Class of the 80s
In the past few years, insurers and brokers have made a concerted effort to attract more bright young people to the industry. Hiscox News spoke to three brokers aged under 30 to find out what they think of their chosen career
Ben Butler, Macbeth
Ben Butler, 27, joined Macbeth Chartered Insurance Brokers 11 years ago as an office junior after leaving school. He is now an operations director and works with private and large commercial clients.
He finds working in the insurance industry rewarding and exciting. “Every day is different and I’m really proud of what I do,” he says. “Insurance gets a lot of bad press, which I don’t think is deserved. It’s rewarding to be able to offer our clients the best possible service.”
According to Ben, the younger generation of brokers needs enthusiasm, ambition and flexibility. “We learn a lot from the more experienced guys and there is mutual respect,” he explains. “But young people are keener to drive technology. My firm has invested a lot in its website, we have a paperless office and are extremely active in social media. Nowadays, to transact business, all you need is a smartphone.”
Being younger than many of his peers, Ben finds that he often has to prove himself, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. “If someone is paying thousands of pounds for their insurance,” he says, “they want to make sure you have the knowledge and experience.”
Although on-the-job learning and experience are crucial, Ben believes there is a place for formal training. “I’m currently studying for the CII diploma in insurance,” he says. “We are one of the very few chartered brokerages in the UK. We see ourselves as a professional firm and training is part of it.”
Stephen Ridley, TL Risk Solutions
At the age of just 26, Stephen Ridley has big ambitions. “My aim is to build a long-term career in the industry and progress through the ranks, hopefully to director level,” he says. “It’s important to be at the forefront of shaping the future of insurance.”
He joined the sector six years ago and is now a Consultant (Account Executive) for TL Risk Solutions. “There is something for everyone [in insurance],” he says. “It provides variety, opportunities for professional development, career progression and, generally, an above-average wage structure.”
Originally, though, he wanted to become a high-flying solicitor. “I went to university to read law, but fairly quickly realised that wasn’t for me,” he says. “I enjoyed certain parts of it, such as tort and contract law, which brought me back to insurance. And I chose areas, such as professional indemnity and public liability, that have close links to the law.”
Stephen enjoys the fact that no two days are the same and that his job is interactive and social. “If I’m not communicating with a client, I’m talking to an insurer,” he says. “Clients within the TMT field are all different.”
With the industry moving so quickly, Stephen believes that the younger generation, which tends to be more technologically savvy, can make a positive contribution to the business. “We tend to be more adept at transferring our technology skills to online quoting platforms and making the most of standard software packages.”
Hannah Bell, Jelf Group
Hannah, 26, joined Jelf Group eight years ago after deciding to take a gap year before going to university. She’s never looked back. “It is an exciting industry to work in and I really enjoy my job,” she says.
She didn’t know much about broking when she landed her first job with Jelf as a trainee insurance advisor. “I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but within two months of starting with Jelf, I knew it was an option for me,” Hannah says.
“I cancelled my place at university and started studying for qualifications with the Chartered Institute of Insurers. It proved to be the perfect choice.”
Hannah says it is important for the industry to encourage more young people to consider insurance as a career. Spiralling university costs could work in the industry’s favour. “There is an opportunity for insurance broking to get some highly motivated and talented people on board,” she says.
In 2011, Hannah was the winner for the West Midlands region and national finalist in the BIBA Young Broker of the Year Award, but believes every age group brings something different. “The younger generation can be the driving force behind technological developments, including the use of social media to generate business, for example,” she says.
“And we learn a lot from the senior staff members, who have decades of expertise behind them. The mixture of new and older styles can be a powerful combination.”
