Wardlaw Claims Service
Wardlaw Claims Service is a third-generation, family-owned P&C insurance claims management firm providing field and desk claims handling, catastrophe response, and mitigation invoice auditing to U.S. insurance carriers, supported by its proprietary CATAPULT platform and SecondLook audit service.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1965
- HeadquartersWaco, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Wardlaw Claims Service does
Wardlaw Claims Service is a third-generation, family-owned P&C insurance claims management firm headquartered in Waco, Texas, founded in 1965 by Pat N. Wardlaw and currently owned by second-generation siblings Mike N. Wardlaw, Rebecca Wardlaw Meadows, and William F. Wardlaw, with Chris Wardlaw serving as Chief Operating Officer. The firm provides field and desk claims handling, catastrophe response, and mitigation invoice auditing to U.S. property and casualty insurance carriers, operating across residential, commercial, auto, large loss, and complex claims categories as well as insurance appraisals, mediations, and umpire services. Core service lines are Field Claims Management, Desk Claims Handling, and SecondLook Invoice Audits, supported by a proprietary claims management platform called CATAPULT (live since 2006) and a wholly-owned technology subsidiary, Custom Data Systems (formed 1994). The firm maintains a 43,000 sq ft Waco headquarters that includes training facilities and a 1,200 sq ft residential Property Training Lab, and opened a 30,000 sq ft Dallas-area office in Irving in 2024.
Revenue is generated through professional services fees billed under enterprise contracts with insurance carriers, including per-claim handling fees, desk staffing engagements, catastrophe surge deployments, and a tiered fee schedule for SecondLook mitigation invoice audits. The go-to-market is consultative, direct B2B sales targeting carrier claims leaders, with marketing via an industry blog, social media, and trade events such as the Orlando Claims Association CE Seminar. The firm reports 862+ catastrophe responses since 1965, more than $750M in documented indemnity reductions attributed to SecondLook, and over 1,862,692 families served through processed claims, with SOC 1 and SOC 2 Type II certifications supporting enterprise procurement requirements. Wardlaw sells exclusively into a structurally concentrated U.S. P&C carrier market, with named customers including USAA and unnamed global and national P&C carriers.
Wardlaw Claims Service firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Wardlaw Claims Service
- Legal name
- Wardlaw Claims Services
- Website
- https://wardlawclaims.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1965
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- Wardlaw Claims Service is a third-generation, family-owned P&C insurance claims management firm providing field and desk claims handling, catastrophe response, and mitigation invoice auditing to U.S. insurance carriers, supported by its proprietary CATAPULT platform and SecondLook audit service.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Wardlaw Claims Service industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Insurance Claims Management Services
- NAICS
- Claims Adjusting (524291)
- SIC
- Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411), Fire, Marine & Casualty Insurance (6331)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Payment Integrity, Audit, Appeals & Grievance Support (BPAAAFAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Claims Advocacy & Loss Recovery Services (FSAEADAH)
Keywords
Where Wardlaw Claims Service is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Waco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Wardlaw Claims Service business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Claims Management Services: Wardlaw provides field and desk claims handling services to insurance carriers on a contractual basis. Services include daily claims processing, catastrophe response, residential and commercial property claims, auto claims, large loss claims, complex claims, insurance appraisals, mediations, and umpire services. Revenue is generated through professional services fees, likely billed per claim handled or on a retainer/contract basis.
- SecondLook Mitigation Invoice Audits: Fee-based audit service for insurance carriers that reviews emergency mitigation invoices for accuracy and compliance with IICRC standards. Operates on a low tiered fee schedule with a zero-incentive guarantee. Carriers pay per audit or through a structured fee program.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Wardlaw Claims Service product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Wardlaw Claims Service provides outsourced property and casualty insurance claims management to insurance carriers, including field claims management for daily and catastrophe events, desk claims handling, SecondLook mitigation invoice audits, and adjuster training programs. Services span residential, commercial, auto, and large loss categories, supported by the proprietary CATAPULT claims management system and a nationwide network of IICRC-certified adjusters.
Product overview
Wardlaw Claims Service is a third-generation family-owned P&C insurance claims management firm offering a unified suite of services. The core portfolio centers on three interconnected service lines: Field Claims Management for on-site claims handling, Desk Claims Handling for in-office/administrative claims processing, and SecondLook for mitigation invoice auditing. These are complemented by Property Training programs and supported by proprietary technology (CATAPULT claims management system). The company also operates a technology subsidiary, Custom Data Systems. The services work together to provide carriers with comprehensive daily and catastrophe claims handling, quality assurance, and cost validation across the full claims lifecycle.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SecondLook: Emergency Mitigation Invoice Audit service that audits all emergency mitigation perils, recalibrating the mitigation expense with industry standards and practices. Provides IICRC-validated and accurate invoicing for insurance carriers and policyholders.
