# Principal Client Services Specialist – Claims **Company**: Howden **Location**: Reigate **Experience**: senior **Job type**: full-time **Category**: Insurance **Industry**: Insurance **Apply**: https://hyperiongrp.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/hyperion_external/job/Reigate--Regus/Principal-Client-Services-Specialist_R0019872-1?utm_source=yubhub.co&utm_medium=jobs_feed&utm_campaign=apply **Canonical**: https://yubhub.co/jobs/job_5bc31b22-75b ## Description Howden is a global insurance group with employee ownership at its heart. Together, we have pushed the boundaries of insurance. We are united by a shared passion and no-limits mindset, and our strength lies in our ability to collaborate as a powerful international team comprised of 24,000 employees spanning over 56 countries. The ‘Principal Client Services Specialist – Claims’ provides expert, client-focused support across complex Group Income Protection claims, associated absences and early-intervention pathways. The role acts as a trusted point of contact for clients, HR Business Partners, benefit teams, insurers and other relevant stakeholders. **Key Responsibilities** - **Technical Claims Guidance & Case Management** - Act as a key point of contact for technical guidance and recommendations relating to Group Income Protection claims and associated absences. - Provide informed, practical guidance to clients, HR Business Partners and benefit teams throughout the claims journey. - Manage a varied portfolio of active, pending, appealed and rehabilitation-related cases. - Provide guidance on complex scenarios, including linked absences and claims, late notifications, declined claims, settlements, payroll queries, proportionate benefit, direct payment arrangements, return-to-work planning and end-of-claim scenarios. - Identify emerging issues, dependencies or delays and take appropriate action to progress cases or escalate concerns. - Recognise where decisions or advice must remain with the insurer, employer, occupational health provider or another specialist party. - **Absence Management & Early Intervention** - Apply a strong understanding of effective absence management and early-intervention principles when reviewing cases. - Help client contacts identify appropriate support pathways for employees experiencing an absence. - Provide guidance on whether rehabilitation, occupational health, insurer intervention or another form of assistance may be appropriate. - Encourage early notification and engagement to support timely intervention and sustainable return-to-work outcomes. - Coordinate activity between insurers, occupational health providers, employer stakeholders and internal colleagues. - Support stakeholders in managing expectations sensitively and realistically, particularly where claim outcomes remain uncertain. - **Claims Submission & Progression** - Facilitate the claims process from initial notification through to the conclusion of the claim. - Issue the appropriate claim, rehabilitation or supporting documentation and review completed forms for missing, inconsistent or incomplete information. - Work with HR teams, employees and other stakeholders, as appropriate, to obtain information required to progress the case. - Liaise with insurers to submit and progress claims, obtain updates and resolve outstanding requirements. - Proactively chase insurers and other parties where information, decisions or actions are overdue. - Coordinate claims calls and case reviews, ensuring interested parties receive clear, accurate and timely updates. - **Claim Decisions, Payments & Reviews** - Review claim acceptance decisions and associated payment information. - Check benefit and payment calculations for accuracy, including proportionate benefit calculations where applicable. - Confirm relevant outcomes, benefit changes and review requirements to the appropriate HR and benefits stakeholders. - Track insurer review dates, escalation dates and potential claim termination dates. - Investigate and help resolve payment, payroll and benefit discrepancies. - Maintain appropriate oversight of claims in payment through to conclusion, ensuring material changes are communicated and documented. - **Declined Claims, Appeals & Complaints** - Explain declined claim decisions clearly and sensitively to relevant client stakeholders. - Provide guidance on available next steps and the further medical or supporting evidence that may be relevant when considering a challenge. - Coordinate and submit appeals or complaints to insurers where required, ensuring submissions are complete, clearly presented and supported by available evidence. - Track potential and submitted appeals, proactively following up with insurers and keeping relevant stakeholders informed. - Escalate material delays, service concerns or potential poor outcomes through the appropriate internal and insurer channels. - **Stakeholder Credibility & Relationship Management** - Build trusted and credible relationships with clients, HR Business Partners, benefits teams, insurers, occupational health providers and internal colleagues. - Operate as an accessible and responsive point of contact for technical and case-specific queries. - Communicate confidently and assertively when challenging delays, resolving ambiguity or securing actions from stakeholders. - Adapt communication to differing levels of knowledge and experience of Group Income Protection. - Lead or contribute to case-review meetings and client discussions covering scheme performance, claims trends, recurring challenges and improvement opportunities. - Represent Client Services positively and ensure every interaction reinforces confidence in the quality of the wider service. - **Governance, Controls & Record Keeping** - Maintain complete, accurate and up-to-date case records and claims trackers. - Record the status of claims in assessment, claims in payment and other supported absences, including review dates, actions, escalation points and anticipated termination dates. - Ensure roles and responsibilities are clearly understood and documented across the parties involved. - Apply agreed processes and controls consistently, while using judgement where individual circumstances require a tailored approach. - Handle personal, medical, employment and financial information with a high degree of discretion and in accordance with applicable confidentiality and data-protection requirements. - Support peer review, quality assurance and case audit activity, identifying gaps in processes, controls or ownership. - Provide clear management information on case volumes, status, service issues, risks and emerging themes. - **Service Delivery & Continuous Improvement** - Deliver a responsive, client-centred service, prioritising activity according to urgency, impact and required outcome. - Manage competing priorities while maintaining accuracy, follow-through and clear communication. - Identify recurring causes of delay, duplication or stakeholder confusion and recommend practical improvements. - Support the development and maintenance of process maps, standard operating procedures, guidance and communication materials. - Monitor insurer service delivery and raise concerns where expected standards are not being achieved. - Support educational activity for HR, benefits and other client stakeholders and contribute to discussions on claims trends, absence themes and earlier intervention. - Ensure the delivery model remains proportionate, efficient and aligned with good client and member outcomes. **Skills, Experience & Behaviours** - Strong technical knowledge of Group Income Protection claims and the end-to-end claims process. - Demonstrable experience of managing complex claims or absence-related cases within an insurer, intermediary, consultancy, employer or related environment. - Sound understanding of effective absence management, rehabilitation, occupational health and early-intervention pathways. - Experience of interpreting policy terms, claim requirements and insurer decisions, including reviewing benefit calculations and payments. - Confidence in managing declined claims, appeals, complaints and complex stakeholder conversations. - Excellent organisation and case-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple deadlines, review dates and outstanding actions. - Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain technical matters clearly and practically. - Highly trustworthy, discreet and professional, with a strong understanding of confidentiality and sensitive information handling. - Assertive and confident, able to challenge constructively and influence through technical credibility. - Client focused, collaborative and committed to continuous improvement. - Experience within the group risk, employee benefits or workplace health market is desirable. - Knowledge of Group Life Assurance and Group Critical Illness claims is desirable. - Relevant industry or professional qualifications, or a willingness to work towards them, is desirable. **What do we offer in return?** A career that you define. At Howden, we value diversity – there is no one Howden type. Instead, we’re looking for individuals who share the same values as us: - Our successes have all come from someone brave enough to try something new - We support each other in the small everyday moments and the bigger challenges - We are determined to make a positive difference at work and beyond ## Skills ### Required - Group Income Protection claims - absence management - rehabilitation - occupational health - case management - communication - stakeholder management ### Nice to have - group risk - employee benefits - workplace health - Group Life Assurance - Group Critical Illness claims --- Source: [Apply at hyperiongrp.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com](https://hyperiongrp.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/hyperion_external/job/Reigate--Regus/Principal-Client-Services-Specialist_R0019872-1?utm_source=yubhub.co&utm_medium=jobs_feed&utm_campaign=apply)