Insurance Broker
Chaucer Insurance

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Samantha B

00:00:03 My name’s Samantha B, and I’m an Insurance Broker. I work in motor sport insurance. Motor sport insurance – I basically quote insurance policies for people that take part in motor sport, from the person that may just go out three, four times a year to do a rally, or race, right up to the people that actively compete in championships.

00:00:28 Prior to insurance, I was a dancer. I worked at Disneyland Paris, for a year, in the Entertainments Department there, dancing in the parades and the shows. I enjoyed everything about that world, because every day was so different, and fun, it was incredibly good fun, but incredibly hard work as well. It was interesting to achieve your goals so early, because you’re left wondering what you’re going to do with the rest of your life once – once you’ve done something that you’ve always wanted to do so. And I suffered an injury anyway, so I was kind of thrown out of the dance market, so I had to find a career.

00:01:15 I was dancing at Disney, and basically I was dancing in the parade, I did a huge high kick, and my ankle underneath slipped into the tram-tracks on the parade route, and twisted it completely round, and severed all the nerves in my right ankle. Dealing with an incident and making a life-changing decision is – it was never easy, and for a number of months I – I didn’t know what I wanted to do. And that’s – feeling lost is quite difficult, and I fell into insurance by accident, to be honest. I moved to a different area in Stratford-upon-Avon and was looking for work, and that’s how I ended up in insurance. And now I’ve been there, you never leave.

00:01:51 Working at Disney was definitely a highlight because it’s something I always wanted to do. Other than that, it’s just finding something I really enjoy doing now, which is exactly it. I work in a – in an unusual side of insurance, I love the people I work with, and it’s just really nice to feel settled. For a career path I think insurance broking’s actually quite a good thing to do. It’s a fairly stable business, and there is a career there for you. If you want it, you can take the qualifications within the insurance industry, and work your way up that way as well, so there’s always opportunity to move on, not just with the broking but in the general insurance market.

00:02:30 The examinations you can do, you do alongside work, so – many different insurance organisations insist that you take your Certificate of Insurance within the fist twelve months of your employment, because it gives you a basic understand of the industry. And it’s definitely worth something, having that qualification, because it does give you a wider view, especially if you’re working in a specialised market such as myself.

00:02:55 The work/life balance is good in my job. I mean it is an office-based job, so I go to work at 9, and I finish work at 5, and I have my evenings and weekends free to do what I want to do. So I still have time to go to the gym, go out, do the pub quiz – basically walk my dog and enjoy my life, so it’s good. I try not to take my work home with me.

00:03:20 In five years’ time I’m hoping I’m still doing what I’m doing. Maybe in a more senior role, but I actually love what I do, so I don’t see myself moving away now. I’ve chosen to take insurance qualifications through the industry, so it’s something that I’m planning to stay doing. My philosophy I think is just chin up, get on with it. Find something you want to do, and then stick by it

00:03:46 ENDS

 

Samantha works in motor sport insurance but started her career as a dancer in Disneyland. She loved her job as a dancer but was forced to leave after she injured herself. She enjoys her job in insurance broking which has a good work/life balance and says that there’s always the opportunity to move up if you want to.

More information about Brokers

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£102,960
average salary

The UK average salary is £29,813

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38
average weekly hours

There are 37.5 hours in the average working week

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82%  male 
18%  female 

The UK workforce is 47% female and 53% male

Future employment

Future employment?

Description
? Brokers deal in commodities, stocks, shares and foreign exchange on behalf of clients or on own account, broker insurance and reinsurance, and buy and sell shipping and freight space.
Qualifications
There are no formal academic requirements although many employers require entrants to possess a degree or equivalent qualification. Training is typically undertaken in-house, although entrants may attend courses run by professional institutions. Registration with a regulatory authority may be required in some positions.
Tasks
  • Advises client on the suitability of particular insurance schemes and places insurance on behalf of client;
  • Discusses buying and or selling requirements of client and gives advice accordingly;
  • Analyses information concerning market trends for commodities, financial assets and foreign exchange and advises client and employer on the suitability of a particular investment;
  • Records and transmits buy and sell orders for stocks, shares and bonds and calculates transaction costs;
  • Provides independent advice on the suitability of insurance schemes and places insurance on behalf of client;
  • Arranges for the production of auction catalogues, fixes reserve prices, attends auction and bids on behalf of client, or negotiates purchase/sale by private treaty of goods not sold at auction;
  • Obtains cargo space, fixes freight charges and signs and issues bills of loading;
  • Collects freight charges from client and undertakes all necessary formalities concerning customs and the loading/unloading of cargo.
Employment by region
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Top 10 industries for this job
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Auxiliary  services 23774
Financial services 11683
Other professional 4081
Wholesale trade 3661
Warehousing, etc 2475
Head offices, etc 1808
Insurance & pensions 1796
Public admin. & defence 1308
Retail trade 1291
Film &  music 1076
Employment status
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