Falling into the industry is an all-too-common scenario in insurance. If Steadfast New Zealand chief executive Neil Cousins (pictured) would have his way, though, he’d like people to intentionally consider an insurance career.
In an interview with Insurance Business, Cousins said: “I’m a bit of a lifer when it comes to insurance. I had my first job in London in insurance when I was 16, so over 33 years ago now. Insurance is all I know, and it’s all I ever envisage doing throughout my life. Like everyone, you tend to fall into insurance rather than choose it, which I think is a real shame.”
The insurance stalwart’s more than three decades in the industry includes time spent at AXA, QBE, and WTW. At Steadfast NZ, Cousins worked as broker services manager before he took on the top post. For the CEO, insurance is a “terrific” career.
“I’m very much an environmentalist, and I see myself being at the front lines of climate change being in insurance,” he said. “We can see it happening around us. What we do is incredibly important. What I’m incredibly keen on is how we get new people into the industry.
“I’m on the IBANZ (Insurance Brokers Association of New Zealand) board, and that’s something that we’re discussing in great depth – how we get out there and talk to school leavers and university leavers and encourage them into the industry.”
Chubb Life New Zealand chief executive Gail Costa, in a recent interview with Insurance Business, pointed to the importance of making people understand what the industry does, as a way to attract new colleagues. In her view, insurance should be taught in schools.
Read more: Chubb Life NZ CEO on the need for people to understand insurance
Cousins, meanwhile, went on to say: “Every time I talk to our insurance partners, I ask them, ‘How are you bringing in new people in the industry?’ The likes of NZI and Vero have done a really good job bringing in new claims people to support the events [in 2023] and then keeping those people on and re-utilising them within the business. It’s great to bring new people into the industry.”
Insurance Business NZ
