Research: State of the Young Insurer Nation Part 1: Joining the industry

For Post’s first research project of 2016, Michèle Bacchus asks more than 50 young insurer employees why they joined the sector, where they think the industry is heading and whether they want to be a part of its future.

Managing expectations
“It’s a lot more interesting than I thought. Not that I thought it would be particularly boring,” said one young insurer working in underwriting, “but there is the whole face-to-face aspect – I never even considered there was that kind of aspect to the job.”

Once inside insurance, it is evident the industry thrives on meeting clients yet the social benefits that come with this side of the job remain stubbornly hidden from view for potential applicants. Networking, and the face-to-face nature of insurance, was regularly singled out by the young insurers for making the job better than expected, and on the whole the new employees were pleasantly surprised, even the handful who admitted they had no idea what to expect.

When it came to expectations about the industry itself, well over half confessed to knowing ‘absolutely nothing’ or ‘very little’, but others were more forthcoming.

“Dynamic, innovative,” said one, while another was aware of “some forms of distrust between the customers and the insurer”. Most preconceptions had been picked up from TV adverts such as the aggregators or family conversations.

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Further reading

• Claims

Research: State of the Young Insurer Nation Part 2: Life inside insurance

• 15 Apr 2016

• Claims

Research: State of the Young Insurer Nation Part 3: Relationships

• 22 Apr 2016

• Claims

Research: State of the Young Insurer Nation Part 4: Tomorrow's World

• 29 Apr 2016