Diary of an Insurer: Gallagher’s Ayshea King

Monday

My week starts in our London office and I usually arrive early in the morning so that I can fully prepare for the week ahead. I settle in by looking over my calendar for the week and begin working on important tasks.

I work closely with the brokers in Gallagher who support clients in the energy sector, and I have a focus on renewable energy. 

I am responsible for handling claims on behalf of clients by working closely with insurers so that we can deliver the best outcomes. The renewable energy sector is really interesting, and I have worked on processing complex claims related to onshore and offshore wind farm developers and hydroelectric plant owners. 

As well as handling claims when they occur, my team works with our brokers to develop claims protocols for clients and ensure they have coverage in place which matches their risk profile before a loss occurs.

I enjoy my job as my team are very friendly, my manager is encouraging and always available if I need support. 

I joined Gallagher in 2023 via the Futures Programme, which is an intensive two-year graduate scheme that gives young people the opportunity to develop a career in the insurance industry. 

I began my career as a midwife before starting a master’s degree in business development and joining the Futures Programme has enabled me to carve out a new career path.

Monday evenings are always spent with the Lloyd’s Women’s Netball Club. I have been a member for the past year, and it has been a great opportunity to connect with women in the insurance industry while also getting to play my favourite sport.

Tuesday

Today I arrive at the office energised from playing netball the night before. 

At 10am I have a meeting with our specialist brokers who work support clients in the renewables industry. 

This is a weekly meeting where I provide updates on claims that I am working on for their clients. We discuss ways we can manage their claims as effectively as possible, as well ensuring we are aligned so that clients get consistent communication.

After lunch, I attend a graduate forum which Gallagher runs on a monthly basis. The forum gives graduates a chance to express feedback on how the programme is going and we are provided with updates on events and training that is happening throughout the year. 

I find these sessions useful, and they provide a great opportunity to network with colleagues who are on the programme.

By the evening, I’m back to netball with my social team. It’s always fun catch up with friends after work.

Wednesday

I regularly work from home on Wednesdays and my team does a really good job of making sure we are staying connected no matter where we are.  

I spend my morning reviewing claims from our energy clients and preparing an update which I will deliver to my team.

Since joining the Futures programme, I have had the opportunity to gain insurance qualifications which will help me develop my career in the industry. 

I have obtained a Level three Cert qualification from the Chartered Insurance Institute, which has given me core knowledge of the regulatory environment, underwriting and claims as well as different insurance products. 

I am currently working towards my M05 Law exam, so I carve out some time to study for this. It’s brilliant to be able to study alongside my job and it gives me the sense that I’m really growing in my career.

After the working day is done, I take some time to unwind by going for a long walk so that I’m recharged for the next day.

Thursday

I am back into the office at 8.30am. Once I am settled in, I have my regular weekly team meeting at 9am to provide important updates to our brokers on how their clients’ claims are progressing.

At 10.30am my colleague and I attend our fortnightly meeting with underwriters to discuss ongoing claims and important developments. I’m back to the office for a couple of hours before a lunch with a firm of loss adjusters that we work with. 

Once thing I really like about the insurance and broking industry is how friendly it is, I’ve met some great people since starting the graduate programme and I enjoy building relationships.

In the afternoon, I attend a graduate training session which focuses on presentation skills and confidence-building. Gallagher regularly holds training sessions for graduates and they’re useful for building news skills that will support me in my career.

The rest of the afternoon is spent catching up on emails from the day and completing work. I always enjoy coming into the office, especially on days where I have meetings and can connect with colleagues.

Friday

Every Friday morning, we have a claims team meeting during which we provide updates on progress made during the week and actions for next week. 

These meetings are useful as we can collaborate as a team and offer each other support where needed, which means we do the best job possible for our clients.

I then have my regular catch up with my manager to discuss what I am working on. I find these discussions helpful as my manager is very experienced and I have learnt a lot from him so far.

During the afternoon, I can dedicate some time to study for my up-coming law exam. I’m feeling very prepared and excited to be able to apply what I have learnt to my current role. I end the workday by wrapping up any outstanding tasks so that I can hit the ground running on Monday.

A busy work week ends with me meeting my friends for dinner, I always look forward to seeing them after a busy and productive week.