Diversity in Insurance

On May 4, in the National Underwriter press online, the President of the CPCU said insurers need a wider diversity effort and should have community outreach programs.  The wider diversity idea is certainly true – the insurance industry does not have any variety of people.  However community outreach programs alone aren’t going to cut it.   Why on earth would any young person want to come into insurance?   We copy each other’s policy forms and applications, and carriers chase down the same business and cut each other’s prices.   There are very few women roll models and essentially no minorities in any real positions.

Even if we had college programs, the mind set of our industry is so non-innovative that there is no reason anyone would consider this an interesting, exciting career.   Fundamental changes need to happen – just look at our industry publications to see that everyone looks alike.   A recent article on diversity in a print magazine showed pictures of white men over 40 with their ideas as to why our industry was not attracting young people.   Duh.

Aren’t there companies or brokers or individuals out there who can make our industry more interesting and cutting edge?