In the world of insurance, it’s often said that you’re either born to be an agent or you serendipitously stumble into the career.
David’s introduction to the insurance industry started long before he ever wrote a licensing exam. David’s grandfather held a management position at a certain well-known British insurance market, in David’s words “I guess you could say it’s in my DNA.”
We sat down with David to discuss his career, SeaFirst, and the most common insurance questions he receives.
Here is what he had to say.
All about David
1. What is your current position/role in Seafirst?
A: Personal Lines Insurance Advisor
2. What brought you to Seafirst Insurance?
A: It is so easy for insurance companies/brokers to get a bad reputation; one poorly handled claim outshines 99 well-handled ones. I was very impressed by the reputation that SeaFirst has created for itself in the community – especially one as tight-knit as Vancouver Island.
3. What do you like best about being a broker? What brings you the highest level of satisfaction?
A: I like helping people. Insurance is an increasingly important risk-management strategy, but is often misunderstood by the general public. I find it very rewarding to make insurance more accessible, and helping my clients tailor coverage to suit their individual needs.
4. Your hobbies and/or interests
A: Cooking, spending time at the beach with my dog.
5. If you could have any career in the world, other than insurance, what would you choose and why?
A: Financial Advisor! Insurance and finance are inextricably linked. I think I would find it very rewarding to help people make more informed decisions about their finances.
6. Your particular areas of expertise
A: I wouldn’t quite call myself an expert, but I enjoy working on Umbrella Liability policies.
7. What do you enjoy most about this type of insurance?
A: Buying a ‘blanket’ liability policy just makes sense to clients; it’s easy to explain the benefits of an umbrella vs. buying multiple liability policies each with a high limit. It will be interesting to see how this landscape changes with ICBC’s upcoming no-fault changes.
The top three personal lines questions you are asked by clients and your answers to those questions.
1. SeaFirst already insures my strata building, why do I need to complete an application form for condo unit owner’s coverage?
A: Unit owners are free to make renovations and upgrades to their units, often without the strata’s approval or knowledge. As a result, each unit in the building may be slightly different from the next, and the strata often isn’t aware of the differences. As a unit owner, you are in the best position to complete the application.
2. Why does my house insurance limit go up every year even though property tax says my house is depreciating every year?
A: If you suffered a total loss we would need to build you a new house, not buy you an old one. Homes are therefore insured to their cost of replacement from new, not their depreciated value. Steadily rising building costs result in steadily increasing replacement values.
3. I’m buying a new home and the seller’s insurance is with SeaFirst. Can I transfer the insurance to myself instead of completing an application?
A: Unfortunately not. We rely on the information provided in the application to determine the rate of insurance. If we were to rely on information provided to us by someone not party to the transaction, we risk invalidating coverage should that information be incorrect/incomplete.
To connect with David or another one of our agents, email info@seafirstinsurance.com
