[Music]
[Applause]
hello everyone I am very excited to be
here and incredibly grateful for this
opportunity when I got selected for this
TEDx talk I thought wow these kids are
gonna get so fired up to learn about
insurance the most exciting industry in
the world today yeah well yeah your
reactions suggest you think otherwise
but the truth is despite the fact that
you know I’m very passionate about
insurance and I’ve only dedicated my
entire professional life to it I realize
that it may not have the most inspiring
reputation but as I reflected on my path
and my work you know what I realized
that my story isn’t about insurance my
story is about community about how I’ve
tried to help my community and people
all over it’s also about boldness I know
yeah it is insurance is about being bold
now you might be skeptical but allow me
to explain so despite how thrilling the
world of insurance is I did not always
longed to be an insurance software
executive when I was young I wanted to
be a psychiatrist I wanted to help
people and I thought that this would be
a path that would allow me to support
people and help them on their path but
you know when I graduated school yeah
when I graduated I was met with a
non-existent job market and as my job
search dragged on and on and on I took
the first job that I was offered
insurance adjustor both
I know yes so early in the gig I had an
opportunity to join the catastrophe team
or cat’s team for short and I jumped at
it why you might ask
I just wanted to travel I had visions of
touring local landmarks some extravagant
clothes shopping and of course partying
with my new coworkers so the first ever
assignment I got was in response to
storms in Texas and you can imagine my
excitement as I prepared for my outing
that’s how we caught it I thought of it
as an everyday so you can imagine my
excitement of being the summertime
packing my day including my cutest
shorts t-shirts and of course my cowboy
boots as I boarded the plane I had
visions of cocktails and some serious
country line dancing which you’re gonna
have to believe me that was a thing back
in the nine days so as I made my way
from the hotel to the neighborhoods
would I be working on you know I quickly
came to realize that I wasn’t there to
party I wasn’t there to hang out and I
wasn’t there to look cute I was there to
help this community that had been
devastated by the storm make their way
back to my mom I was there to help these
families that Lions have been turned
upside down finding their balance and
their way back to normal so that they
could survive and thrive in the face of
the catastrophe by the end of the first
day my plants were hitting up the local
barbecue spot had completely evaporated
and in their place was a deep and total
commitment to helping every family I
spoke to I worked dawn to dusk as long
as there was light in the sky I hauled
my ladder and this body on top her
broods in order to inspect the damage
the same for the interiors of the homes
as well as the yard
as well as the offenses I understood
that in this moment my job was to
provide peace of mind support and help
however it could and I understood that
my job was to get money into their hands
so that they can repair their homes or
live in a hotel if they couldn’t live in
their home and it’s because I understood
that every penny counted and that speed
was key I might have used a little
creative license with some of the policy
rules so let’s say for example that a
policy holder couldn’t afford a $500
deductible well I might overestimate
don’t tell anyone because of their
repairs she is a little in order to
soften the blow for them also if let’s
say a fence wasn’t covered by the policy
not a problem now it’s a barrier to
entry and not a fence in need of repair
in short I did whatever I could help
these people that needed me so this trip
was a turning point for me and that’s
what I realized that insurance wasn’t
about sitting at a desk
it wasn’t about obnoxiously responding
to callers way the policy requirements
explicitly stay no it was about
compassion it was about empathy and that
is what I fed on when I would respond to
callers on the phone I thought of those
families in Texas when I was helping
someone with their car accident I no
longer had to close the claim as quickly
as possible so I could head out to the
local pub night instead I stayed as long
as I was needed I came in early I stayed
late I did whatever I could to help the
people that I served and that commitment
to community is what allowed me to excel
in my role at back time and over the
last 26 years it has remained my guide
right but my rule is much different now
and it requires that I engage in the
work in a different way because despite
the fact that insurance at its core is
about healthy people it’s also
incredibly conservative in its approach
it’s about risk management it is about
anything but boldness we work to find
solutions and we minimize exposures and
you know that’s fine and that’s good but
my time is an adjustor allows me to
maintain focus on the question that
