STEWART INSURANCE GROUP
Michael Stewart is the director of Stewart Insurance Group in southeast Melbourne. “We tend to focus on the smaller SME clients, which are often overlooked by brokers who are seeking more corporate accounts,” he says. “These clients tend to be more loyal, and you usually have more opportunities to fi nd competitive covers, rather than being limited to only one or two insurance providers.”
Stewart puts his success as a broker down to “explaining how insurance works and what covers our clients do and don’t have ... making sure they are familiar with their policies and what we have done to ensure they are adequately protected, [and] being at the forefront of technology and using new too tools and systems as they are developed and released.”
His advice to other brokers is to take the time to speak to clients and explain things in terminology they will understand.
“Only sell quality products using reputable insurance companies and underwriting agencies,” he adds. “They sometimes cost more, but will be worth it when there is a claim.”
If he could change anything about the insurance industry, Stewart would like to see “more attention to training people on how policies work, how the industry works and the basic principles of why insurance is what it is”.
Stewart also shared his thoughts around a major ongoing challenge – how the insurance industry can attract more job-seekers.
“Highlight the positive aspects of the industry – flexible working hours, job share opportunities, being an integral part of a person’s business,” he says. “You can make it whatever you want. There’s opportunity for anyone to become highly successful.”
