Careers at MAC
Insurance Broking
Author: Beccy Miller
Account Executive
Beccy Miller is one of our Account Executives working in our commercial insurance team. She explains more about her role and how she ended up working in insurance.
What is it like to work in Insurance Broking?
As an Insurance Broker, our job is to find the most suitable insurance to meet the needs of our client. We are responsible for negotiating terms with insurers, collating the information, and then presenting the information to our clients, recommending the best insurance cover for our client that balances premium, benefits and value for money.
At MAC Commercial, we act as the insurance brokers for businesses (large and small) and individuals (including high-net-worth clients). It may come as a surprise but for most businesses and individuals, there is a legal requirement to have insurance of some form in place. These include Motor Insurance, Employers Liability insurance, and for some companies Professional Indemnity Insurance is also a requirement. As the broker, we must ensure that the client is aware of these compulsory insurances and make sure that their needs are met.
How did you become a Commercial Account Executive and what do you enjoy most about your job?
I happened into insurance by chance, as many insurance people do! I have found that the profession offers the opportunity for continued professional development and further qualifications – it can’t be that bad I’m still here 20 years later!
The thing that I enjoy the most about my job is that you can work in lots of different areas, and the role is not a 9-5 desk job – every day is different. I spend a lot of time with clients whether in the office, at a local coffee house or at their offices. It’s a great feeling when I can get our customers a better deal on their insurance.
There is also a social element within the insurance industry on the Island, this is recognised at an annual insurance dinner, which not only brings everyone together but also awards professional development.
In your role as a Commercial Insurance Executive, what clients do you work with?
In our team, we all have our own portfolio of clients that we look after. We are also assigned to other team members’ clients as backup, this could be support for holiday cover, busy periods or if it’s a large client.
My portfolio of clients includes a wide variety of businesses ranging from multi-million-pound organisations to small local companies and high-net-worth individuals. This includes gaming companies, property owners, shops, construction companies, motor trade and even local authorities.
What are the three skills that you need to work as a Commercial Account Executive?
A
self-starter
the ability to prioritise workloads with good forward planning is a must. We have client renewals occurring nearly every day of each month and we must stay on top of these to ensure that all insurances are placed in a timely manner.
People
skills
I work closely with clients each day and I have built strong relationships with them, and they trust me to keep them fully informed about any changes to their policies. Good negotiation skills come in very handy when dealing with Insurers and sometimes my clients.
Attention to detail
the documents I work with can be quite technical and require thorough reviews before summarising and sending them over to our clients.
What are the study options if I work as a Commercial Account Executive?
Insurance is a highly regulated sector, and you must hold (or be working towards) the CII Certificate in Insurance. After you hold the certificate, there are options for further studies including the Diploma, Advanced Diploma and then working towards Chartered Status.
I am CII qualified and have sat four exams to work towards the Diploma in Insurance. I will then be working towards my Advanced Diploma.
You’re a Council Member of the Cii, what does that involve?
There are a variety of CII Council Members, we all work together on various things such as organising networking events, providing educational opportunities to helping to fundraise for the CII charities of the year. The CII represents not just the local general insurance industry but also the local financial industry too.
A monthly meeting is held to discuss current insurance affairs that may impact the local industry, upcoming continued professional development (CPD) events, upcoming social activities and charity events.
Getting young people into the insurance sector and the different career pathways available is an ongoing hot topic for us.