Senior Casualty Claims Examiner

CATHERINE C. ADAMS

Arnold, MO ***** 314-***-**** *****.*.***@*****.***

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Senior Casualty Claims Examiner with 15+ years of progressive insurance experience managing complex commercial general liability, premises liability, product liability, bodily injury, property damage, hospitality, condominium association, and construction-adjacent exposures. Expertise includes coverage analysis, reservation of rights and disclaimer development, contractual risk transfer, additional insured evaluations, litigation management, catastrophic injury assessment, and high- exposure claim resolution.

Experienced in directing nationwide investigations, evaluating liability and damages, managing defense counsel, analyzing policy interpretation issues, and presenting reserve and settlement recommendations to clients, brokers, underwriters, and senior leadership. Recognized as a trusted technical resource and mentor with a strong track record of developing defensible claim strategies, identifying coverage exposures, and driving effective claim resolution. LICENSES & CERTIFICATIONS

• New York Independent Adjuster License, License No. IA-1990424 Effective August 13, 2026

• Arizona Non-Resident Adjuster License, License No. 18305061 Effective August 22, 2026

• New Hampshire Adjuster License (P&C Excluding Workers Compensation), License No. 18305061 Active

• Hawaii Adjuster License, License No. 18305061 Effective August 31, 2026

• Alaska Adjuster Examination, Passed August 31, 2026 AREAS OF EXPERTISE

• Commercial General Liability • Bodily Injury & Premises Liability

• Coverage Analysis & Position Letters • Risk Transfer & Contractual Indemnity

• Additional Insured & Named Insured Analysis • Reservation of Rights & Disclaimer Drafting

• Litigation Management & Defense Strategy • Mediation & Settlement Negotiation

• Reserve Evaluation & Financial Analysis • Medical Record & Damages Review

• Time-Limit Demands & Attorney-Represented Claims • Subrogation & Tender Strategy

• Complex Investigations & Evidence Preservation • Client/Broker Claim Reviews

• Mentorship, Training & Team Leadership

• Systems: Guidewire, OneNote, Excel, PowerPoint, CMS, Avaya, Trexo

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Senior Claims Examiner – Casualty, General Liability Arch Insurance Group / Soundview Claims Solutions August 2024 – Present

• Manage high-exposure commercial general liability, bodily injury, premises liability, hotel, retail, condominium, construction- adjacent, product liability, and property damage matters nationwide.

• Conduct detailed coverage reviews involving named insured status, scheduled locations, additional insured issues, policy conditions, exclusions, endorsements, deductibles, aggregates, umbrella/excess coverage, and potential disclaimer or reservation of rights positions.

• Develop claim strategies for litigated and pre-suit matters, including liability analysis, jurisdiction-specific defenses, comparative negligence, notice, open and obvious, contractual risk transfer, snow/ice removal contracts, lease obligations, property management agreements, and indemnity provisions.

• Draft and coordinate coverage position letters, tender letters, preservation of evidence letters, denial/disclaimer communications, claim review notes, action plans, reserve evaluations, and settlement recommendations.

• Evaluate complex damages including rotator cuff and orthopedic injuries, head injury allegations, wage loss claims, medical specials, lien issues, prior claims, surgery allegations, and disputed causation.

• Coordinate with underwriters, brokers, insureds, defense counsel, coverage counsel, independent adjusters, experts, vendors, and internal leadership to obtain policy intent, confirm coverage, preserve evidence, investigate facts, and move files toward defensible resolution.

• Handle risk transfer opportunities by reviewing leases, property management agreements, contractor agreements, certificates of insurance, indemnity provisions, additional insured obligations, and third-party tender responses.

• Present claim evaluations and reserve recommendations to senior leadership, clients, brokers, and account teams; selected to present colleague claim matters during client claim review meetings when needed.

• Mentor and support team members on claim evaluation, coverage issue spotting, independent adjuster assignments, insurance disclosure responses, reserve strategy, and liability analysis. Senior Claims Adjuster – General Liability Allianz July 2024 – August 2024

• Handled commercial general liability claims during business transition period, including premises liability, auto-related liability, property damage, and attorney-represented bodily injury claims.

