Avril Cox, Director at iSure Underwriting, part of the international reinsurance MGA Rokstone, unveils a world where professional prowess intertwines with a life rich in compassion and adventure.
A problem solver in the truest sense of the word, from her early morning countryside routines to her strategic daily meetings, Avril’s days are not just about ticking off tasks; they are a symphony of responsibilities, ambitions and a passion for both her career and life itself.
Whether she’s piecing together history as a volunteer archaeologist, rescuing greyhounds (on her mission to rescue as many as possible), or ensuring brokers always get the very best experience from iSure, she is tireless in both her ambition and determination.
Let’s follow Avril as she navigates her typical week - if there is such a thing.
Monday
I’ve recently moved back to the countryside and every morning I wake up to the sounds of my ever-expanding ‘petting zoo’ of animals. I am up early for a two-mile run with the greyhounds, while my children set to work feeding the rabbits, cats and guinea pigs.
I work at home two or three days a week and Monday is always one of those days. So, once I’ve dropped my children at school, I log on and assess the weekly stats from the previous Friday evening. I review targets and look at where we need to focus efforts collectively and individually in the week ahead.
At 10am, I join our weekly sales meeting where we review the stats together and discuss priorities and targets. We also discuss large cases and any issues the team is having. We talk about what is happening in the wider market too - new products, where there is capacity, where capacity has dropped out of the market - so we can be responsive in finding alternatives.
After this, I get on with the day’s work, which can include helping the team secure renewals and assisting brokers in troubleshooting claims.
In the evening, it’s back to the animals and providing a taxi service to my children as they attend their various after-school activities.
Tuesday
Once the animals are fed, watered and exercised and my children are safely delivered to school, I am out on the road for a day of broker visits. These can take me from Dublin to Galway, Wexford or Waterford.
I love the broker-facing aspect of my role and building close relationships with our partners. iSure’s success has been built on listening to our brokers, so being out face-to-face is vital to continually refining the service and products we deliver to them and their clients.
In addition, today I am meeting with a new broker agency, created by a recent merger. I have taken on a project management role for them liaising with the IT and compliance teams to help them get up and running quickly.
I end the day with two hours of studying for my forthcoming Advanced ACII qualifications.
Wednesday
Today I am in the Cavan office. We have our monthly underwriting meeting this morning. This is an all-hands meeting with every iSure underwriter in attendance from our Property, PI, Farming, Medical Malpractice, Sports and Leisure and Terrorism and Political Violence teams.
This is a strategic meeting and a chance for everyone to have their say on how we keep up the momentum and keep pushing the boundaries both in terms of our clients and our markets. We are delighted that some of our Aventum colleagues from the UK are visiting the office today.
After a big team lunch, I sit down and discuss one of my biggest passion projects – professional study. I am working with the Aventum team to build an inclusive study policy for iSure, encouraging every member of our team to gain qualifications and invest in their career. I love working in insurance and I want to foster that passion amongst the team.
I end the day with a session with my apprentice mentee Shauna. Shauna is studying for a degree as part of her apprenticeship with iSure. We meet every Wednesday so I can sign off her assignments, help her with her case studies and provide any advice and support she needs.
I finish the day with a bit of decorating. We are renovating our house.
Thursday
I’m back working at home this morning, before heading out to an Insurance Institute lunch. I am heavily involved in the Insurance Institute of Ireland. I am currently Deputy President of the Sligo Institute and will take over as President in 2024.
We meet every two weeks, and on this occasion, as well as the usual business matters of the day, we are also planning for our annual Institute dinner.
I pop into the office on the way home to join the team celebrating an office birthday. It is always nice to end the day with a slice of cake!
Friday
I start the day with my usual two-mile run. I then go into the office for a catch-up meeting with our CEO Sean Murray. Sean is CEO of Rokstone Ireland, which includes iSure Underwriting.
My regular meeting with Sean is a great opportunity to discuss new ways we can harness our collective knowledge and resources to deliver more value for our brokers and their clients.
I end the week back at home, where I wait for the Friday night stats and look forward to an exciting day of archiving at my local museum tomorrow. I have a degree in archaeology and love putting this to use as a volunteer when I get the time.
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