really matters are we helping our
customers by balance in security in the
best way possible I keep this in my
sights and I’m seeing exciting new ways
in which technology is provided
innovative and important answers to this
question and that is where my passion
lies ensure tech is creating new
pathways in an old industry ensure tech
is the confluence of Technology and
insurance and it’s where insurance meets
its fullness
for example slice is an insurer tech
innovator that ensures Hoover and lyft
drivers on demand
insurance so the app triggers the
insurance at the start of the ride and
it turns it off at the end of the ride
it tracks it down to the minute and the
second this makes insurance affordable
and it just makes sense another integer
type innovator is Metro miles they
charge buying a mile for automobile
insurance you only pay for the distance
that you drive I mean why pay for car
insurance if you aren’t using your car
and I have to say one of my personal
favorites that is truly transforming
what’s possible for people is fought by
many they are a social broker they serve
people who have very unique demands and
because of that have a
time finding insurance for example let’s
say travel insurance for travelers with
together or pet insurance for one I’d
rescue pug mm-hmm well quick seriously
life insurance for individuals with
diabetes they pool together these
underserved consumers so that in larger
numbers insurance becomes affordable in
ways it’s never been before so these are
all great examples of bold new ways of
serving people and my contribution to
this is a chatbot so a well designed
chat BOTS can handle high volume but
simple tasks associated with a claim
they free people up to do what we’re
good at which is solve complex problems
and provide empathy and a sympathetic
ear watch this video to see it in action
hi I’m Laura let me tell you about my
good leg day I was leaving work texting
with my husband on Facebook Messenger
and as I approached my new car I smell
paint someone had tagged it with red
spray paint I couldn’t believe it
my insurer is on Facebook my sister too
so I texted them and they entered right
away they asked this was an emergency
situation and I said no and then they
verified my phone number
they wanted to know when the loss
occurred and because the spray paint was
still wet I told them now when they
checked my policies they realized that
this is an amazing brand-new car and
they were very sympathetic about it
bass would have happened and I selected
vandalism they wanted to know where it
happened to so I pinpointed my exact
location
the next part was kind of fun they asked
if I could take a quick video of myself
explaining what had happened so I did it
and then I kept loaded the video the
last thing they asked for was a photo of
the damage which was great because it
gave me the chance to show them just how
bad my car looked they responded quickly
with all of the claim information that I
had given to them and asked me to verify
the details I simply hit yes and I
confirm and it was done they told me
that they were on it and you know what
they kept their promise my claim was
settled quickly and sent me to a
fantastic repair shop and my car looks
brand new again so this was my good bad
day the company is using this technology
are more effectively and efficiently
serving their customers when they needed
the most
yeah so I’m really proud of the role I
play to champion this but I gotta say I
am incredibly grateful to my boss Steve
as well as my CEO Marcus because they
took a chance to invest in the future of
this industry and lead with vision and
innovation so what I see happening in
insure tech is why I’m so excited to be
here today because I understand you’re a
generation that’s driven by your values
you crave the opportunity to contribute
in bold and creative ways you’re driven
not by finding the safest or most
highest paying job but by a combination
of a job that will support you allow for
creativity and allow you to contribute
to something greater than yourself
your generation is shattering stigmas
and you are starting difficult
conversations if you are bold I
and you’re exactly who we need to call
on to continue to find solutions for
communities and for families college and
being a young adult I mean in general
it’s a time to take risks and be bold
you are in Silicon Valley you are
watching industries transform what
companies have done to the cab industry
hotel industry movies music and
everything in between
is astounding I got a secret for you
right now
insurance is where some of those
industries used to be ten years ago
right now insurance is on the cusp of
large-scale change there is an
opportunity to reimagine how it works
there is an opportunity to make it
relevant for your generation and how you
live there is an opportunity to see this
massive industry to refresh new eyes and
find a contribution because we need this
boldness and commitment to contributing
to the greater good now more than ever
in the past year the hurricane trio of
