2017 Hot List Recipient
2020 Hot List Recipient
2021 CEO of the Year
Accolades
Media
Working smart in workers’ comp
Gregory Greiff’s journey into insurance began in 1987, not with a deep-seated passion for the industry – at least, initially – but rather as a pragmatic choice in a tough job market.
“I was looking for really anything where I could get full-time employment,” he recalled.
Liberty Mutual offered him a claims adjuster position, launching Greiff into a career that would last over 30 years.
For Greiff, being an adjuster was the ideal entry point into insurance.
“You deal with everybody, from injured workers to doctors to lawyers to employers,” he reflected. “It broadens your people skills substantially.”
After a stint in claims, Greiff transitioned to middle-market sales, selling insurance directly to businesses. At the same time, he pursued his MBA at the University of Pittsburgh.
“I worked with more sophisticated buyers and expanded my knowledge of different risk financing alternatives and structures including self-insurance and captives,” he said of the experience.
But it was his move to Workpartners in 2010 that marked a pivotal shift in Greiff’s career trajectory.
“I was very intrigued by it,” Greiff told Insurance Business.
As the second person hired at the fledgling insurance firm, Greiff was part of a team tasked with launching the workers’ compensation product. He has remained with the company, becoming its senior director of underwriting.
“I wrote the first policy in 2010, and it’s been a remarkable journey,” Greiff said.
The landscape has also shifted with the expanding scope of compensable claims and rising medical costs, making underwriting a delicate balancing act.
“Many jurisdictions are bringing claims or injuries that, in the past, had not been covered by workers’ compensation,” Greiff said. “That makes it challenging to predict when those claims will occur and how expensive they will be.”
Balancing technological advancement with personalized customer service has become a cornerstone of Workpartners’ approach.
The company is focused on exploring predictive analytics and artificial intelligence solutions and expanding its straight-through processing capabilities so that brokers can get a quote from their portal in minutes.
But what ultimately sets Workpartners apart is its unwavering commitment to its customers.
One solution to these challenges is to create operational efficiencies to bring costs down. This is a major priority for Greiff, who anticipates the soft market persisting.
“It’s very competitive,” he said when asked to describe the future of workers’ compensation. “Rate deterioration is still a huge concern, and there doesn't appear to be any end to that, at least in the near term. I think those who can leverage their technology and maintain a high level of customer engagement will be the ones who succeed.”
“Our caseloads for adjusters are well below industry standards, which allows Workpartners to close cases faster, fostering trust with their clients,” Greiff illustrated.
Additionally, Workpartners’ unique position as part of the larger network under parent company UPMC enables it to offer comprehensive services, from counselling to medical care. The company prides itself on its “total workers’ health” approach, offering a holistic breadth of services, including employee assistance programs, long-term and short-term disability management, and wellness programs.
“We’re both a payer and a provider, which is quite unique in the industry,” said Greiff. “It’s not just someone gets hurt and we send you a check. It’s an overall approach to workers’ physical, mental, and emotional health.”
Looking ahead, Greiff is intent on driving technological advancements in the organization for growth. With a blend of innovation and personalized care, Workpartners continues to carve out a distinct niche in a competitive field.
“One of the big drivers lately is improving operational efficiencies and leveraging technology: trying to do more with less but not at the expense of our customer service,” said Greiff.
“You can certainly automate perfunctory tasks, but they shouldn’t be at the expense of our customers. This is still a people business, and at the end of the day, if you don’t serve your customers well, somebody else will.”
Spotlight
Over the years, Greiff has found a fulfilling sense of purpose in workers’ compensation insurance as Workpartners expanded.
“At the end of the day, you’re helping people and businesses by providing security and protecting against losses, ensuring their long-term viability,” he said. “You’re helping injured workers get back on their feet while maintaining financial security.”
But it hasn’t always been smooth sailing. The workers’ comp market has changed dramatically in the past decade, creating significant challenges in underwriting.
“We’ve been seeing continued rate compression in workers’ comp over the last 10-plus years,” Greiff said. “Year after year, the loss costs continue to decline, which means that to grow, you have to more than offset that rate decrease plus your normal loss of business through account churn.”
