<section><h2></h2></section><section><h2></h2><p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;">Best things about working in insurance:</span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;"> </span></strong></p><p>I like working with pleasant, hard-working and like-minded individuals. I also enjoy the day-to-day variation of our job, meeting new and interesting people and still learning after 25 years in the business!</p><p> </p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;">Do you think about insurance whilst on holiday? </span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;"> </span></strong></p><p>Yes, unfortunately, all the time. There is always something I haven’t done or need to catch up on!</p><p> </p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;">What’s an interesting or unusual property you’ve written in your career? </span></strong></p><p> </p><p>We have just quoted a new account that includes insuring an iconic American theme park.</p><p> </p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;">Career if you weren’t in insurance: </span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;"> </span></strong></p><p>I would love to be a professional golfer, but sadly I am nowhere near good enough. Probably running a small business locally. </p><p> </p><p> </p></p></section><section><h3><h2><strong></strong></h2><h2><strong></strong></h2></h3><p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;">How did you get into insurance?</span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;"> </span></strong></p><p>Through the recommendation of a family friend! I studied earth sciences at university, and it has been great to move into an industry where I can draw on that knowledge in my day-to-day role.</p><p> </p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;">What do you like about insurance?</span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;"> </span></strong></p><p>The variety. I really enjoy the mix of analytics and relationship building. You’re also constantly learning. There’s such a diverse range of risks that you are constantly challenged with new factors to consider. </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;">Hobbies and interests:</span></strong></p><p> </p><p>You’ll probably find me trekking around the countryside somewhere with my camera. I live in central London, so love getting out at the weekends to see some green and developing my landscape photography.</p><p> </p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;">If you weren’t working in insurance, what would you be doing?</span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;"> </span></strong></p><p>Probably something in the environmental field – I think working on renewable energy projects would be really interesting. Or, if I could convince anyone to buy my landscape photos, owning a little gallery would be amazing! </p><p> </p><p> </p></p></section><section><h3><h2><strong></strong></h2><h2><strong></strong></h2></h3><p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;">What do you like about insurance?</span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;"> </span></strong></p><p>I like that my job isn’t a sit-down 9-to-5 role. I enjoy going over to Lloyd’s and mixing with brokers and shadowing my peers.<strong></strong></p><p> </p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;">Best thing about the Property team:</span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;"> </span></strong></p><p>The whole Property team were extremely welcoming and forthcoming with helping me to develop the initial skills needed in my career within insurance. </p><p> </p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;">What do you enjoy doing outside of work</span></strong><span style="font-size:22px;">?</span></p><p><span style="font-size:22px;"> </span></p><p>I love cooking and really enjoy watching cooking programmes to learn new techniques and about new dishes. I also enjoy keeping fit, going to the gym and playing tennis on the weekends – I belong to a local club. </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;">Best and worst of remote working during the COVID-19 lockdown?</span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;"> </span></strong></p><p>I’ve enjoyed spending more quality time with my family and having more flexibility. The downside is separating my work/home life and not being able to socialise with peers.</p><p> </p><p> </p></p></section><section><h3><h2></h2><h1> </h1></h3><p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;">How did you get into insurance? </span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;"> </span></strong></p><p>My brother worked in the Lloyd’s market. He told me about the wonderful life that he enjoyed – finishing work for the day at 13:00, nice lunches, good lifestyle. It sounded good to me, but later I discovered that he was a broker.</p><p> </p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;">What is something you think is misrepresented in the insurance industry?</span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;"> </span></strong></p><p>Public service versus private service; insurance is often viewed as a backstop for loss events that may be better provided by government.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;">Best and worst of remote working during the COVID-19 lockdown?</span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;"> </span></strong></p><p>Improved work and home-life balance and avoiding the commute are the highlights. Certain aspects of underwriting are more time-consuming when you cannot deal face to face and collaborate as a team in person.</p><p> </p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;">Which of the Seven Wonders of the World would you like to underwrite?</span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;"> </span></strong></p><p>The Great Pyramid of Giza: low fire risk (masonry, non-combustible), good loss history (if written on an excluding theft basis), limited natural CAT potential and locked with security personnel!</p><p> </p><p> </p></p></section><section><h3><h2></h2><h1> </h1></h3><p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;">How did you get into insurance?