5 questions for Zurich U.S. Construction Claims leader Nick Alberts

For Nick Alberts, attending the 2026 IRMI Construction Risk Conference this year was a first that made a lasting impression. A 17-year Zurich Claims leader, Nick previously worked in Mass Litigation Claims and in July took on a newly created role: Head of U.S. Construction, Energy and Marine Claims.

At his first IRMI construction conference, he met with Zurich Construction customers and brokers alongside underwriters and risk engineers. Taking a break at the conference, he shared what he was hearing and why being there mattered.

Q: What does your presence at the conference mean for customers?

Alberts: We want our customers to know their Claims people by name, trust them and know that they’re Construction specialists who are dedicated to this kind of claim. For most lines of business, that’s the path we’re going down. There’s already a dedicated Construction General Liability team. The Property team is building out a Construction Builders Risk team with more focused Construction expertise. And three of the five groups I manage are strictly Construction: Construction Defect, Construction Professional Liability and New York Labor Law.

Q: What are some first impressions from this conference?

Alberts: Until today, I’d never sat in on a meeting where we were pursuing a new business opportunity. I was there with the underwriter and Risk Engineering, talking about what differentiates Zurich and what our Claims service might look like compared with their current carrier. It’s amazing to be part of that and to show the role Claims plays in what we’re offering.

Q: What are you hearing matters most to customers about Claims?

Alberts: It varies by customer, but the theme I’m hearing is that it’s less about the position we’re taking on a claim. What matters is calling somebody back, being proactive and saying, “You emailed me. I’m going to call you right back. I might not have an answer, but I’m going to tell you when you can get it.” Ninety percent of what I’m hearing is about the nuts and bolts of customer service, not technical claim handling.

My main message when I go back is: We need to take the time to make the phone call. It’s so important to set expectations and be clear. Even when we can’t make a decision yet, make sure the customer knows where the claim is going and isn’t in the dark.

Q: Why is the relationship piece important?

Alberts: I’m not new to Claims but I’m new to Construction Claims, so I need to shake hands, meet people and listen to them. Then, when a problem comes up six months down the road and they call me, we’re not strangers. You have a better appreciation for each other and can solve the problem together.

Q: Looking ahead a year, what trends do you see in construction claims?

Alberts: If I can give you a Zurich answer instead of an industry answer, it would be that I think our customers will be seeing the closer relationships we have with them and with underwriters.

My hope is that it becomes part of what differentiates us: The customer knows their handlers’ names. They know they’re dedicated Construction professionals. And if they have a problem, they know the escalation points and they know those people by name.

We want to have more of an identity together — Claims, Underwriting and Risk Engineering in Construction. My boss, Chief Claims Officer Keith Daly, believes in that, and that was part of the creation of my role. U.S. Head of Construction James Savage has the same view.

Alberts is at left in the photo above, next to Zurich U.S. Head of Construction Casualty Tony Zins, at the IRMI Construction Risk Conference. The launch of our MBR 360 digital platform (in the background of the photo) was another topic of conversation at IRMI CRC. Learn more about it here: Zurich introduces MBR 360 digital platform to simplify Builders Risk