Harvey Irma and Maria has cost the
insurance industry a record amount in
2017 the final insurance bill it’s
expected to come in at 135 billion
dollars yeah that is a huge number it
represents hundreds of thousands of
families that are displaced it
represents hundreds of thousands of
homes that are damaged or destroyed and
it represents hundreds of communities
that are uprooted interrupted and tested
in the most harrowing ways possible but
that’s the work of this industry and
that’s when we step in and we step up
when people are in crisis hours and
minutes mad our technology can help or
it can hinder but we need boldness to
see what is possible insurance is a one
trillion dollar industry best with a
Chii and that’s in the US alone so if
you want to make a difference at a truly
massive scale insurance and insurer tech
is where you can bring your values into
the world so the path that I’ve taken
has guided me to a career in insurance
oh I never thought I would end up here
when I was sitting in those seats I
never thought I’d end up here but I’m
sure glad I have I have been able to
contribute to the world in ways that I
couldn’t imagine when I packed those
cowboy boots and headed to Texas all
those years ago
I’ve been guided by an unwavering
understanding of who we are working for
we are working for people and we are
working for communities and by being
bold in our pursuit to help these people
find better solutions and innovations to
better serve them so how’d I do
ready to join the wild world of
insurance do not answer back don’t
answer it because my story isn’t about
insurance my story is of a community and
my story is about fullness whatever path
you choose you’re gonna have the
opportunity to serve you’re part of this
University community how can you serve
each other you’re part of the community
that you grew up in how can you serve
them you’re going to leave here and
you’re gonna plant roots in other places
and you will have tremendous
opportunities to serve those around you
you will have an opportunity to curve
out a purposeful and fulfilling career
now I found this in insurance of all
places in insurance I don’t know where
you’re gonna find it but I know you can
and I know you will just step into your
goal that’s trust your gut and move with
courage and you will find deep
fulfillment in your life and in your
work you will experience the joy of
helping others and you will rest knowing
you contributed to the best of your
ability and you were there when you were needed thank you everyone
[Applause]
hello everyone I am very excited to be
here and incredibly grateful for this
opportunity when I got selected for this
TEDx talk I thought wow these kids are
gonna get so fired up to learn about
insurance the most exciting industry in
the world today yeah well yeah your
reactions suggest you think otherwise
but the truth is despite the fact that
you know I’m very passionate about
insurance and I’ve only dedicated my
entire professional life to it I realize
that it may not have the most inspiring
reputation but as I reflected on my path
and my work you know what I realized
that my story isn’t about insurance my
story is about community about how I’ve
tried to help my community and people
all over it’s also about boldness I know
yeah it is insurance is about being bold
now you might be skeptical but allow me
to explain so despite how thrilling the
world of insurance is I did not always
longed to be an insurance software
executive when I was young I wanted to
be a psychiatrist I wanted to help
people and I thought that this would be
a path that would allow me to support
people and help them on their path but
you know when I graduated school yeah
when I graduated I was met with a
non-existent job market and as my job
search dragged on and on and on I took
the first job that I was offered
insurance adjustor both
I know yes so early in the gig I had an
opportunity to join the catastrophe team
or cat’s team for short and I jumped at
it why you might ask
I just wanted to travel I had visions of
touring local landmarks some extravagant
clothes shopping and of course partying
with my new coworkers so the first ever
assignment I got was in response to
storms in Texas and you can imagine my
excitement as I prepared for my outing
that’s how we caught it I thought of it
as an everyday so you can imagine my
excitement of being the summertime
packing my day including my cutest
shorts t-shirts and of course my cowboy
boots as I boarded the plane I had
visions of cocktails and some serious
country line dancing which you’re gonna
have to believe me that was a thing back
in the nine days so as I made my way
from the hotel to the neighborhoods
would I be working on you know I quickly
came to realize that I wasn’t there to
party I wasn’t there to hang out and I
wasn’t there to look cute I was there to
help this community that had been
devastated by the storm make their way
back to my mom I was there to help these
families that Lions have been turned
upside down finding their balance and
their way back to normal so that they