</span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;"> </span></strong></p><p>Largely by mistake; I studied English combined with a teaching degree but worked for a bank during the holidays and decided that the city was more for me.</p><p> </p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;">If you weren’t working in insurance, what would you be doing?</span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;"> </span></strong></p><p>Helping people I would imagine – I am in awe of paramedics and other front-line medics. Not just as a result of COVID-19, I have felt this way for years.</p><p> </p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;">What do you like about insurance? </span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;"> </span></strong></p><p>The diversity of it – the culture, the people, the range of tasks involved with underwriting and specifically writing US catastrophe business, the interesting side of Mother Nature’s impact on the planet. Combined with the diversity of the United States as a subject matter – like 50 countries rolled into one.</p><p> </p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;">What’s an interesting or unusual property you’ve written in your career?</span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;"> </span></strong></p><p>The most interesting/unusual have all been declined, I think! However, I could name-drop several celebrities with homes in California – including a very famous rapper worth a cool $100 million!</p><p> </p><p> </p></p></section><section><h3><h2></h2><h1> </h1></h3><p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;">What is something you think is misrepresented in the insurance industry? </span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;"> </span></strong></p><p>That the people who work in insurance are boring. People always switch off when I tell them I work in insurance, but then I mention Lloyd’s and the unusual risks we write, and they get quite interested.</p><p> </p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;">Do you think about work on holiday? </span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;"> </span></strong></p><p>Not if I can help it! Although I was on holiday when a hurricane passed quite far out to sea, and it was interesting seeing the impact of the waves on the beach – even though the hurricane was miles away. It did bring in a lot of seaweed, though!</p><p> </p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;">Best and worst of remote working during the COVID-19 lockdown? </span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;"> </span></strong></p><p>I have enjoyed the new tradition of 4 p.m. cake! I have missed the interaction with brokers and colleagues.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;">What’s an interesting or unusual property you’ve written in your career? </span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;"> </span></strong></p><p>I now mostly write small buildings in the US. However, I have been shown the odd celebrity home in California.</p><p> </p><p> </p></p></section><section><h3><h2></h2><h1> </h1></h3><p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;">How did you get into insurance?</span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;"> </span></strong></p><p>I interned with a couple of brokers during my summer holidays from university. I shadowed them around Lloyd’s, but decided I liked the look of sitting at the box more than queuing at it! </p><p> </p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;">Career if you weren’t working in insurance:</span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;"> </span></strong></p><p>I love the idea of doing something in musical theatre and choreography – but I’m sure the reality would be much less exciting.</p><p> </p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;">Do you think about insurance whilst on holiday?</span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;"> </span></strong></p><p>On occasion have found myself telling my travel companions, “I would not want to insure this building.” (With surprisingly little enthusiasm on their part to continue the discussion!)</p><p><br /></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;">Best and worst of remote working during the COVID-19 lockdown?</span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;"> </span></strong></p><p>I have enjoyed baking, doing quizzes and puzzles with my sister, and the house has never been so clean! But I have missed seeing my other family, friends and colleagues.</p><p> </p><p> </p></p></section><section><h3><h2></h2><h1> </h1></h3><p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;">How did you get into insurance?</span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;"></span></strong>I studied geography at university and was always interested in hurricanes and earthquakes. A job opportunity presented itself for a catastrophe modeller, which combines everything.</p><p> </p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;">Career if you weren’t working in insurance:</span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;"></span></strong><strong><span style="font-size:22px;"></span></strong>I’d love to say a pro rugby player but was never quite good enough!</p><p> </p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;">Do you think about insurance whilst on holiday?</span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;"></span></strong><strong><span style="font-size:22px;"></span></strong>Sadly yes, especially when visiting places that suffered catastrophe losses, such as Christchurch in New Zealand.<strong><span style="font-size:22px;"></span></strong><strong><span style="font-size:22px;"></span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;"> </span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;">What is something you think is misrepresented in the insurance industry?</span></strong><span style="font-size:22px;"> </span></p><p>People think that it is a mundane job, stuck in the office from 9 to 5 crunching numbers, which being an underwriter certainly isn’t.</p><p> </p><p><strong><span style="font-size:22px;">Name a digital tool in your job you couldn’t live without.</span></strong><span style="font-size:22px;"> </span></p><p>Google Earth</p><p> </p></p></section>