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Claims Manager, Construction Defect

Starr Insurance · Chicago, IL · Full time

Posted Sep 16, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a mediation with many carriers and parties where you reached settlement. What was your role?

What they are checking: Experience in complex multi-party negotiations that are typical of construction defect cases.

Tell me about a time you set a reserve that turned out to be wrong. What did you learn?

What they are checking: Honesty about reserving and whether they adjust their methods from experience.

You may need to attend trial. Tell me about your trial experience and what you learned from it.

What they are checking: Comfort with trial risk and how that experience shapes their settlement judgment.

What would you do

A profit center leader asks why defect losses are climbing on a class of contractors. What would you tell them?

What they are checking: Whether they can spot trends and share them usefully with underwriting leaders.

How do you keep defense costs reasonable on a case with dozens of subcontractors and years of discovery?

What they are checking: Litigation management skill on cases where expense can exceed indemnity.

About the work

How do you approach coverage on a construction defect claim where damage happened over several policy periods?

What they are checking: Understanding of trigger theories and allocation, which decide how much a carrier owes on long-tail defect claims.

Walk me through how you evaluate alleged damages in a multi-unit residential defect suit.

What they are checking: Ability to test plaintiff expert claims and separate real damage from wish lists.

How do your strategies differ for a defect claim in California versus Texas or Arizona?

What they are checking: Awareness of state statutes like right-to-repair laws that change defect claim handling nationwide.

How do you separate faulty workmanship from resulting property damage when you analyze coverage?

What they are checking: Grasp of the core coverage issue in defect claims, which drives whether the policy responds at all.

How do you use additional insured endorsements and subcontractor agreements to shift risk on these claims?

What they are checking: Skill in tendering and pursuing other carriers, which cuts Starr's share of the loss.

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The full job description

As published by Starr Insurance.

Join Starr, a global leader in commercial insurance with over a century of expertise. We empower our employees to innovate, make impactful decisions, and build lasting client relationships worldwide. At Starr, you'll work in an entrepreneurial culture alongside accessible leaders, leveraging our financial strength and vast industry experience to deliver solutions for our clients, no matter how complex. Grow your career with a rapidly growing company that invests in its people and their ability to drive real progress. Starr is looking for an experienced construction defect claim manager to join our team. Preferred Location: Atlanta or Alpharetta Alternate Locations: Houston, Chicago, Scottsdale, or Philadelphia Responsibilities: The Construction Defect Claims Manager will be responsible for handling construction defect claims throughout the United States involving Starr insureds. The claims require prompt coverage analysis, determination of liability and defenses, investigation of alleged damages, and timely reserve evaluation. The claim manager will be required to attend virtual and in person mediations and settlement conferences to negotiate cost-effective settlements, and potentially attend trials. The claim manager will interact with respective profit center leaders, underwriters, actuaries, and reinsurers on trends, developments, and individual claims. Requirements: • Bachelor’s degree • At least 7 years of experience handing Construction Defect claims • Superior negotiation and litigation management skills • Strong communication (verbal and written) and interpersonal skills • Proficient in Microsoft Office suite • Must have a pro-active approach • Travel may be required and will vary depending on business needs and caseload • Insurance adjuster licenses must be obtained where needed. Candidates who are already broadly licensed are preferred. Starr is an equal opportunity employer, which means we'll consider all suitably qualified applicants regardless of gender identity or expression, ethnic origin, nationality, religion or beliefs, age, sexual orientation, disability status or any other protected characteristic. We recruit and develop our people based on merit and we're committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We offer first class training and development opportunities to all employees. Our aim is to grow our own talent and bring out the best in people.

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