Andrew Gribble, branch manager of Adroit Geelong, talks about his childhood hero, grey areas in insurance and free lunches.
Why insurance?
Probably like most people I fell into the industry. The personal characteristics that I possess I have found to be fundamental to what you need in the world of insurance. The industry is very much a people and relationship business which appeals to me. It is also a results and solutions orientated role that I have, which also appeals to me. I love the ability to provide meaningful business solutions to my clients
How would you sum up insurance brokers in three words?
Essential, social & client focused (Cannot count to 3, sorry)
How would you change the industry?
Right now in the current market conditions, I would stabilise pricing. Having said that, the variation to pricing our product even in the most benign of climates fails to assist our industry in establishing credibility
Best advice you’ve ever been given?
There is no such thing as a free lunch – since I joined the industry I am not so sure?
What’s the most important thing a broker can do to develop their business?
Do what you say you are going to do and being able to display to your clients the value you bring to their business.
If you were Prime Minister for one day, what would you do?
I’d abolish the multiple systems of government we have and in doing so endeavour to cut back on all the duplication that exists in our country. We are so inefficient.
What’s the biggest challenge facing the industry today?
We appear to be creating a void in the ability for our people to make decisions. Underwriters that rely on what their computer system tells them, business development staff who have no underwriting authority, claims people that lack common sense. The industry is full of “grey” but we are trying to bring it back to black or white. The best operators in our industry have been and continue to be those people that can provide solutions for the “grey”.
What has been the highlight of your career?
The highlight has probably been the journey so far. I know it sounds very cliché but the friendships and the experiences that the industry provides are clearly what stands out to me and after 25 years in the industry is a big reason I am the person who I am today.
If you could invite three people to dinner, dead or alive, and excluding family and friends, who would they be and why?
Michael Jordan – childhood idol.
Barrack Obama – the most powerful person in the world.
And someone who can cook.
Complete this sentence: If I wasn’t in insurance…
I would be a tradesman of some form. I love the outdoors and would have loved to have been a builder when I was growing up.…
