Not Just for Old Men With Gray Hair

Let me at first be clear: I have never written a blog, so when I started this blog I wasn't exactly sure where to start.  I'm a younger (not new) insurance professional, but when you compare me to the rest of our industry, I may as well have just come home from the hospital with blue socks.  I'm half the age of a typical insurance broker, underwriter, claims adjuster, you name it.  At 28 years old, I'm 7 years in with life to go.  That would sound like a bad prison sentence to most folks, so it's a good thing I love what I do. 

Our industry is filled with folks well on their way to the golden years.  Most people in our generation's eyes glass over when you bring up insurance, including my own at a boring seminar topic that I've heard a million times.  It's sort of like those Geico commercials when I'm at some of these seminars hearing the same thing.  I feel as if I'm in another episode of Groundhogs Day every time I hear those commercials  We get it, you can turn around a fast quote.  It's not always the cheapest but it's fast.  Thank you for making insurance a commodity where everyone expects that cheaper and faster is better.  That was sarcastic in case you didn't catch that.

Going back to my original point now.  My generation is at the point where they are starting to take over mom and dad's business, venture out on their own, or buy an existing company.  Usually they don't know a thing or care a whole lot about risk management or insurance because let's face it, our industry is good at putting people to sleep.  As they ask for references from people they know, the business's current broker, agents that walk through their front door, you name it, these new millennial business owners realize that their insurance guy just bought his first computer five years ago.  To some of these gray haired folks, Facebook is as risky endeavor where people are going to try and steal all their personal information to be used against them.  A Tweet may be something they heard in a city park one time from the birds.  And a blog?  What's a blog?

So all you Millennials and anyone else for that matter, here's your big chance.  If you have any insurance or risk management related questions, please send them my way.  I'm writing this to keep you informed on what really matters in the world of insurance and risk management here in the 21st century, not just what you see on TV.  I am going to make a point of posting a new blog at least twice a week, and if the weather is really awful outside, more.  Seeing as I live in Minnesota, there's a very good chance that will happen.

Look for my next post later this week: "You Get What You Pay For."

Andy Bertram