Lemonade Lands a Claims Veteran as Expands Into the Auto Sector

AI-powered digital insurance company Lemonade has announced that 25-year USAA veteran Sean Burgess has joined as its Chief Claims Officer.

Burgess replaces Jim Hageman, who had held the role since the company’s earliest days, and will lead the company’s US and EU claims functions. He will fall under SVP of Customer Operations Gavin Blair in the company’s org chart.

“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,” Lemonade co-founder Shai Wininger stated.

Burgess previously held the top claims role at USAA, where he helped build and implement tech-enabled experiences like the company’s touchless auto claims product.

Wininger added, “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.”

Lemonade, which has historically been a home, renters, pet, and life insurance startup, recently announced its acquisition of app-based auto insurer Metromile. Wininger’s background will be immediately valuable to Lemonade as it enters this new market, as USAA is the fifth-largest auto insurer in the US.

“As a veteran of the insurance industry, it’s exciting to be leading the charge now with Lemonade,” Burgess said. “The technology and use of AI, alongside what the team has built in their claims functionality and experience, is best-in-class.”

Beyond its app, Metromile employs telematics to help it accurately price its pay-per-mile insurance offering and quickly settle claims. The company is beginning to iterate upon its initial success and onboarded a new VP of Telematics earlier this year.

"I have been in the industry a long time. It’s finally embarking on transformational changes (think: telematics) that I’m not sure all legacy carriers are ready for, Burgess stated in a blog post. "Lemonade is in the perfect position to leapfrog many long-standing carriers, and the company has already proven they know how."