Senior underwriter

Overview

I grew up in Ottawa, Ontario, and completed my postsecondary degree at the Ivey School of Business at Western University in London, Ontario. My professional career began with a position in global affairs in the federal government, with a focus on data analytics and visualisation. After this position, I moved to Toronto, and, using my connections in the industry, I was able to transfer the skills I had gained while working at Global Affairs Canada into a role at HUB International in their captive and analytics practice. Working in the captive insurance field allowed me to apply the knowledge I had gained over the past couple of years, and the prospect of working with and learning about a wide variety of businesses, both small and large, fascinated me. I spent three years on this team and was involved in the set-up of many captives in different domiciles, including Alberta, which had its captive legislation introduced during my tenure at HUB. I am currently a member of the Alternative Risk Solutions team at Liberty Mutual Insurance, Canada, where I specialise in captive fronting. In this role, I manage my own renewal portfolio and strive to expand our business book. Outside of work, I enjoy getting outdoors and out of the city, with skiing being my favourite hobby.

Experience highlights

- Formation and feasibility: emphasis on feasibility and pre-feasibility analyses.
- Renewals and expansion: handling renewals and devising strategies for expanding the captive through analysis and risk selection.
- Underwriting collaboration: work with broker partners and mutual clients to face self-insured risks while upholding our organisation's underwriting integrity.
- Risk solutions: building solutions for unique risks that region’s captives typically do not insure, including large third-party programmes and management risks, such as D&O insurance.
- Client outcomes: as an underwriter, finding new solutions for existing clients' changing needs, including modifying policy limits and deductibles, wording updates, or policy amendments.

Current insights and industry contributions

I am particularly looking forward to the opportunity to quote and win new business for my team by leveraging my experiences, our internal tools, and collaboration with my colleagues at Liberty.

Influences and mentors

I am fortunate to have had many important mentors and industry colleagues who have shaped my career and had a huge impact on my successes. Braedy Walker and Mark Rankin are the first names that come to mind as those who introduced me into the industry and who I worked under at HUB. I am also fortunate to have found great leadership and an amazing culture at my current organisation, Liberty Mutual. My department leaders, Chris MacLean and Leon Williams, along with the entire team, have had a tremendous positive impact on me in the short time I have been here. I am excited to see how that growth will continue.

Aspirations

My current career aspirations are to continue to learn as much as possible from my team and colleagues so that I can contribute to my organisation. I would also like to build my network and continue to meet wonderful people in the industry. My goal for the future is to eventually lead or manage my own team so that I can pass on the knowledge that I have gained through my current mentors and managers. Finally, I want to be at the forefront, providing new and unique solutions to clients as the tools available to us and the risks companies are facing continue to evolve.

Advice for those considering a role in captive insurance

The number one piece of advice that I would give someone considering a captive career is to meet and build relationships with as many people in the captive and wider industry as possible. Speaking with people and listening to their experiences is one of the best ways to learn, and someday down the road they might play a pivotal role in helping create a solution for a client.

Christopher MacLean, Senior vice president and head of Alternative Risk, Solutions and Programmes Liberty Mutual Insurance David Firkins joined the team and was immediately able to have a positive impact. His in-depth understanding of captives, ability to communicate with brokers and other key stakeholders, and eagerness to learn on the underwriting side have led him to manage some key accounts for our team and organisation.

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