Farmers Insurance promoted from within to appoint its new chief claims officer. A Liberty Mutual executive was promoted to lead a National Insurance Specialty Unit that provides coverage for large and midsize construction and energy companies through brokers.

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Rob Howard is the new chief claims officer for Farmers Insurance.

Howard, the former head of Claims Shared Services, took on his new position as of June 11. He’s been with Farmers since 1987 and has held positions and executive roles of increasing responsibility since then.

In his most recent position as head of Claims Shared Services, Howard oversaw a number of business units that provide services to the claims organization and its customers, including the claims contact centers, claims support services, the national document center, special investigations unit, strategic initiatives, subrogation and the claims training component of the University of Farmers^.

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Liberty Mutual promoted an executive to lead a National Insurance Specialty Unit that provides primary and excess products to large and midsize construction and energy companies through brokers.

Matt Waters gained the title chief underwriting officer and senior vice president with the promotion.

Waters returns to National Insurance Specialty from a stint as chief product and underwriting officer of Liberty Mutual’s group disability and life operation, which was recently sold. Before that, he served as chief underwriting officer for National Insurance Specialty – Energy.

Waters started with Liberty Mutual in 1997 as a commercial underwriter.

Sources: Farmers Insurance, Liberty Mutual