Interview with the experts: Brio Insurance

Meet Samantha Jones, a managing partner at Brio Insurance.

We sat down with Samantha to talk about working at Brio Insurance, and what it takes to join the flock!

 

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about your career path within the insurance industry?

A: Like many people I’ve met in the insurance industry, entering the industry was by chance. Shortly after graduating from High School, I was looking for a full-time job until I figured out the career path I desired. A family member, who was in insurance, knew of an administrative role that was available. The rest is history. That role led to my commercial and auto insurance introduction, and I’ve pursued commercial insurance for over 30 years, working in two different Provinces.

I’ve had the opportunity to move between various insurance brokerages based on family needs and/or increased responsibilities. At one point, working for national and global brokerages, I was able to specialize in certain industries, such as manufacturing and aviation. In the latter part of my career, I was asked to take on leadership roles, and that eventually led to my joining Brio Insurance several years ago. It’s a fascinating, challenging, and fun industry to be a part of.

 

Q: What qualities make for a good insurance specialist?

A: A curious mindset is important. Every day presents new opportunities to learn and grow, as insurance products and risks are continually changing. There’s never a dull moment. Enjoying continual education and learning helps advance your career. Brio Insurance makes this possible by paying 100% of your education and licensing fees.

A willingness to work with customers and the ability to effectively communicate the intricacies of insurance coverages, options, and recommendations based on customer needs.

Being interested in building meaningful relationships across the industry, whether it’s within the brokerage, with insurance company underwriters, and other professionals that depend on the insurance solutions you’re providing is very important. While the industry employs a very large number of Canadians, it’s a ‘small’ industry where you get to know and deal with many insurance professionals.

 

Q: What makes Brio Insurance a great place to work?

A: Almost every employee of Brio Insurance is a licensed insurance broker. This creates a large peer group that you can use to bounce ideas off; seek advice; and ask for assistance. If there is an insurance need that you’ve never encountered before, undoubtedly someone else in Brio has, and they can help you serve your client well.

As new opportunities arise, Brio looks within to see if there are career progression opportunities versus hiring externally. This is important for individuals wanting to grow their career with a progressive company.

 

Q: Any advice you would give to someone thinking about starting a career in the insurance industry?

A: Start your career in an insurance brokerage, like Brio. You get an opportunity to see how all the parts of the industry work together. Be willing to accept the first couple of years will be in auto insurance while you gain confidence in a regulated industry, take courses to earn higher educational and licensing levels, and start to understand the differences between auto, personal, commercial, farm, and travel insurance.

Once you have the fundamentals mastered, there are so many directions you could grow your career in this dynamic industry – commercial lines insurance, personal lines insurance, management, insurance companies, claims companies, marketing/sales/finance/human resources, etc. Keep an open mind and be willing to take some risks.

 

If working at Brio Insurance sounds like a good fit for you, check out our latest job postings.