Our Claims Team
At Berkley Technology Underwriters, your claims are managed by experts in technology, data security, and privacy. We maximize results and minimize loss with customized solutions for all lines of business.
Joel Zylstra
Senior Vice President, Chief Claims Officer
Joel Zylstra brings over two decades of experience in insurance litigation and claims leadership. Prior to joining BTU, Joel led the Major Case Litigation team at a major global insurance competitor, overseeing high-severity trial litigation across Bodily Injury, Physical Damage, and Professional Liability lines. His career has been deeply rooted in complex coverage and litigation matters, with a strong reputation as an insurance litigator in the Twin Cities.
Joel earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Luther College and his J.D. from Mitchell Hamline School of Law. He now leads BTU’s Claims, Services, and Strategy division, where he is focused on building a dedicated claims offering that enhances service delivery and drives innovation for clients. His leadership supports BTU’s strategic vision to expand product capabilities and strengthen operational excellence.
John Swain
Assistant Vice President, Claims
John Swain has over 24 years of experience in the property and casualty insurance industry. John started his career working for one of the world’s largest third-party claims administrators where he held various positions including Senior Claims Representative and Supervisor. In these roles, he investigated and resolved litigated auto, general liability, and product claims. He also served as a Claims Branch Manager for a staff responsible for handling auto, general liability, and product claims for a Fortune 100 company. Prior to working at Berkley, he was a Senior Account Executive with a third party administrator where he managed the oversight of workers’ compensation, auto, and general liability claims. He is a graduate of Winona State University and holds a Bachelor of Science degree.
Andy Herbert
Assistant Vice President, Workers Compensation Claims Manager
Andy Herbert has over 35 years of experience in the property and casualty industry, focusing solely on Workers Compensation. He began his career at several major insurance companies where he held various positions including field investigator, court negotiator and claims supervisor of the New Jersey Workers Compensation claims unit. He also supervised the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern Workers Compensation teams. Prior to working at Berkley, Mr. Herbert worked as a Senior Claim Officer of a multi-national insurance company, where he supervised the New Jersey Workers Compensation unit. He also spent five years in their Workers Compensation Special Investigative Unit. He is a graduate of Shippensburg University where he received a Bachelor of Science in Business Management.
