One hundred years is a remarkable milestone in any commercial arena, and particularly so for the Insurance Institute of Cork (IIC), which is presently celebrating its centenary. 

Playing a key role in the economic life of the city and county since its foundation on the 25th October 1923 at Cork’s Victoria Hotel, the IIC has grown and prospered with the Irish state itself over many turbulent and challenging periods during the past 100 years.

For Glenn Goggin, current President of the Insurance Institute of Cork and Managing Director McLarens Ireland, it has been a year to remember so far. “On Tuesday evening, April 18, 2023, I was bestowed with the greatest honour of my 35-year professional career by being elected President of the Insurance Institute of Cork.”

Having been a member of the IIC since the early 1990s when he took his insurance exams, Glenn has witnessed the transformative changes within the profession, and how it has grown and expanded to service the city’s vibrant commercial community.

“It is important to remember that, without us, enterprise does not happen, business does not develop, our economy does not grow. We take that risk away from those entrepreneurs, those business people that we need to grow our economy. We are a vital cog in that wheel without which stagnation happens.” 

Given the skills shortage within the insurance profession in Ireland, the opportunities for young talent to avail of plentiful job offers and diverse career options has never been greater. The sector continues to grow, especially with major insurance companies relocating to Ireland post-Brexit.

“There is probably no other profession with so many technical specialties, from the financial field where we need actuaries and accountants, to the legal with loss adjusters and claim handlers, and others with engineering and surveying qualifications.” 

 Add to those the underwriters who evaluate risks, brokers who act as a link between insurance companies and their customers, and reinsurance specialists who insure the insurers. The profession also provides many opportunities in the areas of Finance, Marketing, Information Technology, Human Resources, Business Development and Public Relations.

“There is a wide choice and many directions of travel once you enter the profession. The eventual career path they choose is in their own hands.” 

Having begun his insurance career with General Accident Fire and Life Assurance Company in Cork in 1988, Glenn has garnered extensive experience along the way from Casualty Adjusting with Garwyn (Davies) to co-founding Lynch Goggin Associates and subsequently with OSG (Sedgwick).

He joined McLarens Ireland as managing director in 2021, leading the Republic of Ireland business. A member of the Chartered Insurance Institute for most of his career, he has been a council member of both IIC and the Insurance Institute of Ireland for over a decade.

Dynamic career prospects and a passport to the world 

 As a ticket to the world for young graduates keen to travel in the early stages of their careers, working in insurance opens employment opportunities across the globe. Irish insurance qualifications are recognised in the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, making working and travelling with qualification all the easier.

“With qualifications that are internationally recognised, it is a profession that is truly a global passport. Here at McLarens Ireland we have a number of individuals who have travelled all over the world handling property claims in Australia, the US, New Zealand and the Caribbean. Insurance provides a massive opportunity for young men and women to develop their careers, while also seeing the world as well.” 

Glenn also underlines the personal satisfaction that comes with working in the profession – often dealing with situations of devastation, and coming to the aid of people in the aftermath of extreme trauma. “You are giving something back to people, helping them at times of vulnerability. Making that call to reassure someone they will be looked after is the most rewarding feeling in the world.” 

A career in insurance can be approached in a number of ways, and is not necessarily wedded to the traditional model of third-level study, By enrolling in The Insurance Practitioner Apprenticeship programme, individuals can work and earn while they study, making it a financially viable option and attracting young talent to secure the future of the sector. As for that outdated perception of the insurance profession as sedentary and stuffy, Glenn Goggin is quick to extol its virtues as a dynamic sector, a world where innovation and development of new ideas and products is a constant. 

“I learned a long time ago that to hope to be successful you must surround yourself with people that know more than you do. People that are better at things than you are and are not afraid to give their opinion. There is not much that I have not seen in this profession over my 35-year career. I have had some fantastic moments and memories during that time, and made some fantastic friendships and acquaintances on both sides of the Irish sea.” 

For information about a career in insurance, contact the Insurance Institute of Ireland via email at [email protected] or visit 
www.iii.ie  

A rewarding career that is never dull  

“Insurance or anything to do with it was simply not on the radar for me when I was in school or choosing college courses,” says Mary McAuliffe, senior adjuster at Higgins Claims Services Ltd. “Trips into the local FBD or MIG office when renewal time came around was probably about as close as I came to anything insurance-related. You were known by the staff and they always helped — it was service first.” 