Workpartners is part of the UPMC global health enterprise that includes 40 hospitals and over 95,000 employees. Formed in 1997, Workpartners’ services include data analytics, employee assistance and well-being programs, absence management, on-site clinical services, workers’ compensation insurance, and TPA services.
We collaborate and partner with each client to identify and deliver flexible, tailored solutions that provide an integrated approach to managing employee health and well-being. Workpartners provides health and productivity solutions to companies in 48 states.
Company Profile
Top 10
WORKERS' COMPENSATION CARRIER RATING IN PENNSYLVANIA
93%
CUSTOMER RETENTION RATE
A-
AM BEST OUTLOOK RATING:
8
STATES WHERE WC COVERAGE OFFERED
175
EMPLOYEES
Bio
Spotlight
Milestones
Media
Accolades
Company Profile
Years in the industry
30+
Tenure IN current position
“I was fortunate to be part of the original team hired (second employee) to start the Workpartners workers’ compensation product in 2010”
Favorite quote
“I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have”
Gregory Greiff
Senior director of underwriting at Workpartners
Gregory Greiff’s expansive career in workers’ compensation insurance has given him a firsthand view of the market’s dramatic shifts. He shares the antidotes to its biggest challenges
Read on
“You can certainly automate perfunctory tasks, but they shouldn’t be at the expense of our customers. This is still a people business, and at the end of the day, if you don’t serve your customers well, somebody else will”
Greg Greiff,
Workpartners
Share
Years in the industry
30+
Tenure at current position
“I was fortunate to be part of the original team hired (second employee) to start the Workpartners workers’ compensation product in 2010”
BAsed In
Toronto, Ont.
Favorite quote
“I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.”
Karen Adams
President and CEO at Fundserv
Before becoming CEO of Fundserv, Karen Adams held a variety of leadership roles around the world – and she learned that listening and understanding are key to both providing service and developing talent
Read on
Share
Years in the industry
30+
Tenure at current position
2017 - Present
BAsed In
“I was fortunate to be part of the original team hired (second employee) to start the Workpartners workers’ compensation product in 2010”
Favorite Quote
“I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.”
Karen Adams
President and CEO at Fundserv
Career highlight
Before becoming CEO of Fundserv, Karen Adams held a variety of leadership roles around the world – and she learned that listening and understanding are key to both providing service and developing talent
Read on
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Pursuing growth amid the soft market in workers’ comp
Technology and customer service: The Workpartners advantage
Published May 20, 2024
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People
“Many jurisdictions are bringing claims or injuries that, in the past, had not been covered by workers’ compensation. That makes it challenging to predict when those claims will occur and how expensive they will be”
Greg Greiff,
Workpartners
‑ Thomas Jefferson
(Excellent) Stable
2010
2013
2018
2021
2022
Wrote first workers’ compensation policy, effective July 2010
2010
Launched second underwriting company – UPMC Work Alliance
2013
Began workers’ comp expansion initiative and entered the state of Delaware
Company surpassed $100 million in direct written premiums
2018
Launched third underwriting company – Workpartners National
2021
Company started workers’ comp operations in Florida. Now offering workers’ comp services in PA, NJ, WV, DE, FL, VA, MD, & DC
2022
Milestones
2010
2013
2018
2021
2022
Wrote first workers’ compensation policy, effective July 2010
2010
Launched second underwriting company – UPMC Work Alliance.
2013
Began workers’ comp expansion initiative and entered the state of Delaware
Company surpassed $100 million in direct written premiums
2018
Launched third underwriting company – Workpartners National.
2021
Company started workers’ comp operations in Florida. Now offering workers’ comp services in PA, NJ, WV, DE, FL, VA, MD, & DC
2022
Milestones
2010
2013
2018
2021
2022
Wrote first workers’ compensation policy, effective July 2010
2010
Launched second underwriting company – UPMC Work Alliance.
2013
Began workers’ comp expansion initiative and entered the state of Delaware
2018
Company surpassed $100 million in direct written premiums
Launched third underwriting company – Workpartners National.
2021
Company started workers’ comp operations in Florida. Now offering workers’ comp services in PA, NJ, WV, DE, FL, VA, MD, & DC
2022
Milestones