could survive and thrive in the face of
the catastrophe by the end of the first
day my plants were hitting up the local
barbecue spot had completely evaporated
and in their place was a deep and total
commitment to helping every family I
spoke to I worked dawn to dusk as long
as there was light in the sky I hauled
my ladder and this body on top her
broods in order to inspect the damage
the same for the interiors of the homes
as well as the yard
as well as the offenses I understood
that in this moment my job was to
provide peace of mind support and help
however it could and I understood that
my job was to get money into their hands
so that they can repair their homes or
live in a hotel if they couldn’t live in
their home and it’s because I understood
that every penny counted and that speed
was key I might have used a little
creative license with some of the policy
rules so let’s say for example that a
policy holder couldn’t afford a $500
deductible well I might overestimate
don’t tell anyone because of their
repairs she is a little in order to
soften the blow for them also if let’s
say a fence wasn’t covered by the policy
not a problem now it’s a barrier to
entry and not a fence in need of repair
in short I did whatever I could help
these people that needed me so this trip
was a turning point for me and that’s
what I realized that insurance wasn’t
about sitting at a desk
it wasn’t about obnoxiously responding
to callers way the policy requirements
explicitly stay no it was about
compassion it was about empathy and that
is what I fed on when I would respond to
callers on the phone I thought of those
families in Texas when I was helping
someone with their car accident I no
longer had to close the claim as quickly
as possible so I could head out to the
local pub night instead I stayed as long
as I was needed I came in early I stayed
late I did whatever I could to help the
people that I served and that commitment
to community is what allowed me to excel
in my role at back time and over the
last 26 years it has remained my guide
right but my rule is much different now
and it requires that I engage in the
work in a different way because despite
the fact that insurance at its core is
about healthy people it’s also
incredibly conservative in its approach
it’s about risk management it is about
anything but boldness we work to find
solutions and we minimize exposures and
you know that’s fine and that’s good but
my time is an adjustor allows me to
maintain focus on the question that
really matters are we helping our
customers by balance in security in the
best way possible I keep this in my
sights and I’m seeing exciting new ways
in which technology is provided
innovative and important answers to this
question and that is where my passion
lies ensure tech is creating new
pathways in an old industry ensure tech
is the confluence of Technology and
insurance and it’s where insurance meets
its fullness
for example slice is an insurer tech
innovator that ensures Hoover and lyft
drivers on demand
insurance so the app triggers the
insurance at the start of the ride and
it turns it off at the end of the ride
it tracks it down to the minute and the
second this makes insurance affordable
and it just makes sense another integer
type innovator is Metro miles they
charge buying a mile for automobile
insurance you only pay for the distance
that you drive I mean why pay for car
insurance if you aren’t using your car
and I have to say one of my personal
favorites that is truly transforming
what’s possible for people is fought by
many they are a social broker they serve
people who have very unique demands and
because of that have a
time finding insurance for example let’s
say travel insurance for travelers with
together or pet insurance for one I’d
rescue pug mm-hmm well quick seriously
life insurance for individuals with
diabetes they pool together these
underserved consumers so that in larger
numbers insurance becomes affordable in
ways it’s never been before so these are
all great examples of bold new ways of
serving people and my contribution to
this is a chatbot so a well designed
chat BOTS can handle high volume but
simple tasks associated with a claim
they free people up to do what we’re
good at which is solve complex problems
and provide empathy and a sympathetic
ear watch this video to see it in action
hi I’m Laura let me tell you about my
good leg day I was leaving work texting
with my husband on Facebook Messenger
and as I approached my new car I smell
paint someone had tagged it with red
spray paint I couldn’t believe it
my insurer is on Facebook my sister too
so I texted them and they entered right
away they asked this was an emergency
situation and I said no and then they
verified my phone number
they wanted to know when the loss
occurred and because the spray paint was
still wet I told them now when they
checked my policies they realized that
this is an amazing brand-new car and
they were very sympathetic about it
bass would have happened and I selected
vandalism they wanted to know where it
