J.R.R Tolkien once wrote: “Not all those who wander are lost.”
Travel opens the mind to ideas, cultures and new experiences. Its benefits can be felt in all walks of life, including the insurance industry. Kevin Lea, a Calgary-based commercial insurance broker at Rogers Insurance, is an intrepid explorer … and he is certainly not lost.
The 28-year-old features as one of Insurance Business’ Elite Brokers of 2017. He joined Rogers Insurance as a large commercial account executive in 2012, specialising in property management, aviation, hospitality, technology and other industries.
He has completed his CIP, CAIB and CRM designations and has a degree in risk management and insurance. Before joining Rogers, he worked for
Aon as an insurance marketing trainee and Federated Insurance as a claims adjuster.
Lea has a passion for travel and Mexican food – but how did he find his feet in the insurance industry? We caught up with him to find out:
How did you get started in the industry?
During the 2008 financial crisis I was studying at the University of Calgary Haskayne School of Business on the Bachelor of Commerce program. At that time, I had to make a decision about what to do for my concentration within my business degree – and I decided that risk management might be a good thing to look into.
At the time, I didn’t realise risk management basically meant insurance – at least from an academic perspective. But I really enjoyed it and I got hooked. After school, I worked briefly at Aon and then I worked as a commercial claims adjuster at Federated. From there, Rogers poached me away and five years later, here we are.
What are the best parts of your job?
I like the problem-solving aspect of being a broker. Our clients have risk-management challenges and it is our task to sort them out. I enjoy working with a wide variety of insurers on numerous different industries, projects and client needs. It’s also great getting to know lots of different people and working with my team, the Rogers team and various industry service providers.
I have two favourite industries to work on. My biggest practice area is in realty – both commercial and residential. My favourite hobby area is aviation, covering pretty much all aviation from private aircraft to commercial operators.
What challenges have you faced in your role?
I’m quite young in terms of the world of account executives. To overcome the youth aspect has always been a little bit of a challenge. But I have done that by focusing on ensuring I have as much education as possible in the industry. I have all three professional designations and I went to university. Being well-educated in the insurance industry makes giving advice to clients flow that much easier and it helps to build a better rapport and trust with them.
What advice would you give to someone working their way up the insurance ladder?
My recommendation would be to really put the effort in to learn the products as best as possible. If you don’t understand the product, then you’re going to have a hard time selling it. But if you have an in-depth understanding of the product then the sales process as a broker is going to flow that much easier.
What is your favourite hobby?
I love to travel – it’s a passion of mine. I have now been to around 60 countries. I have visited more than 30 states in the US and have been to all of the provinces in Canada except Newfoundland. My goal is to finish the US states and visit Newfoundland before I turn 30.
I would be running a Mexican restaurant on the beaches of a country in South-East Asia.
Kevin Lea
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