You're never too fit or healthy to need insurance, says young insurance star

Craig Savage was listed in Insurance Business’s inaugural Young Guns report, a ranking of ‘rising stars’ from brokerages, underwriting agencies, insurance companies and legal practices around New Zealand. Here he offers more insight on his career-to-date.

1. Why did you get into insurance broking?

I got into insurance to help people protect their biggest assets, their incomes. I love to help people and to change the mind-set about insurance for young people in NZ through education and to not live by the saying “she’ll be all right.” You can never be too fit or healthy to need adequate insurance.

2. What motivates you to get out of bed in the morning?

I get out of bed to better myself, achieve my goals and give myself the future I want for my family and I.

3. Where do you see the insurance broker industry going?

A greater compliance need and furthering education to provide the best advice possible and keep the industry professional. There will be an increase in online processes, applications and online tools however I believe that the advice component will still be very valuable because of the emotional and interpersonal aspects.

4. What are the biggest trends that you currently see in the market?

Probably that the cost of insurance keeps going up!

5. As a young professional in insurance, how do you think you can influence the industry?

By changing the mindset of young people that life insurance and income protection needs to be an expected overhead like house and car insurance is for most. I want to make people believe that the value they put on themselves is more than the value of their luxury items and commodities.

6. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I see myself at Abbotts still doing personal insurance, providing the best advice I can - I want to be the number one ranked adviser in my city and I will have a much larger client base by then!

You can check out the Young Guns report in full here.