Tell us how you got into insurance
I was studying History and Law at university and was introduced to the insurance industry when I took a module in insurance law in the final year of my undergraduate degree which sparked my initial interest. I knew I didn’t want to become a lawyer. Through a career advisor’s live stream on TikTok, I joined a week-long insight programme into the different insurance roles and the relevant transferrable skills I had attained at university. I was drawn to working in claims and started applying after graduation.
What attracted you to IQUW?
I applied for an entry-level role at IQUW in Property claims in 2022 after coming across the company on LinkedIn. I liked that IQUW was a start-up with potential to grow. One of the company’s big selling points was that I’d be working alongside senior people in a small team. In bigger companies I wouldn’t have had that opportunity.
Can you tell us about your progression since joining?
Right from the start I was thrown in at the deep end as a junior Property Direct & Facultative (D&F) and Treaty claims handler, interacting with different departments, which made my role dynamic and interesting. I was promoted to a claims handler after a year. After a rewarding two and a half years handling property claims, I decided that I wanted to broaden my experience to other classes of business and saw there was an opening for a new role as Professional Lines and Cyber claims handler and went for it. I’ve always been interested in Professional Lines because it involves third party claims and working alongside lawyers, which led back to my degree course in Law.
Tell us about your role at IQUW
I’m really happy in my role at IQUW. I enjoy the balance of the technical and social aspects of the role such as participating in mediations with clients in contentious complex claims which requires strong negotiation skills and the ability to influence others. My role also provides the opportunity to work closely with legal counsel, as well as the opportunities to travel. I attended the PLRB Large Loss Conference in Atlanta in 2023 which I benefited from very early on in my career as I had the ability to attend educational seminars relevant to the property claims I handled in my day to day. Additionally, I attended the YA & CSK Claims Academy in 2024 which consisted of legal and forensic engineering workshops with a focus on property claims arising in the legal jurisdiction of Florida and the litigious nature of the state and its counties which was extremely insightful. I also had the ability to network with my peers in the market on this trip and raise my market profile which was fun. The work is stimulating – you have to work hard but you also get to meet great people along the way. My career in insurance has exceeded my expectations and has been very rewarding thus far.
How does the IQUW approach support your area of business?
The IQUW approach really supports the way we work by giving us the tools and flexibility to innovate. A great example of this is the development of our self-service claims dashboard, which gives underwriters quick, easy access to key claims data. Having this shared view means Claims and Underwriting can collaborate more closely and make faster, better-informed decisions, helping to keep things simple and seamless for our brokers and clients.
What also makes IQUW an exciting place to work is the way we’re encouraged to explore how new technologies, like large language models, can make a difference in our day-to-day roles. We’re at the start of building and shaping what the future of claims could look like and it’s great to be part of a business that’s open to testing, learning and improving as we go.
How does IQUW help staff develop professionally?
IQUW really champions its talent and provides opportunities to learn. If you are proactive and interested in progressing, the company will support you. I have found that there is a strong culture of learning, and most people want to share their knowledge and help you get where you want to be.
How would you advise other young people coming into the industry?
Even if you’re nervous about trying something new, you can always ask for help – you’re not expected to know everything. Self-advocacy and speaking up are hard when you are new to the industry, people are friendly and want to hear from you.
I am always super excited about opportunities and take them when they present themselves, which has really helped me progress in the company.
What could the insurance industry do to attract more young people?
Young people want to work for an organisation that encourages creativity, new ideas, and that keeps them engaged. The insurance industry would become more appealing to a younger generation by modernising, using technology, and being more open to innovative processes. Syndicates and Managing General Agents that differentiate themselves by being innovative and creative will easily attract young talent.
Find out more about Claims at IQUW here.
