This is the first in a series of brief interviews with speakers, presenters, moderators or panelists at the Society of Insurance Research Annual Conference and Exhibits, which is being held October 20-22 in Charlotte, NC. You can register for the event here: https://www.sirnet.org/SIRMember/Events/2019_Annual_Conference/Event_Collector.aspx
What is your name and what do you do?
- Patrice Nolan, Sr. VP, Competiscan
- Manage research services, SME Insurance industry
What is your role at the 2019 SIR Annual Conference?
- SIR Board member
- Vendor Exhibitor – will have booth – Competiscan
- Presenter – SIR Research: Exploring the Research & Insights Function in the Insurance Industry
- If you’re presenting, what can attendees expect to learn from your presentation?
- Attendees will learn how carriers structure the research and insights function, the various roles and responsibilities associated with these jobs, practice trends, key skills, what tools and technology are being used, and how ROI and success is defined and measured.
- Insurance research professionals can take the survey here and may be eligible to win one of 5 $100 Amazon gift codes.
How did you get involved with the SIR?
- I became a member @ 8 years ago when I was Market Research Manager at CNA and was looking to learn more about the insurance industry, what other carriers were doing as far as research, and meet people who held similar positions as mine. After attending the Spring and Annual Conferences for several years, I then became the CL track co-chair for the Annual Conference. Last year I became a board member.
What do you see as the biggest challenges/opportunities for the Insurance Ecosystem in the next 5 years?
- I see one of the biggest challenges/opportunities associated with technology and its impact on the insurance ecosystem. The rapidly changing technology environment is impacting the customer experience in a positive way as carriers across all lines of business improve their digital capabilities. The challenge is keeping up with customer expectations and managing all of the associated costs for implementing digital enhancements. Technology has also provided carriers opportunities for new platforms/portals and services that improve their agency relationships and the “ease of doing business,” which increases premium volume and ultimately, profitability.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve received about building an insurance career?
- Learn from those around you, keep asking questions, and put yourself outside your comfort zone.
Besides your own session, what are you most excited about at SIR 2019?
- Looking forward to the Keynote speakers–there is a great line-up this year! Also reconnecting with friends and meeting new people!
About Carly Burnham
Carly Burnham began her insurance career in 2004 as an office assistant at an agency in her hometown of Duluth, MN. She got licensed as a producer while working at that agency and progressed to serve as an office manager. Working in the agency is how she fell in love with the industry. She saw firsthand the good that insurance consumers experienced by having the proper protection. When Carly moved to Des Moines in 2010, she decided to commit to the industry, and she completed her CPCU in one year finishing it in 2012 and attending commencement in New Orleans. She completed her MBA at Iowa State University in 2014. During this time, she and Tony founded a Gen Y Associate Resource Group at Nationwide in Des Moines. After they had both left Nationwide, Tony recruited Carly to co-author and manage InsNerds.com. She has the difficult task of keeping his constant flow of crazy ideas focused and helping to flesh them out into useful articles. Carly enjoys sharing knowledge and ideas about the future of the industry and finds the website a good outlet for this passion. Carly is involved in the the CPCU Society Underwriting Interest Group. She also writes "Next Wave" a monthly column in the "Perspectives" section of Best's Review.
Carly Burnham began her insurance career in 2004 as an office assistant at an agency in her hometown of Duluth, MN. She got licensed as a producer while working at that agency and progressed to serve as an office manager. Working in the agency is how she fell in love with the industry. She saw firsthand the good that insurance consumers experienced by having the proper protection.
When Carly moved to Des Moines in 2010, she decided to commit to the industry, and she completed her CPCU in one year finishing it in 2012 and attending commencement in New Orleans. She completed her MBA at Iowa State University in 2014. During this time, she and Tony founded a Gen Y Associate Resource Group at Nationwide in Des Moines.
After they had both left Nationwide, Tony recruited Carly to co-author and manage InsNerds.com. She has the difficult task of keeping his constant flow of crazy ideas focused and helping to flesh them out into useful articles. Carly enjoys sharing knowledge and ideas about the future of the industry and finds the website a good outlet for this passion.
Carly is involved in the the CPCU Society Underwriting Interest Group. She also writes "Next Wave" a monthly column in the "Perspectives" section of Best's Review.
