Chris Ward, recent graduate from Virginia Tech and new employee at Frederick Mutual, reveals how he got his start in the insurance industry. Though not a member of the InVest program, Chris rounds out our discussion on engaging the next generation in pursuing rewarding careers in the insurance industry. We hope you enjoy this final segment.
Chris Ward – Frederick Mutual & InVest Interview - Transcript
Rachael: Hi my name is Rachael Newmister and I am the Director of Marketing and Sales at Frederick Mutual and we are doing a podcast today of one of our employees, Chris Ward, who is a new employee with us and he comes fresh out of college into the insurance industry. And it correlates to a program we started investing called InVest. It is a program to get young professionals in high school and college aged students interested in the insurance industry. So, Chris is going to speak to us today about how he got his start in the insurance industry and just to learn a little more about him. So, we can start from here. Hi Chris, I know you said your name already, but can you tell us who you are and a little about your role in the company?
Chris: Yeah, sure thank you, Rachael. My name is Chris Ward. I graduated from college at Virginia Tech last year in the Spring and was able to start working at Frederick Mutual in the Fall. I am currently a Commercial Lines Underwriter trainee. Now, I have a good amount of agents I have got in the past few months that has been really exciting and over the past six months I was in more of the training stages I would do a lot whether that is processing endorsements, renewals, helping with administrative work, talking to patrons on the phone on the customer service side- really whatever I can help out in the office. Now I have my agents and write new business helping them out with whatever they need.
Rachael: That’s great. How did you get your start in insurance?
Chris: So, my father and brother are both actually in the insurance industry, so I knew it was always an option or possible path for me. When I was at school I was a business major but was undecided on what exactly I wanted to do. It was actually after I interned for a big insurance company going into my senior year where I really thought about it as something I could seriously pursue, so when the opportunity came up to work at Frederick Mutual in the fall I jumped on it especially at the pandemic time when jobs weren’t fruitful as they sometimes are. That’s how I got my start here and I am very glad I chose to do that.
Rachael: Yes, a lot of people don’t know how many opportunities there are in the insurance industry to find employment and there is a lot of growth. What do you enjoy about your current role at Frederick Mutual?
Chris: A lot things I really like about the role. I think currently now like I said that I have started to get more agents and I have had them for a couple months now I think it’s really cool to build relationships and to see those relationships turn into new business. That is really rewarding. Some agents are easier than others. There’s big ones that write business regardless of who you’re working with, other agencies not as active today as they once were, it really is a fun challenge to re-engage them and spark a new interest back into Frederick Mutual they might not have anymore. And, once I can contact them I can tell them new products I can tell them about new products since they may not have heard about if they haven’t been working with us as much. Just building back those relationships that aren’t as strong as they used to be is a really cool thing that I get to do. One of the things that I really like about my position every month it starts fresh we have new business goals and objectives to make sure stay on top of it.
And if you get behind, always look forward to the future. The fact that every day is different, we always have agents calling in about different issues arising and it doesn’t get stuck in the same rut as it can.
Rachael: Yeah, that’s great you get a good mix of relational and administrative tasks. I think a lot of people don’t realize insurance is a relational job. And, like you said, building relationships with agents, having those relationships are key to business and I do agree with you that it is important. Relationships. I am an extrovert. I don’t know if you are? But it is good to be able to engage with people and do a little bit of both. But, how do you see yourself growing in the insurance industry?
Chris: Yeah, I think this is a great starting place for me. Especially for me to learn everything slowly at a good pace so I can pick a lot of different aspects that the job entails. And now that I have agents I can develop those relationships, work more with them, and be able to do more and more and write bigger policies. I think that will help me learn more about the business and from there I think there’s a bunch of
different areas I can go after that. Right now for a while I grow and see how that works and see how far I can progress here.
Rachael: Yeah. That is wonderful and we are grateful you are part of our team. What are some of the parts of this industry that inspire you or what are your favorite parts about working in the industry?
Chris: Yeah, I think the great part about working in the insurance industry is knowing that we are selling a product that our insureds actually really need. It is so much easier to get behind selling something that you know is meant for a good purpose and the sale benefits all parties involved instead of just trying to stick something on, something you are looking to sell. Just makes everything so much easier and a relief for you. And then going off that also, people always are going to need insurance. There’s never a lull for that. People are always going to need it so you will always have a product to sell to.
Rachael: Definitely, it only seems like we are going to need it more and more especially like Cyber Insurance.
Chris: Yeah, that is another thing, it is constantly evolving. Like you said the Cyber and all the cool products that we have even as we are expanding more.
Rachael: Definitely. I would be curious to see what new insurance we need as technology develops too. What is one thing you wish college aged students or young professionals knew about working in insurance?
Chris: I guess I think something I wish other people told me when I was in college or other kids is how much insurance changes every year. I think just because It’s been around for so long there's hard fast forms that everyone follows. It really change so much whether its internally for us rolling out multiple new products this year with our secure home and all the things we done things are coverages
constantly changing. Outside of us, regulation codes are being updated. Just how strict it is to follow those and be up to date on those. And also, how much things/ external forces affect it like currently building supplies are at an all time high which affects how we write policies and have to look at everything, so just how much it changes year to year and how much constant and continuing education you need.
Rachael: Yes, I definitely agree it is such a fluid industry though we have set principles and laws and foundation to our policies you know it is an adapting industry. We kind of are the first responders, we are the ones being affected by things changing in other industries. But thank you so much for answering our questions, we want to reiterate we are grateful you are a part of Frederick Mutual and you chose to get involved in the industry at a young age and we wish you the best in your career.
Chris: Yes, of course, thank you this was fun.
Rachael: Thank you, take care.
