How CPCU Shaped an Underwriting Career with Kelsey Connors

So why insurance? You come back home and you end up in this industry.

What attracted you to it?

Well, I mean, at least the first job, it was really because there was a job fair and I needed a job.

So kind of as simple as that when I first got into the industry.

But the more I was in it, the more I started to like it.

And that's when I thought I could make money.

career out of this because I think when I first got into the industry, that wasn't necessarily my plan was to stay in it long term.

But I first started out doing claims and I was taking new loss reports.

And I learned a lot in terms of being efficient there and, you know, just understanding coverages because I really didn't know at the age of 22, 23, what collision and comp were and whatnot.

So that helped me get a lot of that basis knowledge.

But once I transitioned into more of that agent role where I would help people service their policies, that's really where I understood I could stay here long term because it is built on relationships and that connection, much like at Disney, you know, you're trying to make sure that guest has an excellent experience.

And in a lot of ways, it's similar because at Disney, it could be someone's first and only time going to the park.

A lot of them save their whole life, you know, to go there.

And it's similar in terms of insurance, where this could be the only time that they're really talking to someone about their policy in depth when they're setting it up, or even if they have a loss.

That could be potentially the only phone call that they make in several years.

So you really have to set that experience at a very high level, much like that Disney experience.

So I think that's what attracted me to it.

It was really all about giving an experience and about connecting with insureds and everything.

So that really is why I'm still here long-term.

And I've always been very interested in just...

in assessing detail and looking into situations.

So that's what drew me to underwriting.

And I have a psychology degree, so I'm always very analytical in terms of why are people acting the way that they're acting? Why is this this way? And I think a lot of that can be applied to underwriting because you really have to look at the whole picture of a certain situation and determine, is this a risk that we want to ensure? Is it not? And then those same principles can apply here.

So there's been really a few different things that have tied me to it, but I've really enjoyed the relationships I've built probably more than anything, especially with CPCU.

I've really met a lot of great people over the last, several years, and I never would have imagined I'd be in a leadership role like I am today, being chapter president.