Data Quality Underwriting Assistant (Business Administration, BBA)

William Curwen, Aviva Canada

By: Isabella Shewchyk, Outreach & Support Peer

William has always been interested in mathematics and how the business world works. He first became interested in business through different school projects and research. He enjoyed the problem-solving aspect of business and was interested in finding ways for companies to grow and operate. William’s passion for the business world continued during his four years in the Business Administration program. During his first year at Laurier, William was drawn to a career in logistics and operations, captivated by the real-world impact companies could have. Alongside his passion for geography, he was curious about how businesses interacted on a global scale. As he continued his studies, his focus gradually shifted toward the financial and analytical side of business. From here, William decided to concentrate in finance and complete an economics minor. Upon graduation, he entered the workforce with Aviva Canada as a Data Quality Underwriting Assistant.

Throughout his years at Laurier, William immersed himself in the insurance field by completing multiple internships. His first internship began at Quadra Group, where he was a Customer Service Intern, serving as his first foray into the business world. This experience taught him important skills, such as communication, as he had to obtain documentation from customers and place orders for shipments. This internship solidified his interest in the business world and taught him how effective communication and coordination can really impact the success of a company. The following year, William rejoined Quadra, this time as a Logistics Intern. This internship allowed William to further pursue his interest in analytical thinking and build his business connections. For his final summer position, William worked with Loblaw Companies Limited as a Supply Chain Analyst. This taught him more technical skills and let him further his passion for finance and insurance. While not being in the Laurier co-op program, William was able to find these internships through networking and other business connections. Through networking, William would hear about available positions and was referred to hiring managers, where he then completed the standard interview process.

As a Data Quality Underwriting Assistant with Aviva Canada, William’s main role is to receive financial information from brokers and assist in displaying the information so that risk can easily be assessed. William currently works equally in office and remotely at home. His day-to-day tasks follow a similar workflow in that he communicates with brokers to receive statements of value, where he assists in sorting the data through software to make the data easier to understand. This information is then given to underwriters to further assess the risk and create rates for the brokers and other companies. Aviva Canada is a property and casualty insurance company that provides insurance to many customers through broker partners. These insurance products are customized based on risk. William’s role is very important as he ensures that underwriters can properly assess the risk and set appropriate rates for the broker companies.

William highlights that strong communication, critical thinking, and technical skills are key to pursuing a similar career. Building your proficiency in Excel and data analytics will also make it easier to learn your future employers’ proprietary software.  Communication skills are needed for interacting with underwriters and other assistants. In addition, technical and analytical skills are very important while working with statements of value. Prior to beginning his role, William took online Excel training courses and practice questions to enhance his analytical skills and completed a two-week training program with the company to learn company-specific software to adeptly deal with the data management side of the position.

William’s advice to students who want to pursue a similar career includes:

• Learn about the insurance industry and significant companies. Researching the insurance and risk management industry will allow students to learn if it is a good fit for them. Educating yourself can be beneficial when preparing for interviews or applying for positions. Students can do this by taking insurance courses or joining insurance-related clubs.
• Concentrating in finance, insurance and risk management, or other similar industries would allow students to learn more about the industry and practice through courses. Arts and Science students interested in the industry might access additional relevant training through graduate certificates. 
• Analytical skills are essential in the insurance and risk management industry. Taking additional courses to advance these skills, such as Excel or coding, can improve your data management and analytical skills, as well as show initiative. 
• Internships are a great way to gain hands-on experience in the field and learn important skills needed for future positions. William recommends starting early and gaining this hands-on experience. Throughout his studies, William believes that his three internships helped improve his skills and understanding, which ultimately led him to his current role at Aviva. 
• After graduation, consider starting courses for the Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP) designation, which would help you gain more knowledge in the industry and lead to more opportunities. These designations typically take around 2-3 years, require one year of industry work, and are completed through courses and exams.

William is grateful for his years at Laurier and the summer positions he secured, which have valuably positioned him where he is now. William’s future plans include obtaining his CIP designation and continuing to grow within the insurance and risk management industry. For students interested in this field, William recommends researching positions such as underwriting assistants, claims analysts, and data analysts. These roles offer great exposure to the insurance industry and how risk is assessed across the business world.