Thoughts From an Insurance Millennial

The risk management and insurance industry has become very concerned about how to attract young people and encourage them to pursue careers there. The industry has taken steps, including with programs such as MyPath  and InVEST, which educate students and young professionals about the industry and career paths that could fit their interests. Looking at the issue from the standpoint of a Millennial working in the industry (I'm 21 years old), I'd like to suggest three other ways to spark curiosity in the “Next Generation”: 1. Auto Insurance 101 Classes Most of the youth population hasn’t considered pursuing a career in insurance or is completely turned off by the prospect. Who could blame them? For many, their only exposure to the industry stems from paying high premiums for car insurance. When I started driving, I paid around $1,200 annually for insurance on a car I bought for $8,000. I didn't understand why I couldn’t just save the money and, if something happened to my car, use it to buy a new one. I didn't realize the exposure I had because I might damage someone else’s car or hurt another person. An insurer could use this lack of understanding to design an auto insurance 101 course that would have two benefits. The course could explain coverage and create intelligent customers for the future. The course could also be designed to spark curiosity in some to learn more about how insurance works and about all the good it can do. Some will begin to ask their parents questions or even pursue studies in risk management and insurance in college. Try adding incentives for taking the classes, such as reducing premiums or providing lower deductibles for the same price. Building intelligent consumers should reduce their risk as drivers, so the incentives might even pay for themselves. 2. Sponsoring Sports Teams, Clubs, etc. Sponsoring sports teams, clubs and other youthful groups in a community or at a high school or college could be strategic in attracting the “Next Generation.” In addition to generating name recognition and positive PR, a company could expose some youthful minds to the industry. For example: Someone sponsoring a local high school soccer team could create a competition to answer the question: How much are David Beckham’s legs insured for? The winner gets a signed jersey from a local Major League Soccer player. Someone sponsoring a local college’s political clubs could create a competition around the question: How much would it cost to insure the White House? The winning club gets a paid trip to the state’s capital and a luncheon with some state officials. 3. Partnering with Teachers to Make “Classroom Insurance Policies” This can be a fun twist on teaching a classroom about insurance. After working with the InVEST program to gain relevant teaching material, reinforce the concepts through a simulation that students can relate to. Create basic “classroom insurance policies” and give students an amount of “money” they can spend to buy different policies and endorsements. This would take some time initially to build the program but would be an enjoyable way for students to learn and get some exposure to reading a policy, applying endorsements/exclusions, etc. An example: Forgetful Student Policy A policy could include protection against forgetting that an assignment was due and would allow the assignment to be made up that night for half the credit (actual cash value). An endorsement could be bought to upgrade the policy so that the assignment could be made up for full value (replacement cost). Exclusions could include large projects or papers. Creating interest and reinventing the image of the business must be an industry-wide, collaborative effort. Understanding that learning can be exciting for these young students and professionals should greatly increase the success of efforts to attract the “Next Generation."