Claim Investigation Specialist I
Peoria, IL, USA
USD 23.05-32.33 / hour + Equity
About Us
We’re not like other insurance companies. From our specialty products to our business model, our culture to our results — we’re different. Different is who we are, and how we work, interact, deliver and succeed together. Creating a different and better insurance experience doesn’t just happen. It takes focus and a shared passion for going beyond the expected to forge relationships and deliver care that makes a difference. This approach rises from and is supported by our talented, ethical and smart team of employee owners united around a single purpose: to work alongside our customers and partners when they need us, in unexpected ways, with exceptional results. Apply today to make a difference with us.
RLI is a Glassdoor Best Places to Work company with a strong, successful background. For decades, our financial track record has been stellar — a testament to our culture and validation of our reputation as an excellent underwriting company.
Position Overview
This is an exciting opportunity to join RLI’s Claims organization in a specialized investigative role. The Claim Investigation Specialist will assist claim examiners and managers with the timely development of facts, evidence, damages information, public-record research, vendor assignments, and claim documentation.
We are looking for a proactive, detail-oriented professional who can thrive in a fast-paced claim environment, manage multiple priorities, and play a critical role in supporting the investigation, evaluation, and resolution of claims. This role is well suited for someone with claim handling, legal, paralegal, investigative, or liability experience who is interested in developing deeper claim expertise while helping improve claim outcomes across the organization.
The position will partner closely with claim examiners, claim managers, defense counsel, vendors, and other internal stakeholders to ensure claims are investigated thoroughly, efficiently, and consistently.
Principal Duties & Responsibilities
- Perform rapid fact development on assigned claims, including obtaining and analyzing police reports, fire reports, incident reports, accident response letters, 911 audio, dash-camera or body-camera materials, scene photographs, surveillance materials, and other relevant evidence.
- Identify, request, preserve, and track key third-party evidence, including video footage, electronic data, event data recorder information, photographs, witness information, repair records, employment records, business records, and public records.
- Conduct targeted public-record, docket, DMV, property, licensing, corporate, and other database research to assist with liability, damages, recovery, and exposure analysis.
- Perform open-source and social media research to corroborate liability facts, claimed injuries, damages, activities, employment status, business operations, or other relevant claim issues; document search methodology and preserve findings appropriately.
- Assist with medical and damages development by requesting authorizations, ordering medical records and bills, organizing records, preparing medical chronologies, summarizing specials, and identifying prior injuries, causation issues, apportionment issues, treatment gaps, liens, or other damages-related concerns.
- Support claim examiners by preparing concise factual summaries, damages summaries, investigation timelines, witness summaries, and issue lists that identify completed work, outstanding needs, and recommended next steps.
- Monitor and document the progress of investigations handled by claimants, insureds, vendors, defense counsel, underlying carriers, or other involved parties, as applicable.
- Identify investigative gaps, delays, inconsistencies, or divergence from claim-handling best practices and escalate issues to the assigned claim examiner or manager.
- Scope, assign, and manage vendors, including field investigators, scene inspectors, nurse reviewers, medical record review vendors, accident reconstructionist, engineers, cause-and-origin experts, and other claim-support resources.
- Define vendor deliverables, timelines, budgets, and follow-up expectations, review vendor work product for completeness, accuracy, and usefulness to the claim file.
- Assist with litigation and pre-litigation file development by organizing key facts, evidence, records, timelines, and claim materials for claim examiners, managers, and defense counsel.
- Support claim quality by ensuring investigative activities, evidence requests, vendor assignments, and summaries are documented clearly and timely in the claim file.
- Communicate professionally with insureds, claimants, counsel, vendors, internal business partners, and other parties as appropriate.
- Perform other claim investigation, file development, and claim support duties as assigned.
Education & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree preferred.
- 2+ years of claim handling, liability investigation, paralegal, legal assistant, insurance investigation, or related experience preferred but not required.
- Experience with auto liability, general liability, professional liability, property, casualty, litigation, or complex claim environments preferred.
- Experience obtaining and analyzing records, reports, public records, medical records, billing records, court filings, or investigative materials preferred.
- Experience working with vendors, experts, defense counsel, or outside investigators is a plus.
- Experience with umbrella, bodily injury, or litigated claims is a plus.
Knowledge, Skills & Competencies
- Proactive approach to investigation, claim development, and problem solving.
- Strong analytical and investigative skills.
- Ability to identify relevant facts, missing information, inconsistencies, and claim exposure issues.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong organization, time management, and follow-up skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced claim environment.
Compensation Overview
The base salary range for the position is listed below. Please note that the base salary is only one component of our robust total rewards package at RLI. The salary offered will take into account a number of factors including, but not limited to, geographic location, experience, scope & responsibilities of the role, qualifications/credentials, talent availability & specialization, as well as business needs. The below range may be modified in the future.
Base Pay Range
$23.05 - $32.33Total Rewards
At RLI, we're all owners. We hire the best and the brightest employees and allow them to share in the company's success through our Total Rewards. With the Employee Stock Ownership plan at its core, the Total Rewards program includes all compensation, benefits and perks that come with being an RLI employee.
Financial Incentives
Annual bonus plans
Employee stock ownership plan (ESOP)
401(k) — automatic 3% company contribution
Annual 401k and ESOP profit-sharing contributions (Up to 15% of eligible earnings)
Work & Life
Paid time off (PTO) and holidays
Paid volunteer time off (VTO) to support our communities
Parental and family care leave
Flexible & hybrid work arrangements
Fitness center discounts and free virtual fitness platform
Employee assistance program
Health & Wellness
Comprehensive medical, dental and vision benefits
Flexible spending and health savings accounts
2x base salary for group life and AD&D insurance
Voluntary life, critical illness, & accident insurance for purchase
Short-term and long-term disability benefits
Personal & Professional Growth
RLI encourages its employees to pursue professional development work in insurance and job-related areas. We make a commitment to employees to provide educational opportunities that help them enhance their skills and further their career advancement. RLI fosters a true learning culture and encourages professional growth through insurance courses, in-house training and other educational programs. RLI covers the cost for most programs and employees typically earn a bonus upon successful completion of approved courses and certifications. Our personal and professional growth benefits include:
Training & certification opportunities
Tuition reimbursement
Education bonuses