happened to so I pinpointed my exact
location
the next part was kind of fun they asked
if I could take a quick video of myself
explaining what had happened so I did it
and then I kept loaded the video the
last thing they asked for was a photo of
the damage which was great because it
gave me the chance to show them just how
bad my car looked they responded quickly
with all of the claim information that I
had given to them and asked me to verify
the details I simply hit yes and I
confirm and it was done they told me
that they were on it and you know what
they kept their promise my claim was
settled quickly and sent me to a
fantastic repair shop and my car looks
brand new again so this was my good bad
day the company is using this technology
are more effectively and efficiently
serving their customers when they needed
the most
yeah so I’m really proud of the role I
play to champion this but I gotta say I
am incredibly grateful to my boss Steve
as well as my CEO Marcus because they
took a chance to invest in the future of
this industry and lead with vision and
innovation so what I see happening in
insure tech is why I’m so excited to be
here today because I understand you’re a
generation that’s driven by your values
you crave the opportunity to contribute
in bold and creative ways you’re driven
not by finding the safest or most
highest paying job but by a combination
of a job that will support you allow for
creativity and allow you to contribute
to something greater than yourself
your generation is shattering stigmas
and you are starting difficult
conversations if you are bold I
and you’re exactly who we need to call
on to continue to find solutions for
communities and for families college and
being a young adult I mean in general
it’s a time to take risks and be bold
you are in Silicon Valley you are
watching industries transform what
companies have done to the cab industry
hotel industry movies music and
everything in between
is astounding I got a secret for you
right now
insurance is where some of those
industries used to be ten years ago
right now insurance is on the cusp of
large-scale change there is an
opportunity to reimagine how it works
there is an opportunity to make it
relevant for your generation and how you
live there is an opportunity to see this
massive industry to refresh new eyes and
find a contribution because we need this
boldness and commitment to contributing
to the greater good now more than ever
in the past year the hurricane trio of
Harvey Irma and Maria has cost the
insurance industry a record amount in
2017 the final insurance bill it’s
expected to come in at 135 billion
dollars yeah that is a huge number it
represents hundreds of thousands of
families that are displaced it
represents hundreds of thousands of
homes that are damaged or destroyed and
it represents hundreds of communities
that are uprooted interrupted and tested
in the most harrowing ways possible but
that’s the work of this industry and
that’s when we step in and we step up
when people are in crisis hours and
minutes mad our technology can help or
it can hinder but we need boldness to
see what is possible insurance is a one
trillion dollar industry best with a
Chii and that’s in the US alone so if
you want to make a difference at a truly
massive scale insurance and insurer tech
is where you can bring your values into
the world so the path that I’ve taken
has guided me to a career in insurance
oh I never thought I would end up here
when I was sitting in those seats I
never thought I’d end up here but I’m
sure glad I have I have been able to
contribute to the world in ways that I
couldn’t imagine when I packed those
cowboy boots and headed to Texas all
those years ago
I’ve been guided by an unwavering
understanding of who we are working for
we are working for people and we are
working for communities and by being
bold in our pursuit to help these people
find better solutions and innovations to
better serve them so how’d I do
ready to join the wild world of
insurance do not answer back don’t
answer it because my story isn’t about
insurance my story is of a community and
my story is about fullness whatever path
you choose you’re gonna have the
opportunity to serve you’re part of this
University community how can you serve
each other you’re part of the community
that you grew up in how can you serve
them you’re going to leave here and
you’re gonna plant roots in other places
and you will have tremendous
opportunities to serve those around you
you will have an opportunity to curve
out a purposeful and fulfilling career
now I found this in insurance of all
places in insurance I don’t know where
you’re gonna find it but I know you can
and I know you will just step into your
goal that’s trust your gut and move with
courage and you will find deep
fulfillment in your life and in your
work you will experience the joy of
helping others and you will rest knowing
you contributed to the best of your
ability and you were there when you were needed thank you everyone
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