The Importance of Authenticity in Insurance
Kevin Daley always wanted to play third base for the Chicago Cubs. It’s a dream many have shared but few have reached. Knocking that young boy’s dream out of the park, Daley has gone on to score many home runs as a parent and in the insurance industry.
Today, Daley serves as president of PURE’s Western Zone, overseeing the growth and profitability of the Midwest, Western, Northern California and Southern California Regions. Insurance Business caught up with him to find out more about his insurance journey:
How did you get started in the industry?
My father and several relatives worked in the insurance industry, so it has always been a part of my life. After graduating from Indiana University, an intriguing opportunity at Chubb presented itself, so even though I had minimal knowledge about personal line underwriting, I started my career with them in Atlanta. It was there that I met future PURE Insurance CEO and president Ross Buchmueller.
I shifted to commercial lines and eventually left AIG to pursue the broker side as managing director at Marsh Risk and Insurance Services in 2007. I was responsible for most of their southwest operations until Ross called me in the summer of 2015 asking me to help grow his company, PURE Insurance.
What are the best parts of your job?
I don’t suspect that many six- and seven-year-olds respond “insurance broker” when their teachers ask them about their future career goals; at that age, I aspired to play third base for the Chicago Cubs. However, as my insurance career evolved, I became enthralled with its core altruistic approach. This job is both rewarding and exciting and continues to provide unique opportunities to help our members during their time of need.
What challenges have you faced in your role?
The day-to-day challenges in this role are constantly changing. High net worth individuals have complex risk profiles that continually evolve, so we are always trying to remain ahead of the trends to ensure their needs are properly met. After noticing our members were at a greater risk of being targeted for fraud due to their wealth and unique lifestyles, we debuted PURE Starling™, our innovative fraud and cyber fraud coverage – and the only offering of its kind in the personal insurance space. When torrential rain was set to hit California, we noticed the burn scars created by the wildfires had left an unobstructed path for devastating mudslides. We had to ensure the safety of our members and be prepared for a problem that previously was not of major concern.
What advice would you give to someone working their way up the insurance ladder?
Embrace every opportunity to learn something new. A vital stepping stone in my career was learning early on that, from top to bottom, every person within a company plays an important role. Always make sincere relationships and seek out different perspectives. The more interactions you have, the better, but remember to talk less and listen more.
But, I cannot stress enough the importance of authenticity, because without it, you will certainly struggle to reach your goals.
