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Meet a Broker: Ashley Johnson | Account Manager, Arcuri & Associates Insurance Professionals

Ashley Johnson is a Melbourne-based insurance broker and Account Manager of Arcuri & Associates Insurance Professionals. She was a finalist in the People's Choice category in the 2021 Advisr Insurance Broker Awards. Advisr chatted with Ashley about her experience as a broker, her drive to help businesses succeed, and her plans for the future.
 
Tell me a little about yourself
I enjoy going on mini adventures with my daughter and my dog to the beach, or the park, cafes and restaurants, and getting out in the sun with friends. I don’t have a lot of downtime as I am studying a bachelor of psychological science and hope to graduate next year. I enjoy watching a good Netflix series or documentary when I have the time.
 
How can business owners benefit from working with an insurance broker?
Insurance is not a straightforward or easy topic to understand. Having somebody who takes the time to get to know a business, to think about their needs, help manage and discuss their risks, and make clients aware of 
What is going on in the industry is so important. Time and time again, I have had discussions with clients about risks they had not even thought of which could put their business and profits at risk.
 
Who makes an ideal insurance client and why?
Anybody who is willing to have an open conversation about their circumstances and who trusts me to tailor a portfolio to suit their needs.
 
What do you love about being an insurance broker?
I love the variety and different challenges every day. I have been broking for 13 years and still find myself learning all time. I also love the social aspect of getting to know clients and hearing about their lives and being a support when something stressful has happened. It’s rewarding to be able to reassure clients that we will look after them and they don’t need to worry.
 
How do you go above and beyond as an insurance broker?
I very much enjoy chatting to clients about their day-to-day lives. I think that trusting a broker to protect your assets and livelihood is an important decision, and life can get busy and business grow and change all the time. Having regular chats to clients about their day-to-day can really help us to understand who the client is, what they are about, and how we can best service their needs. It may sound simple but I feel developing strong relationships with clients is really important, especially in the event of a dreaded decline. Being about to get through a declinature with a positive relationship afterward is much more likely when the client understands you have done everything you can to get the claim across the line and genuinely care about their needs.

Cyber Liability Insurance is designed to help protect you from claims and support your profitability in the event of a cyber breach or attack.

Public Liability insurance is there to provide protection if someone makes a claim against the insured, the business or its employees.

A business insurance pack can provide cover for your business premises and contents, against loss, damage, theft or financial loss from an insured interruption to the business.

I very much enjoy chatting to clients about their day-to-day lives. I think that trusting a broker to protect your assets and livelihood is an important decision, and life can get busy and business grow and change all the time. Having regular chats to clients about their day-to-day can really help us to understand who the client is, what they are about, and how we can best service their needs. It may sound simple but I feel developing strong relationships with clients is really important, especially in the event of a dreaded decline. Being about to get through a declinature with a positive relationship afterward is much more likely when the client understands you have done everything you can to get the claim across the line and genuinely care about their needs.
 
What has been your experience of marketing your services online?
We have had a number of clients come through from Advisr based on reviews online. A good amount of our business comes from recommendations and word of mouth from existing clients and people who know and understand that clients are our number one priority.
 
Do you have a particular area of expertise?
Over the last few years, I have developed a bit of a niche in not for profits/community groups/charities.
 
Why did you choose it?
Working with non-profits has been a great experience so far. I find the people working within that space to be so lovely and hearing about the good things they do in the community has been great too.
 
Which skills are most important for an insurance broker to succeed in today's market?
Listening, understanding, and doing all we can for the client. Taking every action in a logical, productive way with an attitude that reflects this. If clients don’t feel as though we are working for them, why would they bother with a broker, if they get the same service direct?
 
What areas of insurance should people be aware of over the next 12 months?
Management Liability. Really any of the liabilities that suit what the client does, taking particular attention to cover for legal fees. Australia has now become the second most litigious country in the world, second to the USA.
 
What's next for you and your business?
To keep doing what we are doing. I believe that Arcuri has the right attitude to work with the changes that are happening now and providing what clients need into the future.
 
You can find me here: Ashley Johnson on Advisr
General Advice Warning: This advice is general and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. You should consider whether the advice is appropriate for you and your personal circumstances. Before you make any decision about whether to acquire a certain product, you should obtain and read the relevant product disclosure statement.

All information above has been provided by the author.


Annemarie Jamieson | ADVISR

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