5 Things I Learned In My First Year Working In Insurance

5 Things I Learned In My First Year Working In Insurance

by Jordyn Lantz

When I began at Shafer Insurance Agency, I did not have any previous knowledge of insurance or the insurance industry. I had recently graduated from the University Of Tennessee, majoring in marketing, with a collateral in human resources. Immediately following my graduation, I participated in the Knoxville Fellows program, and worked at Shafer during my time as a Fellow. My preconceived notions about insurance were that it was something you purchased to protect your things, and it was something that was very difficult to learn about without working in the field. Since then, I have learned a great amount about the importance of insurance, and the multiple roles it plays in our world. Here are five things I have learned since starting at Shafer Insurance Agency: 

1.  Insurance is complex.
   My first year in the industry felt like drinking from a fire hose. There are so many different types of insurance, ways to insure things, and roles within the insurance world. The terminology used in insurance is like its own language. Words that I now use every day, like endorsements or dwelling fire, were not in my vocabulary prior to starting at Shafer Insurance Agency. This adds an extra layer to properly communicating with clients.
2. Insurance is all about problem solving.
   One of my favorite parts of my job is the problem solving that I do every day with, and in support of, my clients. Clients come to my team with questions, or scenarios that they are confused about. It is a privilege to get to step into the situation, and come up with a solution that best serves them.
3. Insurance helps build relationships.
   Insurance is complex, which makes fully understanding it a process that takes time. I really enjoy being able to walk alongside my clients through claims, questions, or concerns. I feel very thankful for the time that I get to do this, and the connection these conversations create. 
4. Insurance is full of different perspectives.
   The view of risk is extremely subjective. Some do not mind taking on risk, while others are more risk-averse. In a field all about protecting against risk, it is key to enter into conversations with this perspective in mind. My job is to fully inform clients, make recommendations, and, ultimately, let them decide based on their perspective.
5. Insurance is collaborative.
   When different client issues come up, my team and I are able to put our heads together to come up with the best solution for each scenario. This could look like coming up with a way to insure a unique risk, how to proceed in a claims situation, or how to enter into a challenging conversation.

Now that I am approaching two years into my career, it is both humbling and exciting to look back at where I began. I am so thankful for the time and energy that my team and Shafer has poured into my development.

Jordyn Lantz graduated from the University Of Tennessee in 2021 with a degree in Marketing. She then participated in the Knoxville Fellows program, whose mission is to increase God-principled leadership in Knoxville by equipping and developing the next generation of servant leaders to seek the peace of our city. While in the program, she earned a master’s degree in Ethics and Leadership from Johnson University. Jordyn started in a part-time capacity as a Personal Lines Technical Assistant here at Shafer Insurance Agency. Since then she has been elevated to a full time Account Manager position, concurrently with earning her Master’s degree.