Get to Know Your Liability and Workers’ Comp Team!

The Support You Need, When You Need It

At WMMIC, we believe timely service and support are crucial components in helping our members limit their risk, prevent loss, and better manage their claims needs. If you have questions or need assistance, see below to find the right contact for your needs!

Liability Claims Icon Liability Team

Nicole Busch

Nicole Busch
Liability Team Lead

Biography:

1. What is your role at WMMIC?

Liability Team Lead

2. How long have you been in your position?

I started at WMMIC in July 2023

3. Can you share a bit about your career path?

I started my insurance career at QBE in March 2009. I was brought onto the team as part of the TeleClaim Center (TCC) which was created after QBE acquired General Casualty Insurance and other regional carriers. In my first role with QBE, I was trained in the basics of insurance including policy coverage review, claim handling, claim investigation, and claim evaluation.

During my career at QBE from 2009 – 2016 I handled multiple policy lines including personal auto, commercial auto, and general liability insurance. My experience ranged from handling auto physical damage, general liability property damage, and bodily injury in both the auto and general liability lines.

In 2016 I joined the Major Case Unit at NSI which is a division of West Bend Insurance. In my role with NSI, I handled matters under their specialty policies which included employment practice liability, personal appearance liability, and general liability lines of business. I handled a wide range of claims from small curling iron burns through million-dollar bodily injury and death claims. I gained extensive experience in litigation handling during this role.

In 2017 due to changes in my personal life I returned to QBE and continued to handle auto losses and general liability claims where I continued to build on my litigation and claim handling experience. I worked at QBE until I took a position with WMMIC in July 2023.

4. What skills do you bring to the team?

Claim handling is an art, each claim is unique due to the individuals involved and the distinctive set of facts in each claim. I have been blessed with a career path that has provided me opportunities in multiple lines of coverage. My background provides me with varied experience to evaluate and investigate the unique claims that our municipal members are faced with. Over my career I have developed a talent for the evaluation of claims and the negotiation of settlements.

5. What are your main responsibilities in your job?

I have many responsibilities in my job as Liability Team Lead. Day to day I am responsible for setting up new claims that are submitted to WMMIC by our members both in Origami and through the WMMIC Liability Inbox. I also provide our members with individual claim reports as requested, mentor and guide the liability adjusters on the liability team, provide technical support for the liability team, review, analyze, monitor and update any claims assigned to me, prepare updated status reports for our reinsurance partners, and provide other support to the liability team and WMMIC as needed.

6. What is your main area of expertise?

Liability Claims.

Samantha McWilliams

Samantha McWilliams
Liability Claim Representative

Biography:

1. What is your role at WMMIC?

Liability Claim Representative

2. How long have you been in your position?

I have been with WMMIC for five weeks.

3. Can you share a bit about your career path?

I have experience handling Workers’ Compensation claims, Auto Liability for Standard and Non-Standard private insurance, Medical Pay, PIP, and Bodily Injury Claims. I am a Nationally Certified Medical Coder and have worked as a records clerk for several Police Departments.

4. What skills do you bring to the team?

I possess excellent communication skills, extensive claim handling and negotiation background, and in-depth.

5. What are your main responsibilities in your job?

Evaluate liability claims and determine appropriate coverages/liability. Set/manage reserves throughout each claim and assign/collaborate with defense/claimant attorneys as needed.

6. What is your main area of expertise?

Bodily Injury Claims Adjuster, supported by my Medical Coding Degree.

Pa Vang

Pa Vang
Liability Claim Representative

Biography:

1. What is your role at WMMIC?

Liability Claim Representative

2. How long have you been in your position?

3 weeks

3. Can you share a bit about your career path?

I begin in customer service in the insurance industry for 5 years then went in to Compliance for affordable housing for another 4 years and finally came back to insurance as an adjuster and have been doing claims for 2 years.

4. What skills do you bring to the team?

Rules & regulations, auto adjusting, claim processing, & claim resolution

5. What are your main responsibilities in your job?

Analyze, investigate and process claim by obtaining relevant facts to determine coverage, establish and maintain claims file, enter and monitor proper claim reserve, document file activities timely, communicate the status of claims with members & managements

6. What is your main area of expertise?

Property damage

Workers' Comp Claims Workers’ Compensation Team

Kimberly Weihert

Kimberly Weihert, AIC
WC Team Lead

Biography:

1. What is your role at WMMIC?

WC Team Lead

2. How long have you been in your position?

1.5 years currently – 20 years with WMMIC

3. What skills do you bring to the team?

WC knowledge

4. What are your main responsibilities in your job?

Mentoring claims adjusters and adjusting WC Claims

5. What is your main area of expertise?

WC

Keegan Petsel
WC Claim Representative

Direct: 608-246-3337
Cell: 608-733-1840
Fax: 608-852-8647
Email: kpetsel@wmmic.com

Biography:

1. What is your role at WMMIC?

Workers’ compensation representative

2. How long have you been in your position?

I started at WMMIC in March of 2017. (7 ½ years)

3. Can you share a bit about your career path?

I began at WMMIC after completing school at Madison College. This was my first insurance job and was introduced to the industry in college. I completed my risk management and insurance designation.

4. What skills do you bring to the team?

Professional customer service, knowledge of claims handling, restitution/subrogation recovery, and litigation of workers’ compensation appeals.

4. What are your main responsibilities in your job?

Handle workers’ compensation claims, provide professional and timely customer service to claimants, provide excellent service to our members and monitor treatment plans for each claimant

5. What is your main area of expertise?

Workers’ compensation claims handling, restitution/subrogation recovery on claims, litigation management of appealed claims.

Hope Hansen

Hope Hansen
WC Claim Representative

Direct: 608-245-6891
Cell: 608-733-0278
Fax: 608-852-8647
Email: hhansen@wmmic.com

Biography:

1. What is your role at WMMIC?

Workers Compensation Claims Representative

2. How long have you been in your position?

September 2021 (?) as an adjuster but been with WMMIC since March 2017 (7+ years)

3. Can you share a bit about your career path?

I graduated in 2011 with a master’s degree in business administration with the hope of working in the medical field until I injured myself as a nursing assistant. I then found a love for doing administrative work and landed at WMMIC after countless jobs in the factory world as a project engineer.

WMMIC eventually had a workers compensation position open, and I have been a work comp claims adjuster since, where I get to do a version of administrative tasks and semi be in the medical world and every day is a different adventure.

4. What skills do you bring to the team?

Adaptability, Team player/collaborator, Problem Solving/Analytical skills, continue learning/knowledge of WC

5. What are your main responsibilities in your job?

Claim Management, documentation review, determine WC coverage under state statutes, communication with injured workers/members, etc.

Tasha McKenzie

Tasha McKenzie
WC Claim Representative

Biography:

1. What is your role at WMMIC?

Worker’s Compensation Claims Representative

2. How long have you been in your position?

January 2, 2024

3. Can you share a bit about your career path?

I worked for SSM Health in various administrative roles for over 20 years and have a Master of Science from Edgewood College.

4. What skills do you bring to the team?

I am good at communication, collaboration, analysis, and problem-solving.

4. What are your main responsibilities in your job?

Investigation, customer service, claims handling, problem solving, attention to detail,

5. What is your main area of expertise?

I possess good interpersonal skills and am innovative. I love to conduct research.