask. It takes time you probably don't have. To give you a head start, we've put together a few practical, ready-to-go templates. Each one is built for a different kind of company and role, pulling together the key responsibilities, skills, and metrics we've already covered.

Think of these less as rigid documents and more as flexible starting points. They're designed to be easily tailored to your company's specific culture, needs, and stage of growth. Whether you're a well-established insurance carrier, a growing insurtech, or something in between, you'll find a template here that fits.

We've also added short notes to each template explaining why certain elements are there. This makes it much easier for you to customize them and attract the strategic leader you're actually looking for.

Mid-Level Claims Manager (Insurance)

This template is perfect for an established insurance company that needs a solid leader to guide a team of adjusters and improve existing processes. The role centers on strong team management, operational excellence, and upholding high standards in claim handling.

Job Summary: We are looking for an experienced and dedicated Claims Manager to lead our property and casualty claims team. The right person for this role is a natural mentor, an expert in claim resolution, and is genuinely passionate about building efficient workflows that improve our customers' experience. You will be responsible for managing the claims team day-to-day, handling complex cases, and making sure all operations meet regulatory standards and company policies.

• Key Responsibilities:

  • Lead, mentor, and manage a team of 5-10 claims adjusters, handling everything from performance reviews to professional development.

  • Oversee the entire claims lifecycle, ensuring every claim is investigated, evaluated, and settled accurately and on time.

  • Serve as the final point of escalation for complex or high-value claims, providing clear guidance and making final settlement decisions.

  • Track team KPIs, including claims cycle time, settlement accuracy, and customer satisfaction scores (CSAT).

  • Work closely with the legal department on litigated claims and lead subrogation efforts to maximize recoveries.

• Qualifications:

  • 5+ years of experience in property and casualty claims, with at least 2 years in a supervisory or leadership role.

  • Deep knowledge of insurance law, compliance standards, and best practices in the claims field.

  • A proven track record of leading and developing a high-performing team.

  • Exceptional negotiation, communication, and conflict-resolution skills.

  • A Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, or a related field is preferred.

Senior Claims Lead (Insurtech)

This position is tailored for a fast-growing insurtech startup that needs a strategic thinker to build its claims function from the ground up. The focus here is on technology, data-driven strategy, and creating processes that can scale quickly.

Job Summary: As our Senior Claims Lead, you will be the architect of our entire claims organization. This is a crucial leadership role that requires a blend of deep claims expertise and a tech-first approach. Your job will be to build, lead, and scale our claims operations, implement modern claims technology, and use data to make smart decisions that minimize risk and create a fantastic customer experience.

• Key Responsibilities:

  • Design, implement, and take full ownership of the company’s end-to-end claims strategy and operational roadmap.

  • Collaborate with our Product and Engineering teams to help develop and improve our in-house claims management platform.

  • Hire, train, and lead the founding claims team, building a culture centered on innovation, speed, and accuracy.

  • Develop and analyze key metrics (like fraud detection rates and LAE ratio) to spot trends and continuously improve our processes.

• Qualifications:

  • 8+ years of experience in claims management, with clear evidence of building or scaling a claims function in a high-growth company.

  • Expertise in using technology and data analytics to get the most out of claims operations.

  • Strong project management skills and experience working in an agile environment.

If you're building out other teams and need help with a talent acquisition role, you might find our guide to writing a job recruiter description useful.

Top Interview Questions to Ask Candidates

A well-crafted claims manager job description brings people to your door, but the right interview questions help you find the person who should walk through it. The trick is to move past the generic "tell me about yourself" and dive into situational and behavioral questions. You want to see how a candidate actually thinks, leads, and solves problems on their feet.

The best candidates won't give you textbook answers; they'll give you real-world examples from their past. These questions are designed to draw out those stories and reveal a candidate’s true capabilities in leadership, technical know-how, and strategic thinking. For each question below, I've included what to listen for in a great answer.

Questions on Leadership and Team Management

A claims manager is only as good as their team. Their success hinges on their ability to mentor, motivate, and manage a group of adjusters, so getting a feel for their leadership style is non-negotiable.

• "Describe a time you coached an underperforming claims adjuster. What was the situation, what steps did you take, and what was the outcome?"

