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Insurance is often still considered a fairly male-dominated industry, but groups such as a The Newfoundland Labrador Association of Insurance Women (NLAIW) are helping to support the progress of women in the industry.
The association’s president, Thea Baird – a broker at Aon Risk Solutions, based in St. John’s – told Insurance Business that the group, which was established in 2013, is growing its membership.
The NLAIW holds members meetings once a month, bringing in successful business women as guest speakers and helping to educate its members.
“We promote education, loyalty and friendship,” Baird said of the group, which also gets involved in charity work with members volunteering their time for tasks such as helping to collect clothing or donating food.
“We’re trying to get more involved in our community and give back our time,” Baird said.
For the next two years, the association has paired with charity Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD Canada), which it will actively support through raising awareness and funds.
When it comes to diversity in the industry, Baird says the situation is drastically better than in years gone by.
“Before, it was like the old boys’ club,” she said. “It was all the men doing all the selling. But now, in this generation, women want to be more involved in the industry and want to be more successful, so I think that’s why they’re getting more involved in insurance.”
The association itself is not just limited to women. In fact, Baird says they are actively trying to bring men into the fold too.
Baird admits she fell into insurance herself, taking an administration-based role at a brokerage in St Johns after finishing college and ultimately staying in the industry.
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She joined Aon in June 2016, where she works in commercial lines across auto, p&c, and marine among others – “a bit of everything.”
Her advice to women in the industry is to keep fighting.
“If you feel that you have the potential and you’re passionate about something, then follow that dream and don’t give up. Try to encourage and bring women together,” she said.
Establishing more women’s groups might help motivate people and prove wrong the old sentiment that men do the selling and women do the clerical work, she said.
“Keep pushing,” she added. “There’s a lot of wonderful talented women out there with so much to give.”
