Working in the insurance industry is a great place to land today — there are endless opportunities for professional growth and the field is ripe for fresh ideas and new perspectives to drive it into the future. Plus, depending on your role, you can have a large impact on people’s lives in their most vulnerable moments. But where do you begin as a new grad with no background in the industry? Luckily, there’s a standout program at PURE Insurance perfect for recent graduates of any major looking for a fulfilling career in the industry and the chance to grow a transferable skillset that will be invaluable in their long-term careers.
To learn more about PURE Insurance’s Associate Member Advocate (AMA) Training Program, we spoke with former program participant turned Member Advocate Madeline D'Angelo about her experience as a trainee. Madeline learned about PURE Insurance after joining RippleMatch and attending an event about resume-building and interviewing featuring recruiters from PURE. From there, she connected with the recruiters, and applied for the program through RippleMatch.
“Being fresh out of college and new to insurance, I was not sure what to expect fully. I knew of course the role revolved around service, but did not realize how much more I would be learning,” Madeline said. “Now, not only am I knowledgeable on the inner workings of insurance, but I also feel like a valued member of the company, and know that daily I am helping people through some of the worst days they experience.”
Read on for an inside look at what you can expect from the program.
Unlike other opportunities for new grads that can make you feel like you’ve been thrown in without any guidance, the Associate Member Advocate Training Program is designed to help you acclimate to your new role as a claims adjuster in insurance with a thorough onboarding process and continued learning and support.
“Every component of the program is designed to invoke confidence and readiness, which was essential for me, and anyone who may be new to insurance,” Madeline told RippleMatch.
AMAs begin their careers at PURE by learning about the company, its products and services, and get an overview of the insurance industry as a whole. Once new employees have a general understanding of PURE, they begin learning about the claims lifecycle, how to take inbound claims phone calls, and how the Member Advocate team provides an exceptional service during a difficult time. Toward the end of training, Associate Member Advocates study for and take a Property & Casualty Claims Adjusting License.
Throughout the program, AMAs work closely with a trainer to help them learn about the role via instructional tutorials, internal and external speakers, and activities to help them understand how to handle claims over-the-phone and what programs are used by the entire claims department, Madeline shared.
“The way the program is structured allows you to learn the role progressively so that you can adequately handle the claims that you are assigned to,” Madeline explained. “This way, we can deliver the best service and feel confident in our abilities. During my time as an AMA, I know I have grown so much and have developed skills outside of claims.”
Another unique aspect to PURE Insurance is that the company strongly values mentorship — which is crucial as you just embark on your career journey. As an Associate Member Advocate, you’ll have the chance to find mentors at every step of the way — such as through your team lead or manager. In fact, your manager can be your strongest advocate as you’re getting acclimated to your new office community. Your leadership can help you to expand your internal network by connecting you with key individuals, introducing you to employee resource groups/community channels, or by offering you exposure to your areas of interest through on-the-job shadowing or pursuit of a certification or designation.
Madeline recalls several mentors who helped her succeed throughout the program, like her team lead.
“Some of the greatest sources of support have been more tenured member advocates, and in my experience thus far, my team lead, Brandon, has been my biggest resource and mentor. He has always been there to help and motivate me along the way,” Madeline said.
PURE also provides opportunities for one to explore community outside their immediate team or department through organization-wide mentorship circles, development dive-in conversations (opportunities to meet with a leader from your regional office), and coworker coffee (weekly, randomized meetings with anyone in the organization for a 30-minute chat about whatever you’d like).
In fact, for Madeline, this endless support was the best part of the AMA Training Program.
“My favorite part of the program is working with the most supportive, hard-working, and wonderful colleagues in an environment that encourages you to grow,” she said. “Upon the first day of training, and even through the interview process, I felt so welcomed and everyone was excited to invite me aboard. Not only do you get to work a rewarding and important job, but you also get to be surrounded by supportive and motivating individuals.”
In addition to being surrounded by supportive coworkers and mentors, you’ll also gain a magnitude of both hard and soft skills during the training program in a short amount of time. On one hand, you learn the ins and outs of claim handling and insurance policies, learn how to take inbound and outbound phone calls where you’ll speak directly with the insured themselves, and obtain a nationally-recognized designation to become a licensed claims adjuster. You’ll also participate in emotional intelligence and management workshops and trauma-informed care training and develop an understanding of common claims software systems & Salesforce, understand and apply personal lines insurance coverage, and so much more.
When it comes to soft skills, you’ll find yourself growing in your ability to effectively communicate, problem solve, think critically, work as a member of a team, build relationships with coworkers and clients, and manage your time.
“You learn how to appropriately express empathy while remaining professional and getting the job done, and utilize both inductive and deductive reasoning depending on the situation at hand,” Madeline added. “Both are necessary in this position, and you learn when to use which, in what scenario. This has made my decision-making and investigating skills sharper and faster, and I know it will benefit me through the rest of my career.”
By beginning a career in claims, you can develop a strong foundation of skillsets and knowledge that you will take with you anywhere in your long-term career. As an Associate Member Advocate, you will speak on the phone with several key stakeholders in the claims lifecycle, and over time will strengthen your verbal and written communication skills, learn the value of effective time management, build confidence in conflict resolution and management, hone your active listening and expression of professional empathy, and so much more! And grads who begin at PURE in its Associate Member Advocate Training Program have opportunities to take ownership of their careers in several different ways. After completing the program, Madeline graduated to a Member Advocate 1 role, where she has taken on more claims responsibility. Over time, alumni of the Member Advocate Training Program have gone on to become more specialized in a technical aspect of the claims world, develop a passion for people management, or even explore new fields or departments — the opportunities are endless!
Interested in learning more about the Associate Member Training Program? Find information about the program here, such as how you can apply.