  • What to look for: A strong answer here shows empathy and a structured approach. You want to hear about a clear performance improvement plan, not just a vague "we had a talk." Look for someone who focuses on development over punishment. They should also be able to quantify the result, like showing a measurable improvement in that adjuster's accuracy or cycle times.

• "Tell me about how you would build a claims team culture from scratch. What would be your top three priorities?"

  • What to look for: This question gets to the heart of their leadership philosophy. Look for priorities that matter, like integrity, customer-centricity, and accountability. The best candidates won't just list these words; they'll explain how they’d bring those values to life—through clear KPIs, consistent training, or simply by leading from the front.

Questions on Technical Skills and Process Acumen

These questions test whether a candidate has the hands-on expertise to navigate the nitty-gritty of claims management. It's about applying technical knowledge to messy, real-world situations.

• "Walk me through how you use data to identify a claims trend. What tools did you use, what did you discover, and what action did you take?"

  • What to look for: This tests their analytical muscle. A solid response will show they're comfortable with claims management software or data analysis tools. More importantly, they should be able to connect the dots between data and a business problem (like a spike in fraud in a certain zip code) and then explain the decisive action they took.

• "Imagine a high-value, complex claim lands on your desk with a high potential for litigation. What are your immediate first three steps?"

  • What to look for: This is all about risk management and procedural discipline. Listen for immediate, logical steps like reviewing the policy coverage, assigning the case to a seasoned adjuster, and getting legal counsel involved early. Their answer tells you if they are proactive or just reactive.

The best interview questions force candidates to tell a story. These stories provide a window into their actual behavior and decision-making processes, which is far more predictive of future success than a simple skills checklist.

If you want to go deeper on this interview style, it's worth learning more about behavioral interview questions and answers to structure your evaluation process. This approach is one of the best ways to make sure you're hiring for proven ability, not just a polished resume.

Frequently Asked Questions

Hiring a claims manager, especially for the first time, often brings up a few key questions. Let's tackle some of the most common ones that pop up when companies are putting together a claims manager job description and starting their search.

What Is the Most Important Skill for a Claims Manager in a Startup?

In a startup environment, the single most critical trait is a combination of adaptability and a strategic mindset. Of course, they need solid technical claims knowledge, but a great startup hire is someone who can build systems and processes where none existed before. They have to be comfortable with a bit of chaos and willing to jump into different roles as needed.

You're not just looking for a claims expert; you're looking for a business partner. Find someone who can work hand-in-glove with your product and engineering teams to embed the claims function right into your technology. Their background should tell a story of using data to make smart decisions and create lean, efficient processes in a fast-paced setting. This kind of experience is far more valuable than decades spent in a rigid, corporate silo.

How Much Experience Does a Claims Manager Need?

The right amount of experience really depends on the seniority of the role and where your company is at. If this is your very first claims hire, you’ll want to find someone with at least 5-8 years of experience and some clear leadership success under their belt. This gives you confidence that they can get the job done on their own and build out the department without needing constant direction.

On the other hand, if you're hiring for a role within an already established team, 3-5 years of hands-on claims handling experience might be perfectly fine. In that situation, your focus should shift to their specific track record with the types of claims your business deals with, whether that's property, casualty, or something specialized like fintech fraud.

The key isn't just the number of years, but the quality of that experience. Has the candidate built something new, or just maintained an existing system? For a startup, the builder mindset is far more valuable.

Should I Hire a Generalist or a Specialist?

This choice comes down to your company's core risks. If you operate in a very specific niche—like cyber insurance, complex commercial liability, or payment fraud—a specialist is worth their weight in gold. Their deep expertise in that one area dramatically lowers your risk and means they can hit the ground running from day one.

But if your company has a wider range of products, a generalist often offers more flexibility. In this case, you'd want to find a candidate who has a rock-solid understanding of fundamental claims principles and has proven they can get up to speed on new lines of business quickly.

Tired of sifting through endless applications to find the right leader? Job Compass delivers pre-vetted, high-quality candidates in 48 hours. We combine AI sourcing with expert human screening to give you a shortlist of 1-3 perfect-fit candidates, complete with a rationale for why they’re the right choice. Cut your hiring time and find your next claims manager with Job Compass.