Diary of an Insurer: Dual’s Moira Spencer

Monday

I kick off the week with an early morning personal trainer session. It’s my way of setting the tone and energising myself for the week ahead.

My role is about building our teams, products and proposition into the regional market, so first things first, we start with our weekly business development manager team catch-up, sharing updates on broker conversations and general market activity.

Right now, I’m connecting with different teams across Dual to explore how we can collaborate more effectively and support each other’s goals. 

It’s important we break down silos and foster a more open, collaborative culture, so I host a call with the construction, commercial, and professional indemnity directors and officers teams every Monday to talk through all aspects of their areas.

We discuss opportunities on the go and share our visibility for the week ahead to ensure one Dual approach to market.

Later, I join a weekly recruitment call. A key part of my role is helping build and grow teams, and at the moment we’re looking for commercial traders. 

There’s so much opportunity to build a career here so we’re always on the lookout for entrepreneurial talent who see the value in building something of their own.

Tuesday

After a high-energy HIIT class and Pilates the night before, I head into our new Manchester office which is a further step towards building our broker facing regional commercial teams. 

I’m a big believer in the power of being together, spontaneous chats and shared energy make a real difference.

Steve Davis, my counterpart in the southwest, has travelled up north to see our new offices and brought one of his newest traders with him. I’m delighted to meet a new member of the team who’s full of enthusiasm and raring to go.

The day is packed with broker meetings, focused on both new opportunities and new products. I’ve known many of the brokers for donkey’s years, but others I’ve met much more recently. 

I love chatting to them all and exploring ways we can provide solutions and help them win business and add value to their clients.

Wednesday

It’s a 4am start. Hair washed, overnight oats packed, and a flask of tea in hand as I catch the train to London. I use the journey to catch-up on emails following my busy Tuesday of broker meetings.

London gives me a boost. The energy, the pace, and the chance to make sure the regions stay front of mind. I’m always greeted warmly and not just because today I’ve got chocolates to thank the team for their hard work.

The day is full of meetings with London colleagues and Northern brokers, sharing news about our exciting new ventures. 

One of the ways I believe we really stand out as a business is our consistently good service, but it’s always rewarding to see how surprised people are by the range of products we offer too. 

We’re asked to provide a quote to a broker looking for aviation coverage for a client. We only provide just one quote to market so our broker knows nobody else in the market will be receiving the same offer.

I head back to Wigan in the evening, after a long but worthwhile trip.

Thursday

More broker meetings in Manchester today and we get great news - the aviation liability quote we provided yesterday has been accepted, and the team is writing the policy today.

In the afternoon, I catch up with my mentee to help them navigate a few challenges they’re currently facing. 

I’ve been a mentor to those coming up through the ranks of insurance for a number of years now and I love being able to support and guide others in their career.

In the evening, I head to Leeds for a broker party where they’re sharing their strategy. It’s a fun way to round off a productive day and strengthen relationships in a way that suits my Tigger-ish personality.

Friday

I’m in Leeds this morning for a broker meeting. Although I’m based in Manchester, my patch covers the whole northwest, and we’re starting to build connections in Scotland too.

My afternoon finishes with one-to-ones with my team. I think its really important when building a business that we keep talking. The chats are often not about business but just around where I can help and what’s going on with them.

Outside work, I’m a big gig-goer, with eclectic taste in music. I try to get my hands on tickets as soon as they become available but as they’re often released around 10am on Friday mornings, it can be tricky to get them if I’m in a meeting. 

Tonight, I’m looking forward to dinner with family and friends,  the perfect way to wind down after a busy week.