Claims People: Lemonade and Global Risk Solutions

Lemonade, the startup insurer that is using smart-phone technology to challenge legacy carriers for market share, has hired the former chief claims officer for USAA.

Lemonade appointed Sean Burgess as its chief claims officer. Burgess worked 25 years for USAA, most recently in the same position he now holds with Lemonade.

He reports to Gavin Blair, senior vice president of operations for the New York City-based carrier.

“Sean led one of the best claims teams in the world, and his joining not only marks an important milestone for Lemonade, but also sends a strong message to the industry,” said Shai Winiger, Lemonade chief executive officer and co-founder, in a press release. “Sean’s knowledge, coupled with our technology, will allow Lemonade to continue redefining what a state-of-the-art 21st century claims organization looks like.”

Burgess replaces Jim Hageman, Lemonade’s first hire as claims chief when the company was founded in 2015.

“Lemonade has been like family to me for the last six years, so when I decided to move on, we had, well, a family talk, and found a really great fit for the future of Lemonade Claims,” Hageman said, according to the press release.

Burgess joined USAA shortly after graduating from Texas State University in 1994 with a bachelor of arts in mass communication, according to his Linkedin page. He became chief claims officer for USAA in 2015. Burgess attended Harvard Business School’s general management program from 2017 to 2018.

Global Risk Solutions, a Miami-based claims adjusting firm, had hired three senior claims professionals toits Complex Claims Solutions unit.

The company hired:

• Reubin Iqbal as head of GRS International’s United Kingdom and International Construction division.
• Scott Smith as operations director.
• Mark Smith as technical director, with a focus on Middle East operations.

Iqbal was previously head of construction for Crawford & Co. in London, a position he held for three years, according to his Linkedin page. Smith was operations director for international and construction at Crawford & Co., according to Linkedin.

Smith joins GRS in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Previously, he owned and operated a regional firm that adjusted losses in the Middle East.

GRS Chief Executive Officer Adam Humphrey said the three appointments will enhance the company’s capabilities.

“Effective service delivery in the complex loss sector starts with people; it demands knowledgeable and capable staff who understand the changing risk landscape and the needs of insured parties, insurers, and an increasingly broad stakeholder environment,” he said in a press release.