Joanne Hobbs has been promoted to Vice President, Head of Claims at Merchants Insurance Group’s corporate headquarters in downtown Buffalo, New York, effective August 2025.
Hobbs joined Merchants in 2020 as Litigation Manager and quickly advanced within the company’s claims leadership. She was promoted to Senior Litigation Manager and Corporate Casualty Manager in 2023, then became Senior Corporate Casualty Claim Manager in 2024. Most recently, she served as Assistant Vice President, Head of Claims, overseeing litigation, corporate casualty, and claims strategy.
“Joanne has consistently demonstrated outstanding leadership, deep technical expertise, and a strong commitment to service excellence,” said Charles E. Makey, III, President and Chief Executive Officer of Merchants Insurance Group. “Her promotion to Vice President, Head of Claims reflects the high regard in which she is held across our company and the confidence we have in her ability to lead our claims operations into the future.”
Hobbs brings more than 20 years of claims experience to her new role, including prior positions at USAA, Motorists Insurance Group, and Westfield Insurance.
As Vice President, Head of Claims, Hobbs will oversee all claims operations, ensuring the delivery of exceptional service to policyholders and fostering innovation and growth within the department.
“I am honored to step into this new role,” said Hobbs. “It’s a privilege to lead such a talented claims team, and I look forward to building on our strengths as we continue to serve our policyholders.”
Hobbs holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management with a concentration in Organizational Leadership from Walsh University and a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from St. Bonaventure University. In 2025, she graduated from Merchants Insurance Group’s first class of its Leadership Development Program, a two-year program created to enhance the leadership skills of its participants.
