The insurance industry shouldn’t be shy about promoting itself, says one Canadian broker who has received international acclaim for her work in the industry, and should definitely be looking to attract more women to its ranks.
“The insurance industry needs to do a better job at attracting young professionals - especially young women,” says Eileen Greene, vice president and partner with
HUB International HKMB Ltd., in Toronto, Ont. “The industry offers the opportunity to act in the same trusted professional advisor capacity as a doctor, lawyer or accountant. The industry needs to promote this aspect of our profession over the view that insurance is just a necessary evil.”
Greene, who is profiled in this month’s Hot List issue of
Insurance Business magazine, is the first North American to win the International Women In Sales Award for Insurance that was given out at the Savoy Hotel in London, England in December.
“I love what I do and often get asked, ‘why insurance?’ My answer is that everyone needs it,” she told Insurance Business. “As trusted advisors we need to deliver on our service commitment, advise our clients properly, be responsive and spend more time with the clients.”
With more than 25 years in the business and also a winner of the Lew Dunn Memorial Award, Greene’s own introduction to insurance came more by accident than by design.
“It was not a conscious decision for me to join the industry. I was challenged out of high school and required work,” she says. “I joined my former firm as a filing clerk! The rest is due to hard work, great mentors both internally and externally – and continues to be an amazing ride!” (continued.)
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Looking ahead for 2014, Greene sees clients becoming more insurance-aware, following the unusually large number of claims from last year’s weather damage.
“I see all of our clients doing more due diligence on their coverage. Everyone is aware of the damage that has occurred in the past year so they’re thinking more about the ‘what ifs,’” she says. “Higher premiums may be a result of all the damage and if they have not wondered about the ‘what ifs’ yet, they will when they see their premium increases.”
The close relationship between business, marketing and social media is also creating new opportunities – and potential liabilities.
“Cyber liability and social media will be at the forefront of insurance for 2014 and all companies and individuals need to be very mindful of this exposure,” says Greene. “One tweet or post that goes viral can do severe damage and it is imperative that we educate our clients and prospects on the coverage available to protect them.”