- CATAPULT
- Custom Data Systems
Products and services
- Field Claims Management Nationwide field claims handling for daily and catastrophe events, covering residential, commercial, large loss, and complex claims, as well as insurance appraisals, mediations, and umpire services. Sold to insurance carriers seeking outsourced on-site adjuster capacity.
- Desk Claims Handling Desk-based claims processing services including daily claims, catastrophe events, residential and commercial property claims, auto desk, fast track claims, call center support, QA reviews, and TPA services. Sold to insurance carriers for inside claims staffing.
- SecondLook Mitigation Invoice Audits Emergency mitigation invoice audit service that validates IICRC standards compliance, recalibrates mitigation expense with IICRC and S500 industry standards, identifies overpayment discrepancies, and provides analytics on indemnity reductions. Sold to insurance carriers on a tiered fee schedule, with documented validated indemnity reductions exceeding $200 million and aggregate reductions exceeding $750 million since launch.
- Property Training Adjuster training programs covering entry-level to advanced skills, including Xactimate and Symbility software training, peril-specific courses (hail, wind, fire), auto certifications, and interactive workshops at a 1,200 sq. ft. residential property training lab. Offered to adjusters and carrier partners to build claims-handling capability.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over $750M in indemnity reductions documented since SecondLook Audit Services launched
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Wardlaw Claims Service
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Wardlaw Claims Service technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Wardlaw Claims Service partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators6 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Wardlaw Claims Service competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Eberl Claims Services: Independent insurance claims adjusting firm specializing in property, catastrophe, and daily claims handling for carriers nationwide. Highly comparable on adjuster staffing model, CAT response, and carrier-direct GTM motion.
- Sedgwick: Global claims management and loss adjusting firm serving P&C carriers and self-insured employers across field, desk, and specialty claims. Directly comparable as a competing outsourced claims handling provider for the same insurance carrier buyers.
- Crawford & Company: One of the world's largest independent providers of claims management and adjustment services to insurers and corporates. Comparable across field claims, catastrophe response, and managed repair networks that overlap directly with Wardlaw's offerings.
- Pilot Catastrophe Services: Independent catastrophe claims adjusting and storm-response firm serving major P&C carriers. Comparable as a direct competitor in catastrophe surge staffing and daily property claims, particularly after named-storm events.
- GAB Robbins North America: Independent insurance adjusting and claims management firm providing field, desk, and catastrophe services to carriers across the U.S. Comparable on core adjusting service lines and carrier-direct B2B delivery model.
Broad incumbents
- Davies Group: Global professional services and technology provider with a large claims solutions division serving insurers. Comparable as a broader-portfolio incumbent offering claims handling alongside adjacent insurance services.
Others
- Belfor Restoration: Large property restoration and disaster recovery firm that interacts with Wardlaw on mitigation services and invoice audits (SecondLook). Comparable as an ecosystem participant in the catastrophe claims and mitigation workflow.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Wardlaw Claims Service social profiles
Digital presenceWardlaw Claims Service compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Wardlaw Claims Service financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Wardlaw Claims Service leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Wardlaw Claims Service subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Wardlaw Claims Service funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Wardlaw Claims Service M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Wardlaw Claims Service
What does Wardlaw Claims Service do?
Wardlaw Claims Service provides outsourced property and casualty insurance claims management to insurance carriers, including field claims management for daily and catastrophe events, desk claims handling, SecondLook mitigation invoice audits, and adjuster training programs. Services span residential, commercial, auto, and large loss categories, supported by the proprietary CATAPULT claims management system and a nationwide network of IICRC-certified adjusters.
Is Wardlaw Claims Service a public or private company?
Wardlaw Claims Service is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Wardlaw Claims Service founded?
Wardlaw Claims Service was founded in 1965. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Wardlaw Claims Service based?
Wardlaw Claims Service is headquartered in Waco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Wardlaw Claims Service make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Claims Management Services are the primary driver. The others are secondLook Mitigation Invoice Audits.
Who are Wardlaw Claims Service's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Eberl Claims Services, Sedgwick, Crawford & Company, Pilot Catastrophe Services and GAB Robbins North America. Davies Group is listed as a broad incumbent. Belfor Restoration is listed as an others.
Does Wardlaw Claims Service have an API?
No public API is recorded for Wardlaw Claims Service.
What industry is Wardlaw Claims Service in?
Wardlaw Claims Service's product category is Insurance Claims Management Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAAAFAJ, Payment Integrity, Audit, Appeals & Grievance Support, with a secondary code of FSAEADAH, Claims Advocacy & Loss Recovery Services. Its NAICS code is 524291 and its SIC code is 6411.