• Evaluated coverage, coordinated vendor assignments, communicated with brokers and insureds, and negotiated claim resolutions while maintaining continuity through acquisition-related changes.

• Partnered with underwriting, operations, and account stakeholders on new business claim procedures and file transitions. Senior Commercial Claims Representative – General Liability Farmers Insurance November 2022 – August 2024

• Managed complex commercial bodily injury, property damage, and product liability claims from investigation through resolution.

• Drafted coverage correspondence, analyzed medical records and damages, responded to time-sensitive demands, and negotiated settlements with attorneys and claim representatives.

• Identified subrogation and risk transfer opportunities and coordinated with underwriters, insureds, and vendors to support claim strategy.

Casualty Claims Adjuster Farmers Insurance November 2021 – November 2022

• Investigated and resolved auto, homeowners, bodily injury, and liability claims while maintaining accurate reserves and timely file documentation.

• Negotiated settlements with claimants, attorneys, and legal representatives and evaluated liability, comparative fault, damages, and coverage issues.

• Mentored new hires and provided state-specific claim handling guidance. Home Liability Casualty Adjuster MetLife Auto & Home, acquired by Farmers May 2020 – November 2021

• Managed high-dollar, complex liability claims across all 50 states, including homeowners liability, premises liability, and attorney-represented injury matters.

• Drafted reservation of rights and denial letters and coordinated investigations involving experts, fraud issues, coverage questions, and liability disputes.

• Led fact investigation, damages review, and settlement strategy for complex and sensitive claims. Casualty Adjuster MetLife Auto & Home February 2018 – May 2020

• Investigated, evaluated, and negotiated auto accident and casualty claims, including liability disputes and bodily injury damages.

• Maintained strong quality results and supported front-line adjusters through mentoring, file strategy guidance, and claim handling support.

Property Adjuster MetLife Auto & Home October 2016 – January 2018

• Handled property claims involving coverage analysis, damage evaluation, payment issuance, vendor coordination, and stakeholder communication.

• Applied policy language and claim investigation findings to determine coverage, scope, and resolution strategy. Quality Analyst MetLife Auto & Home June 2015 – September 2016

• Conducted quality evaluations, root cause analysis, and file review reporting to identify claim handling trends and improvement opportunities.

• Developed action plans and communicated findings to leadership to support operational consistency and claim quality. Service Support Lead MetLife Auto & Home December 2013 – May 2015

• Supervised Initial Action Team workflows, coached associates, reported performance metrics, and supported floor management and operational communication.

• Helped maintain service standards through associate coaching, workflow monitoring, and leadership communication. Towing Adjuster MetLife Auto & Home September 2012 – December 2012

• Investigated towing-related claims, reviewed applicable policy coverages, and coordinated with vendors including Agero to support timely claim resolution.

Initial Action Team Specialist / Team Lead MetLife Auto & Home February 2011 – November 2013

• Collected, documented, and routed initial claim information from policyholders and claimants to initiate the claim process accurately and efficiently.

• Assumed team lead responsibilities including floor management, reporting, system support, and associate coaching. LEADERSHIP, COMMITTEES & COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

• VIBE Committee, O’Fallon Office Co-Chair & Secretary, 2025 – Present: Lead employee engagement, inclusion, bonding, and office culture initiatives while contributing claims expertise and mentoring support.

• Industry Education Champion, MetLife, 2015 – 2016: Helped Initial Action Team employees complete annual industry education requirements and access development resources.

• Women’s Business Network / Lean In Facilitator, 2016 – 2019: Led monthly meetings and helped coordinate professional development programming, including the Women’s Speaker Series in St. Louis.

• Career Development Committee: Organized leaders across the St. Louis office to support resume development and mock interviewing for employee growth.

• MetLife Steps Up / American Lung Association Fight for Air Climb: Served as team captain or co-captain for multiple years, supporting fundraising, recruitment, event planning, and team engagement; committee board member for the ALA St. Louis office site.

EDUCATION

• Bachelor of Arts, Criminal Justice & Criminology, Minor in Sociology University of Missouri – St. Louis 2016

• Associate of Arts, Criminal Justice Jefferson College, Hillsboro, MO 2012

Contact this candidate