Strategic Recovery: How a Strong Claims Advocate Quarterbacks the Path Forward

The insurance programs protecting today’s organizations look fundamentally different from those of a decade ago. Higher deductibles, self-insured retentions and multi-carrier towers have become standard. And with that complexity comes a new reality: When a significant loss occurs, how you handle commercial claims management becomes a strategic differentiator.

For organizations that treat claims as a back-office function, that shift is arriving as an expensive surprise. For those that have repositioned it as a strategic priority, it's a competitive advantage.

The data makes the stakes clear. Lawsuit awards in the U.S. continue breaking records, with nuclear verdicts rising 52% between 2023 and 2024 alone.¹ Meanwhile, HUB International’s 2026 North American Report found that nearly half of organizations still lack a formal business continuity plan.

“Companies that haven’t established or stress-tested business continuity plans don’t know what they don’t know until it’s too late,” said David Chmiel, HUB International’s North American Claims Practice leader. “That could cost them greatly in the event of a claim.”

A tested plan and strong claims advocate are especially critical during the first seven to 10 days after a loss — when adjusters gather evidence and memories are clearest. Without records proving pre-loss inventory, revenue, operational costs and vendor dependencies, organizations cannot quickly demonstrate what was lost or what a business interruption actually cost them. As programs grow more complex and more carriers participate in each placement, that window becomes even more consequential.

Why strategic advocacy matters

The most forward-thinking organizations understand that effective insurance claims advocacy doesn’t just manage costs but also protects profitability, accelerates recovery and builds lasting competitive strength.

Larger organizations are increasingly leaning on brokers to navigate that complexity, recognizing that strategic claims management directly impacts total cost of risk and future insurability.

The right insurance broker claims support separates truly strategic partners from transactional providers:

Carrier relationships that move claims forward. “Not every claim is going to go smoothly. When you have a bump in the road, a broker with strong relationships with senior management of your carriers can have a conversation to try and move the claim along,” said Chmiel. These relationships create resolution pathways that don’t exist for brokers who only appear at renewal.

Deep specialty expertise. “You can’t be a generalist and be a true advocate anymore,” Chmiel said. For example, a construction claim involving experience modification rates requires someone who understands how workers’ compensation affects future bidding. Managing an injured athlete demands entirely different knowledge than navigating product liability. Each sector demands specialized knowledge to resolve claims quickly.

Jurisdictional knowledge. Claims are handled very differently across provinces. Organizations operating across Ottawa, Quebec and Ontario need advocates who understand how each jurisdiction approaches liability and coverage disputes.

Analytics that drive improvement. Claims data, when properly analyzed, reveals patterns that inform smarter risk investments, transforming individual claims into continuous learning.

Complex program orchestration. Multi-carrier programs require a broker who can coordinate notice requirements, manage disputes and ensure coverage continuity across policy towers.

The most important insight extends beyond immediate recovery. “It’s not just about surviving the loss; it’s about recovering fast enough to prevent it from happening again in the future,” Chmiel said.

Well-managed claims minimize premium multipliers, reduce collateral requirements and protect insurability with a business resilience insurance strategy even after significant events.

The HUB EDGE

Strategic claims management begins before losses occur:

• Document pre-loss baselines. Establish documentation for business interruption exposures including financial records, operational dependencies and vendor relationships.

• Stress test your response. Conduct tabletop exercises to reveal gaps before a real event does.

• Evaluate broker capabilities. Ask: What carrier and third-party administrator (TPA) relationships does your claims team have? What industries do they specialize in? How do you leverage claims data?

• Establish clear protocols. Define communication workflows and escalation pathways for multi-carrier programs before placement.

• Build relationships early. Engage claims advocates during policy placement, not after losses.

HUB’s claims advocacy team combines deep specialty expertise, sophisticated analytics and carrier relationships to navigate the most complex loss scenarios, transforming claims from a burden into a strategic advantage that protects profitability and builds lasting resilience.