joseph kowalewski

Director of Claim Quality Assurance and Claim Sarbanes-Oxley compliance for Balboa Insurance group. Managed (1) claim manager, (1) senior claim technical analyst, and (10) claim auditors responsible for completing an annual average of 6,000 claim QA reviews on Homeowners and Lender Placed (P&C), CPI, and Voluntary Auto claims. QA Audit scope included compliance with internal claim handling standards, regulatory compliance, and detection of improvement opportunity / claim leakage. Assisted with the creation of a Property claim line item estimate review process. Process focused on the identification of line item estimating errors as well as any potential detection of error variance. Provided reporting of monthly Quality Assurance results as well as quarterly reporting of Sarbanes-Oxley transactional level testing results to executive management, claim field management, and corporate risk & compliance. Delivered QA process and systems' training in both classroom as well as one-on-one settings to new and existing process participants.

Managed facilities & a centralized support staff for the Orange claim center Assisted with post-merger claim office expansion of facilities and re-stacking. Hired (10) individuals to form a new claim operations unit. Identified and established revised post-merger operational workflows Responsible for local claim center's Sarbanes-Oxley compliance testing and reporting.

Analyzed and monitored regional claim performance metrics and trends. Provided the Regional Claim Manager and the region's claim managers with regular reports on claim analytics/results, key claim drivers, and recommendations for any improvement opportunities. Designed, implemented, and maintained a formal regulatory compliance program for Property and Casualty claim compliance with the California Fair Claim Settlement Practices Regulations. Collaborated and assisted corporate risk with the coordination of resources, engagement with state examiners, and response to state market conduct exams. Delivered staff member classroom and one-on-one training for claim systems as well as regulatory compliance.

Oversaw TPA handled Hospitality program Commercial General Liability and Commercial Auto claims exceeding $25,000 potential exposure. Carried personal reserve/settlement authority up to $250,000 per claim. Provided claim consultation, direction, and authority to TPA claim managers and adjusters on claims exceeding the TPA's exposure authority. Completed ongoing TPA claim audits assessing their work product, regulatory compliance, reserving practices, and loss reporting. Co-managed, with the St. Paul Fire and Marine TPA Claim Director, large losses involving catastrophic injuries and/or losses potentially exceeding $250,000. exposure.

Managed a casualty claim unit of (8) technical staff and (1) team assistant. Supervised the handling of Commercial Auto, Commercial General Liability, and Professional Liability claims within the company's middle market as well as large national account books of business. Carried personal reserve/settlement authority up to $250,000 per claim. Served as the local claim region's Colossus system coordinator and trainer. Delivered classroom and one-on-one system training to both new and existing system users.

Adjusted Commercial General Liability & Commercial Auto Liability claims written on Allstate commercial as well as Northbrook Property & Casualty paper. Cross-trained in basic Commercial Property claim handling and estimating. Conducted claim field task assignments on behalf of the regional commercial claim center. Served as the Commercial region's Political Action Team representative.

Managed up to (4) Claim Managers and (9) Senior Claim Specialists adjusting Homeowners, Lender Placed (REO & FOH), Commercial General Liability, Personal and Commercial Auto claims. Staff located in California, Texas, Arizona, Colorado, & Georgia. Claim types handled include Litigated & Non-litigated liability claims, catastrophic liability claims, and claim coverage issues including matters involving declaratory relief actions. Carried personal reserve/settlement authority up to $750,000 per claim. Managed the claim resources dedicated to assist General Counsel in the evaluation and resolution of disputed damages as well as alleged bad faith/extra-contractual claims. Attended court appearances, settlement conferences, and administrative/regulatory hearings as an officer of the company.

Activities and Societies: Phi Eta Sigma/Alpha Lambda Delta - National Honor Society