The Claim Hunters

In this episode of the Claim Hunters podcast, your host Chris Tidball speaks with Matthew Deming, a major case unit liability administrator at Acadia Insurance. Matthew discusses handling large casualty claims, including construction defects, severe injuries like TBIs and fractures, and trends such as unnecessary medical treatments inflating claim costs. He addresses the challenges of nuclear verdicts, fraud detection, and the comp...

In this episode of The Claim Hunters, host Chris Tidball sits down with Dave Fernandez, Chief Claims Officer at Kingstone Insurance.

Dave shares his unexpected journey into insurance, from a temporary role at Progressive to over three decades in the industry. The conversation covers Kingstone's growth plans, the shift to fully remote work, and the importance of hiring self-motivated, curious adjusters. They also explore AI's role as...

In this episode of the Claim Hunters, your host Chris Tidball interviews Rob Bowers, Chief Claims Officer at Westfield, as he reflects on his nearly four-decade career ahead of retirement.

Rob discusses the dramatic evolution of claims handling, from handwritten logs to AI, drones, and satellite imagery. He shares insights on remote work, the "Amazon mindset" of modern customers, nuclear verdicts, and the irreplaceable role of human...

In this episode of the Claim Hunters, your host Chris Tidball interviews Taylor Smith, Founder and President of Suite 200 Solutions, about the 2026 CLM Defense Council study.

They discuss rising claim severity, increasing indemnity and defense costs, and the growing use of AI by plaintiff firms to secure larger settlements. The conversation highlights the defense industry's struggle to keep pace with AI-driven advocacy, a generation...

In this episode of the Claim Hunters podcast, your host Chris Tidball interviews Krista Glenn, Chief Claims Officer at Westfield Specialty.

Krista explains how Westfield Specialty, launched in 2021, operates as a specialty division focusing on cyber, excess casualty, and professional lines, with a growing global presence. She shares her career journey from law school to building Westfield Specialty's claims team from scratch. Key t...

In this episode of The Claim Hunters, host Chris Tidball speaks with Lauren Watstein from W. R. Berkley Corporation, who oversees legal bill review for 17 Berkley entities and manages corporate panel counsel.

Lauren explains how her experienced team of legal professionals audit invoices for accuracy and compliance with billing guidelines. She highlights common red flags like pattern billing and clerical tasks billed as attorney work...

In this episode of Claim Hunters, your host Chris Tidball speaks with Mike Cummings, Head of Claims at Norfolk & Dedham (N&D Group).

They discuss rising litigation costs, inconsistent claims handling, and strategies to combat claim severity, including social media investigations and surveillance. Mike highlights challenges with soft fraud and inflated medical bills, and shares how AI is being used to streamline claims proces...

In this episode of Claim Hunters, your host Chris Tidball speaks with Hope Remetta, Director of Claims at Berkley Industrial Comp.

Hope explains her team's focus on high-severity workers' compensation claims, including fatalities, amputations, and traumatic brain injuries, involving highly skilled workers in hazardous industries. She highlights Berkley's flexible, creative approach to claims management, sharing a notable amputation ...

In this episode of Claim Hunters, host Chris Tidball speaks with Montana attorney Brandon Shannon about litigation management challenges.

Brandon explains why subrogation is difficult in Montana due to the state's "made whole" rule. He highlights the importance of early case evaluation within 45–60 days and advocates for standardized litigation guidelines to improve consistency across insurers. Brandon also discusses how AI tools he...

In this episode of the Claim Hunters podcast, your host Chris Tidball interviews Bryan Guin, Co-Founder and COO of Avallon AI, about the role of artificial intelligence in insurance claims operations.

Bryan explains how Avallon AI builds AI agents that handle routine communications, document processing, and medical bill reviews, freeing adjusters for complex tasks. They discuss AI's potential for claims negotiation, licensing regula...

In this episode of the Claim Hunters podcast, host Chris Tidball speaks with Michele Punturi, Director, Workers' Compensation, Marshall Dennehey.

Michele shares her career journey from law clerk to firm board member, and discusses key aspects of workers' comp litigation, including balancing employer and injured worker interests. The conversation covers rising medical costs, attorney fees on medical bills, and fraudulent claims, inc...

In this episode of the Claim Hunters, your host Chris Tidball speaks with Steve Ellis, Liability Practice Lead at Sedgwick, about the declining art of negotiation in insurance claims handling.

Steve draws on his experience teaching MBA negotiation courses to highlight how adjusters today often reduce negotiation to simple number exchanges rather than leveraging case facts. They discuss challenges like pressure to close claims quickl...

In this episode of The Claim Hunters, your host Chris Tidball interviews Carly Eastwood, Assistant Vice President of Risk Management at MODE Global, a non-asset transportation broker.

Carly discusses the company's role in vetting carriers, managing claims, and preventing fraud, which has surged 2,400% since COVID-19. She highlights MODE Global's success in reducing fraud by 42% year-over-year using advanced verification tools and hu...

In this episode of The Claim Hunters, your host Chris Tidball speaks with Amy Cooper, CEO of RISE, a professional network for young insurance industry professionals.

Amy shares RISE's remarkable growth to nearly 9,000 members across 12 countries, including their first international event at Lloyd's of London. She discusses stepping into the CEO role full-time and the upcoming 10th Annual RISE Awards and Leadership Summit, featuring ...

Your host, Chris Tidball, talks with Susan Wisbey-Smith, CEO of the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (CLM), recorded live at the CLM Annual Conference in Orlando.

Susan discusses CLM's mission as a 60,000-member organization spanning defense counsel, claims and risk professionals, corporate members, and service providers. She shares how CLM is working to bridge the growing divide between insurers and outside defense counsel...

Your host, Chris Tidball, talks with Matt Freiman and Eric Ashley, the Director of Large Loss Subrogation and the Litigation Manager at SubroIQ. Matt and Eric discuss their career backgrounds, challenges in subrogation, and innovations like cyber subrogation.

Both preview their upcoming presentations at the NASP conference, covering leadership, joint prosecution agreements, autonomous vehicles, and expert selection. They highlights...

In this special joint episode, Ashton Kirsch and Chris Tidball—hosts of the Subrogation Support Network and Claims Hunter podcasts—combine their expertise to discuss key challenges and trends in the subrogation and claims industry.

They explore the importance of training, early claim identification, and balancing technology with human expertise. Ashton and Chris share real-world stories, highlight missed recovery opportunities, and ...

Your host, Chris Tidball, talks with the CEO at ClaimConnectIQ, Jeanette Hernandez. Jeanette discusses her career journey, the creation of ClaimConnectIQ—a platform connecting claims professionals with vetted service providers—and her work with AMA Roundtables, which foster industry collaboration.

She explores talent shortages, the evolving insurer-service provider relationship, and the competitive challenges insurers face against ...

Your host, Chris Tidball, talks with the Head of Liability, North America at Gallagher Bassett, Gary Leonard. Gary shares his unconventional path into the claims industry, insights from his private investigation background, and the importance of timely investigations and clear communication.

He covers challenges faced by claims adjusters, the impact of fraud, and the need for better training. Gary offers practical strategies for im...