There are two key ways that people get into insurance – by accident or because they had a family member in the business. Jody Lohr (pictured) falls into the first category and calls her path into the industry “100% a fluke.”
Before working in insurance, Lohr was a food and beverage supervisor at a golf course in Alberta for about six years, during which time she connected with one of its members who happened to own a brokerage. The connection landed her a receptionist job at that business, though at the time, she had little knowledge of the insurance industry.
“I really got into understanding the product and learning about … why we offered what we were offering, and I [thought], ‘Yep, this is for me,’ so I took my Level 1 [broker licencing exam], got my licence, and took on our personal lines book of business,” said Lohr, today the VP of operations at Excel & Y, Lundgren & Young Insurance.
Later, Lohr moved into commercial lines, and also started to take on operational day-to-day responsibilities and side projects to improve the brokerage and help its teams “work smarter, not harder.” Her passion for operations (and organization) led to Lohr becoming an office manager for the brokerage, and, as the business acquired other firms, she became the general manager for all of its locations.
However, when Lohr decided to move from northern Alberta to southern Alberta, she went back into the commercial side of sales. Eventually, the operational work called her back, and, due to her professional relationship and personal friendship with Robyn Young from Lundgren & Young Insurance, Lohr got an opportunity to work for the brokerage as VP of operations, where she’s been ever since.
In addition to her leadership role at the office, Lohr has also taken on a leadership position for the Insurance Brokers Association of Alberta (IBAA), as president of its 2020-2021 executive. Her involvement with the association dates all the way back to her time working in personal lines, when a friend in the industry told Lohr that they were signing her up for the board of the local brokers council.
“I got my feet wet and [gained] an understanding of what the Insurance Brokers Association is … and I was hooked right from the get-go,” said Lohr, adding that she later joined the IBAA’s Professional Young Insurance Brokers (PYIB), where she developed relationships with people in the industry who were her age and eventually became president of that group. Later, she went back to the IBAA board, before taking on the role of president and accomplishing a milestone of being the first person elected president of both the PYIB and the IBAA.
“[I really see] the importance of being involved,” said Lohr. “Being a voice for our brokers and consumers, helping facilitate those relationships, and ensuring that changes that are coming down from legislation or things that the markets and insurers are doing on coverages, that our brokers can sell that and then professionally stand behind it, and that it’s in the best interest of our consumers – that’s why we do what we do.”
Advocating for brokers and customers is particularly critical right now, as Alberta (and the rest of the country) continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic. Lohr and her colleagues have been working remotely for close to a year, which has changed the day-to-day dynamics of interacting with co-workers and clients.
The pandemic has also had an impact on consumers’ insurance needs. Less people are driving, which has repercussions for their auto insurance needs, while more people are working from home, which creates new cyber risks. In the meantime, businesses are closing or they’re changing their operations significantly, potentially leaving buildings vacant or taking a significant cut to their revenues.
The auto product in Alberta, specifically, continues to be a struggle for consumers, brokers, and insurers alike, said Lohr. “It’s not profitable for the insurance side, and rates continue to rise for the consumers.” Educating consumers on why their rates are rising is a big part of brokers’ jobs right now in Alberta, which is made more challenging since it can be “virtually impossible” to find coverages for customers if they’re in the medium- or high-risk categories, according to Lohr.
“That’s one aspect of why I am such an advocate and [so involved on the] broker side of this industry. Being a part of the brokers association means we’re there for our consumers and we stand behind professional advice,” explained Lohr.
Losses from natural catastrophes have also been a burden on consumers in the province in recent years. Damaging storms have been happening at almost a non-stop pace for four years now, noted Lohr, which has had a significant impact on people and businesses. The resulting property losses have made finding coverage for homeowners and businesses more of a challenge, and brokers are now educating customers on how to repair hail and wind damage, and why they need to be upgrading their roofs and siding so that buildings are more resilient.
Overall, “It’s a hard market for consumers and brokers right now,” said Lohr, adding, “That’s why I’m in the association and why I’m a broker … it’s the importance [of ensuring] that peace of mind, trust, and consumer awareness, and being there for our consumers … That’s why I’m on the journey that I’m on.”
