Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Training Continuing Education
Certification
Fema Experience
Biography Summary
Timeline
Generic

Michael W. Beattie

Divide

Summary

Mike is a highly-qualified and credentialed insurance and PA policy subject matter expert with over 30 years of experience with commercial large loss and NFIP insurance, project management and contracting. With a career focus on management and negation of large commercial losses, he has established his expertise in interpreting and adjusting insurance coverage as an independent property adjusting professional. He is a professional adjuster for insurance programs and policies designed for large public entities, including draft polices, general property forms, inland marine coverage and NFIP policies. This significant experience includes dispute resolution and technical analysis used in claim litigation, trial preparation, and the management of independent forensic experts, factors key to the support of FEMA in appeal and arbitration matters. He is a proven insurance and policy advisor to the FEMA PA Program. During the course of his career with FEMA, he has made thousands of recommendations on adjustments to eligible costs under the PA Program in both the EMMIE and NEMIS environments. He possesses deep PA program knowledge, as well as considerable expertise in eligibility determinations, cost adjustments, documentation review, 44 CFR 206.252 mandatory flood reductions, and 9500 Series policy. He is highly proficient user of FEMA’s PA Data Warehouse, EMMIE and estimating programs, RSMeans and Xactimate. The insurance expert has served as Insurance Task Force Lead, PAC, QA/QC specialist, insurance specialist, project specialist, closeout specialist, and trainer in both the areas of insurance and the overall PA Program. Prior to his career with FEMA, for 25 years, Mike managed large insurance offices where he handled commercial claims exceeding $100 million. He continues to demonstrate an excellent ability to effectively manage projects and personnel in order to efficiently and expeditiously complete claims of all size and complexity. He is a licensed all-lines adjuster, and is certified as a large commercial loss flood adjuster for the NFIP. He has expertise in FEMA’s CEF and Benefits Cost Analysis, and has completed PA Ops I and II.

Overview

36
36
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Subject Matter Expert on Insurance and FEMA Public Assistance program

Kinne Associates
01.2013 - Current
  • Company Overview: Subcontractor to AECOM Recovery on the FEMA PA TAC Contract
  • Deployed to 3 disasters with excellent reviews from all FEMA supervisors.
  • Subcontractor to AECOM Recovery on the FEMA PA TAC Contract

Public Assistance Coordinator

FEMA Region 8
01.2009 - 12.2013
  • Company Overview: Denver Federal Center
  • Deployed to several disasters throughout the Region as a PAC; assessed damages, estimated repair scope and associated costs; managed several project specialists on each disaster; supported applicants in their recovery efforts; and served as QA/QC entity on closeout procedures for the entire Region.
  • Denver Federal Center

Claims Adjuster

State Farm Insurance Company
01.2004 - 12.2009
  • Responsible for commercial and residential wind and flood claims associated with Hurricane Charlie, Katrina, Rita, Gustav and Ike.
  • Assigned to a special team responsible for specialized investigations required to address coverage issues that relate to wind vs. flood damage.
  • Required close interaction between forensic engineering firms and plaintiff attorneys.
  • Deposed as an independent adjuster on several occasions and testified, in trial, as an expert based on my experience.
  • Approved for the maximum payment authority for any independent adjusters.

Claims Adjuster

Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company
01.2000 - 12.2004
  • Responsible for large dollar residential and commercial losses.
  • Managed forensic engineers, specialty vendors, accountants, restoration contractors, and legal representation.
  • Handled 129 litigated Northridge Earthquake claims, requiring pretrial review, coverage analysis, forensic investigation, and management of independent legal counsel.
  • Managed independent adjusters remotely, including selection, fee schedule approval, reporting deadlines and coverage approval.

Claims Adjuster

Pilot Catastrophe & Companies
01.1996 - 12.2000
  • Responsible for adjusting commercial and residential hurricane, wind, hail, flood, and earthquake losses.
  • Prepared detailed scope of damage, estimate of repairs, coverage application and claims settlement.
  • Re-inspected and resolved both personality and coverage issues on a variety of losses.
  • Spent two years working the Northridge Earthquake clean-up.
  • Responsible for numerous million dollar residential losses requiring outside engineering and geotechnical evaluation.

Claims Adjuster

Crawford & Company
01.1992 - 12.1996
  • Adjusted hurricane, wind, hail, flood, and ice, earthquake, and fire losses.
  • Prepared detailed scope of damage, estimate of repairs, coverage application and claims settlement.
  • Re-inspected and resolved both personality and coverage issues on a variety of losses.
  • Certified by the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association and was one of twelve dedicated adjusters within this company.
  • Spent 2 years adjusting and managing the Red River Flood clean-up.

Claims Adjuster

EPPS & Associates / Sentinel Loss Managers / General Adjustment Bureau (G.A.B.)
01.1989 - 12.1992
  • Adjusted hurricane, wind, hail, and fire losses.
  • Responsible for preparing a detailed scope of damage, estimate of repairs, coverage application and claims settlement.

