I recently had the pleasure of addressing a group of insurance executives at a gathering hosted by WaterStreet, a company that provides policy and claims systems and services to property insurers. The topic was “Talent as Differentiator,” or the evergreen issue of recruitment and retention.

I've researched and written many words on what independent agents and brokers are doing to address this pressing concern, but the WaterStreet audience was a little out of my wheelhouse. Most headed up smaller, regional insurers that are using WaterStreet's services in part because they don't have the resources that many large insurers have to attract young employees.

To put things in perspective from a big-picture point of view, I turned to two sources who were in a very unique position to comment on the subject: insurance educators.

I was lucky enough to get the ear of Jody Queen-Hubert, director of the Ellen Thrower Center for Apprenticeship & Career Services at St. John's University's School of Risk Management, Insurance & Actuarial Science in New York; and David C. Marlett, Ph.D., CPCU, professor of insurance at Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C. Both agreed that we have a long way to go in attracting young talent.

“Based on what we hear from recruiters, there is a serious demographic problem: Insurers realize that they are losing a great deal of experienced talent in the next decade and the pipeline isn't sufficient to replace,” Marlett says.

And although most large insurers do well in filling the pipeline, the industry's overall success here is “mixed,” he notes.

Insurers must “pay competitively, show that they are using current technology, and make their presence known on college campuses to counter the perception that insurance means Geico or Progressive,” says Queen-Hubert.

Insurance's “boring” reputation is sometimes warranted, Queen-Hubert says: “Students interview or intern and see people they can't relate to: Employers in suburban locations may face an even greater lack of young people; they are attracted to living and working in urban locations after college and prior to becoming 'adults.'”

The industry also lacks diversity, which can turn off recruits, Marlett adds. “Increasing the number of underrepresented students is one of our top priorities. We often hear from recruiters that this is their priority, also.”

Ironically, the “insurance is boring” assertion can be met with this startling statistic for Appalachian University risk management grads: 90% job placement within three months of graduation, Marlett says.

Many insurers fail to offer young workers guidance in advancing through the ranks. “The idea of a job that has no future ability to move up is a turn-off,” says Queen-Hubert. “Students like the idea of a training program that is rotational so they can see what the best fit is for their interests and abilities.”

Foresighted insurers support a student internship between their junior and senior years, then apply rotational training so the new employee can learn about areas such as marketing, underwriting and claims, Marlett says.

Finally, the industry must be consistent in the messaging it sends to young workers. “I try to emphasize that the essence of insurance is helping someone recover from a bad event,” Marlett says. “If insurance professionals do their jobs correctly, the insured will be able to recover and move forward. This makes a more sustainable society.”

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How to Recruit? Ask a Teacher

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