Client Communication

“It’s all about embracing artificial intelligence (AI),” says young agent Audriana Misic. “Not to replace people but to make what we do more efficient and effective.”

“My favorite part about being an agent is empowering people and letting them know that they don’t have to do this alone,” says young agent Kendra Garrett. “That empowers me when I know I’ve positively affected somebody’s life, especially when it comes to their finances.”

“Spanish is my first language,” says young agent Deuel Romero. “I got into the industry when I saw a huge opportunity with the underserved demographic of the Hispanic business owner community.”

“It’s on us to understand what opportunities technology provides our industry to be more efficient and grow at a faster rate than generations before us,” says young agent Ryder Roberts.

“Previous generations bring vast amounts of knowledge and experience and new generations have great new ideas, new life and new outlooks,” says young agent Brooke Stout. “There are many ways to integrate the old ways with the new ways and make the best workflows possible.”

“The core value of lending a helping hand and never being too busy to help a producer … is everything I want in a mentor, especially as a guy that didn’t go to school for insurance,” says young agent Jackson Doyle.

“I see more people my age coming into the industry,” says young agent Ander Urdaneta, “and with new faces comes new ideas—and with new ideas, the industry is just going to keep growing.”

As wildfires, tornadoes and floods continue to disrupt the lives of millions across the U.S., our industry must face a hard truth: The current insurance purchasing journey often fails both consumers and the agents trying to serve them.

With restrictions on new business, carriers pulling out of the market, agency commissions taking cuts and underwriting giving the word “difficult” a whole new meaning, it’s no wonder coastal agencies have felt the impact of the last few years.

From the long-lasting impact of the pandemic to the turmoil of the hard market, personal lines consumer preferences are shifting. Here’s how independent agents can keep up.