Education

Benefits Cost Analysis Class -

Denver, Colorado
01.2011

Cost Estimate Format -

EMI
Emmitsville, MD
01.2011

Understanding and Preventing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace -

State Farm
01.2010

Information Privacy and Protection in the Workplace -

State Farm Insurance
01.2010

Good Faith Claims Negotiation -

Fireman’s Fund
01.2004

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace -

Fireman’s Fund
01.2004

Handling Mold Claims -

Fireman’s Fund
01.2003

Business Interruption Workshop -

Madson, Driscoll & Demico
01.2002

California Unfair Claim Practices Certification -

01.2001

Texas Windstorm Insurance Association Certification -

01.2000

Crawford and Company Intermediate Property Adjusting Course -

01.2000

Skills

  • Well-respected FEMA employee in Region VIII PA division from 2009 to 2013
  • Established personal relationships with most of the Region VIII PA staff, specifically with Tom Bush (Infrastructure Branch Chief) and Roger Jones (deputy branch chief) Left FEMA on excellent terms, and is frequently courted to return to Region VIII as a FEMA employee
  • Considered by FEMA to be an SME in insurance and FEMA policy
  • Worked 10 different Region VIII disasters, and managed the closeout efforts associated with many of those disasters
  • Currently serving as lead insurance specialist on the Louisiana Katrina/Rita deployment
  • Has worked in four FEMA regions and was the Task Force Lead for Hurricane Sandy in NY
  • License all-lines insurance adjuster and a large loss NFIP flood adjuster

Training Continuing Education

  • All FEMA training, 2011, Denver, Colorado
  • Benefits Cost Analysis Class, 2011, Denver, Colorado
  • Cost Estimate Format, 2011, EMI, Emmitsville, MD
  • Good Faith Claims Negotiation, 2004, Fireman’s Fund
  • Sexual Harassment in the Workplace, 2002, 2003, 2004, Fireman’s Fund
  • California Unfair Claim Practices Certification, 1994, 1996, 2000, 2001
  • Understanding and Preventing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, State Farm
  • Information Privacy and Protection in the Workplace, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, State Farm Insurance
  • Handling Mold Claims, 2003, Fireman’s Fund
  • Business Interruption Workshop, 2002, Madson, Driscoll & Demico
  • Texas Windstorm Insurance Association Certification, 2000
  • Crawford and Company Intermediate Property Adjusting Course, 2000
  • State Farm Insurance Company All Loss Certification
  • State Farm Insurance Company, A.C.E. Roof Certification
  • Asbestos Abatement Seminar and Certification, 1996
  • Foundation Stabilization and Repair Seminar and Certification, 1996

Certification

  • Texas Department of Insurance, Austin, Texas, 01/01/89 - Present
  • National Flood Insurance Program Certification, 01/01/96 - Present
  • Florida Department of Insurance, Tallahassee, Florida, 01/01/99 - Present
  • Louisiana Department of Insurance, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
  • Michigan Office of Financial & Insurance Services Licensing, Lansing, Michigan
  • Georgia Insurance Department, Smyrna, Georgia
  • Oklahoma Insurance Department, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  • State of Delaware Insurance Department, Dover, Delaware
  • Mississippi Insurance Department, Jackson, Mississippi
  • North Carolina Department of Insurance, Raleigh, North Carolina

Fema Experience

  • Insurance Task Force Leader, DR 1603 (Hurricane Katrina), DR 1607 (Hurricane Rita), Conducting insurance review for all PWs in the disasters and to identify any duplication of benefits., Accurately review PW’s to ensure Mandatory NFIP Reductions are in place where required and/or revised as eligible FEMA funding is increased or decreased., Maintains accountability tracking for the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008 – 'Omni-Bus Bill'., Review and preparation of Appeal, Arbitration and Office of Inspector General (OIG) requests.
  • Insurance Task Force Leader, DR 1786-LA (Hurricane Gustav), DR 1792-LA (Hurricane Ike), Conducting insurance review for all PWs in the disaster and to identify any duplication of benefits., Cumulatively DR 1786-LA has generated more than 6900 Project Worksheets (PWs), which have multiple sites, buildings and version requests.
  • Insurance Review – Task Force Leader, Super Storm Sandy DR 4085-NY, Managed 11 insurance specialists and 1 data specialist., Applied a programmatic approach to standardizing the insurance review process.
  • Public Assistance Coordinator, Missouri River Flooding DR 1984-SD, Implemented the Public Assistance Program in South Dakota., Disaster specific guidance and delivery of the Public Assistance Program was interpreted and delivered to the Project Specialists.

Biography Summary

Mike is a highly-qualified and credentialed insurance and PA policy subject matter expert with over 30 years of experience with commercial large loss and NFIP insurance, project management and contracting. With a career focus on management and negation of large commercial losses, he has established his expertise in interpreting and adjusting insurance coverage as an independent property adjusting professional. He is a professional adjuster for insurance programs and policies designed for large public entities, including draft polices, general property forms, inland marine coverage and NFIP policies. This significant experience includes dispute resolution and technical analysis used in claim litigation, trial preparation, and the management of independent forensic experts, factors key to the support of FEMA in appeal and arbitration matters. He is a proven insurance and policy advisor to the FEMA PA Program.

Timeline

Subject Matter Expert on Insurance and FEMA Public Assistance program

Kinne Associates
01.2013 - Current

Public Assistance Coordinator

FEMA Region 8
01.2009 - 12.2013

Claims Adjuster

State Farm Insurance Company
01.2004 - 12.2009

Claims Adjuster

Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company
01.2000 - 12.2004

Claims Adjuster

Pilot Catastrophe & Companies
01.1996 - 12.2000

Claims Adjuster

Crawford & Company
01.1992 - 12.1996

Claims Adjuster

EPPS & Associates / Sentinel Loss Managers / General Adjustment Bureau (G.A.B.)
01.1989 - 12.1992

Benefits Cost Analysis Class -

Cost Estimate Format -

EMI

Understanding and Preventing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace -

State Farm

Information Privacy and Protection in the Workplace -

State Farm Insurance

Good Faith Claims Negotiation -

Fireman’s Fund

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace -

Fireman’s Fund

Handling Mold Claims -

Fireman’s Fund

Business Interruption Workshop -

Madson, Driscoll & Demico

California Unfair Claim Practices Certification -

Texas Windstorm Insurance Association Certification -

Crawford and Company Intermediate Property Adjusting Course -

Michael W. Beattie