Spotlight interview

Jasmine Flaherty
SME Team Leader

Jas works in our commercial underwriting team as our SME Team Leader and has been with our ICCI family since early 2022. Jas recently attained the Diploma in Insurance (Dip CII) and is now developing her knowledge further by studying for the ACII. Jas is dedicated to providing high level customer service and is driven to find the best solutions which benefit our brokers and customers the most.

We spoke to Jas to find out more about her career, her life and her aspirations…..

Firstly, congratulations again Jas on achieving your Dip CII, all those years/hours of study have finally paid off. What does it mean to have finally achieved this personal goal?

I am very driven by goals whether that is personal or company goals, so to have achieved my Dip CII 3 months before my personal target I was very chuffed! With having the continued support of Insurance Corporation throughout my time at the company, with ongoing study time and sourcing 'study buddies', it has helped me to be able to achieve my Dip CII qualification.

Why is it important to you to study for the Advanced Diploma to achieve your ACII?

I have decided to go straight into the Advanced Diploma whilst I am in the routine of studying. Progressing towards qualifications is something I really enjoy, it widens my knowledge in all areas of the insurance industry and provides a greater understanding of the insurance market.

You joined ICCI just over a year ago now – how did you get into insurance and what have you found the most interesting aspect of going from a Broker to working for an Insurer?

I attended Highlands College and studied Business and Finance. Part of the course was to attend work experience in the finance industry and I was given the opportunity to do two weeks at a local broker and found the “insurance world” very interesting.

It has been an eye opener to see the underwriting side from an insurer's perspective and understand the rationale and reasoning behind the decisions that we make to accept or decline risks and in what areas we require more information. I have also learnt a lot about insurance products which I previously didn’t have the experience in, which has been something that I have really enjoyed and I have had the continued support of the company in gaining the knowledge and experience in these areas.

Describe your role to someone outside the company?

I am our SME Team Leader and over the last year we have built an SME proposition which has seen us build a new trading platform for our brokers to use. This allows our brokers to obtain instant quotes and bind cover through our new distribution channel. We started with a Property Owners product, before progressing to Offices and Surgeries and there are more products in the pipeline to be launched over the coming months.

I am also striving to ensure we deliver a 'best in class' online trading platform for our brokers. As part of my role, I am looking into building additional functionalities to develop our products further, which is a platform for our brokers to have a full cycle user experience.

What have you enjoyed the most so far in the new challenges that the SME role has presented you with?

That we have tackled every challenge that we have been hit with and found the right solution for our brokers! I love problem solving and there have been times where we have been faced with challenges but ensuring that we find an alternative solution that still results in our end target, is very rewarding.

What is your favourite part of your job?

Seeing the difference it makes to our brokers. Our trading platform, products and pricing have been a big change as to how we trade and what we offer to our brokers. This has given them a more convenient route, faster response times and efficient service level standards. I am always looking to improve the ways in which we can trade, the functionality available - the ability to have feedback from our brokers and act on their requests is very satisfying for me.

You have a member of staff reporting to you working on our Apprentice programme – why would you recommend insurance as a career choice?

The 'insurance world' is interesting and a career choice which is not actively spoken about throughout schools/universities or recruitment agencies. I would recommend insurance as a career choice to school leavers or anyone that fancies a change in their career as there are so many different areas to choose from and develop in, such as underwriting, broking and claims handling.

What do you like best about working for ICCI?

The people! Across both Jersey and Guernsey, we are a close 'working family' and everyone is willing to help each other. Secondly, how supportive the company has been especially towards my study for Dip CII and now ACII.

What is the importance of utilising brokers in the placement of business?

Using brokers, when sourcing insurance, is important as they can provide the best advice to their customers to best suit their needs and on which product their business may be best suited. There are various different product limits and criteria’s, so it is important to understand these to ensure the customers are placed on an adequate policy.

How does an SME proposition differ from a standard ‘open market’ customer?

Our SME proposition is different to our standard Open Market customer in many ways. We have created products which really reflect the needs of our customers in the Channel Islands. Our customers want quick solutions to their insurance needs, our online portal allows our brokers to trade with us instantly which provides an instant quote and bind facility, which are aimed at risks that fall within a specific criterion. Our Open Market department deals with larger and more complex risks, which require tailored underwriting by an individual underwriter, so our Service Level Agreements differ between SME and Open Market.

How well progressed is ICCI with our SME roll out?

Organisation and communication both internally and externally are key to ensuring we continue to deliver and roll-out more products and enhanced functionalities. We are grateful for the continuous support from our brokers in giving regular feedback, which enables us to progressively build and learn from. This enables us to deliver a 'best in class' distribution channel which we are continually looking to improve.

What are your views on the importance of ensuring a customer chooses the right insurance provider for their insurance protection?

This is a good question! It is very important. One of the main parts of insurance is that it is there for as peace of mind when a customer suffers a financial loss and is adequately reimbursed in a reasonable timeframe. Particularly in times where the insured has suffered a large or total loss, these are the times where customer’s need their insurer the most to provide reassurance, support and comfort. I am proud to say this is one of the areas that ICCI are best at - being local as well as part of a large Group, we strive to provide a high level of customer service and be by our customers side when they need us most.

What is the main advantage of taking out insurance with ICCI?

We are a locally based insurer so we know the local market and our customers inside out. We pride ourselves on our local knowledge and understanding the Channel Islands in great depth, allows us to be more flexible in areas where other insurers may not be able to. In addition, we have an excellent claims service so our customers can be reassured in the event of an incident that they will have the support that they need during a stressful time.

When you are not at the office, what do you like doing?

I’m very much family orientated so a lot of my free time is spent with them. I also enjoy going to the gym or getting stuck into a good TV series!

What would you do (for a career) if you weren’t doing your role at ICCI?

Estate agent. To be able to help individuals, couples and families to find their first homes or forever homes would be a personal and rewarding job role to do.

What’s on your bucket list that you haven’t had a chance to complete yet?

I’ve always wanted to travel a bit more around America. I will soon be able to tick this off my list, as for our honeymoon in August we have booked San Diego, Las Vegas and various places in California!

What’s something most people don’t know about you?

I’m not a good flyer - so the 11-hour flight over to LA should be fun!

What is your favourite motivational/inspirational quote?

“If you spot an opportunity and are really excited by it, throw yourself into it with everything you’ve got” - Richard Branson.