 Going on to University of Limerick where she obtained a degree in Equine Science, the question of ‘what next?’ cropped up after finishing the course. Then she happened across a position in the local FBD office and decided to apply.

“At that stage, I will admit it was probably not out of love of insurance but more to start earning a wage. Applying for that one job however planted my feet firmly in the insurance industry.” 

 Instead of a job in the local office, she was asked to attend for an interview for the claims department in Dublin: “Delighted that I had secured my first full-time job I signed my contract and moved to Dublin. Starting out in the industry was daunting but exciting. There were so many other people, of similar age, working for the company and which made the move up from the country so much easier. I made friends, who I still see 25 years later.” 

 From the very beginning, she recalls the constant volume of help and encouragement that was available: “No-one is left as an island. There was always help and support through ongoing training and mentoring.”

 Even back then, the value of supporting employees in terms of their ongoing education was evident.

 “I was fortunate enough to be able to progress through my exams with the help of my employers and the Insurance Institute of Ireland.” Working for Higgins Claims Services in Cork, Mary readily admits to having been fortunate to have chosen a career with so many opportunities. 

“A key part of the role is getting out there and speaking with people. No matter where you are, the foundation is the same in terms of what information you might need to obtain — but the people you get to interact with are all different. The job has also allowed me to base myself from so many different locations. I know adjusters who have dealt with catastrophes as far as Australia, and others who wanted to see America and transferred to the company office in that region. Whether I’m investigating a case in a chicken shed or a five-star resort, insurance is a career that has been very rewarding and never dull.” 

Moving to Cork was a smart career move with many benefits  

“I came out of college in 2010, not the best time to have been looking for your first job” recalls Denis Maguire, senior casualty loss adjuster at Sedgwick. 

“I was initially looking at a position in the motor industry, but then answered an advert and began with OSG, which later became Sedgwick, selling travel insurance for over a year, before moving on to selling motor insurance as a team leader.” 

Taking the opportunity to become a trainee loss adjuster within the company, Denis subsequently moved to casualty and personal injury claims in 2014. At this early point in his career, he then got an offer to move to Cork — a decision that turned out to have lasting benefits. Along with his wife Aisling, who is also employed with Sedgwick, they decided to come South, attracted by lower house prices, shorter commutes and better career opportunities. 

“We have been extremely happy here since 2017, living in Carrigaline. Our commute is just 15 minutes, and it has been very easy to settle here with good neighbours and a great working environment. We haven’t looked back since making the move to Cork, and we are both really pleased to be getting on so well in both our careers. The insurance profession is very broad in offering a wide range of directions —  in fact, the industry is so massive, you can do anything you want really.” 

No two days the same in a profession where the personal touch is key  

“I had finished a Bachelor of Business Administration at MTU, or CIT as it was then, in 2019, and had been interested in a career in business since secondary school – I just wasn’t sure what area of it I wanted to work in,” explains Mark Horan, commercial account executive at MBC Insurance & Techinsure, of his early career days. 

“I went for a job with an insurance broker on the South Mall in Cork as my first step, and was thrown in at the deep end of the business dealing with property insurance, which I found interesting from the word go. I am inquisitive by nature, and the ability to learn all about the kinds of businesses we were insuring and the types of products they made was very interesting. 

“I chose to do my exams over a two year period, but working all the time and learning the business, meeting clients — very much a ‘no two days the same’ occupation. Because I was working and dealing with clients in a variety of different industries, I actually found the exams to be a lot less daunting than expected, and had no problems with them.” 

As with all areas of modern business, technology has had a major impact on the insurance profession — and, in the process, opened many new career directions that did not exist even ten years ago. Mark sees the emerging area of Cyber insurance being as important as Professional Indemnity and Employer’s/Public Liability Insurance. Having a robust Cyber Security programme in place, which includes Cyber Insurance, is fast becoming an essential in the modern marketplace. 

Mark cites recent statistics from the UK Cyber Crime Market showing “the financial impact of dealing with a cyber incident can be a huge burden for any business working alone, with around 60% of small businesses shutting down within six months of suffering a cyber attack.” 

Yet, even though the insurance profession has seen many IT advances, the traditional ‘personal touch’ will always be a key element in successfully dealing with clients. “Explaining policies to people in easy to understand terms is important in the everyday work, and being there to look after them personally when they need it is all part of the job.” 

Contact the Insurance Institute of Ireland via email at [email protected] or visit
www.iii.ie