Taking Chances and Growing Relationships

I graduated from Illinois State with a degree in Public Relations and Communications. My parents sacrificed and worked hard to help me through college. It was important for me to create a career and become independent after my parents had done so much for me. My first job out of college was selling ad space for telephone books. Remember those? It was brutal work. I worked very hard at it and developed a thick skin.

I got my first taste of the insurance industry working as an assistant at Northwestern Mutual. While there, I completed the Series 6 and 63 licenses, as well as a license in Health and Life Insurance. It was interesting work, but still, not the right place for me. 

I started working at Monitor (now Berkley) as an Underwriter in Executive Liability. I went in there knowing almost nothing about underwriting and learned so much. I enjoyed the underwriting and broker relations, as well as being in charge of my own work. It was an excellent foundation for the rest of my career. I stayed there for three years until 2016, when I was ready for the next challenge, bringing me to Arch. 

Took a Leap Towards Growth and Evolution

When Arch approached me to join the company, I was nervous at first because I loved my team at Monitor.

But joining Arch was the best decision I’ve ever made.

My managers advocated for me and challenged me to step outside my comfort zone to become the leader I am now. If I hadn’t taken the leap to join Arch, I wouldn’t have the experience and depth of knowledge I now possess. 

Building Relationships, Books of Business and Brackets

Currently, I lead a team of seven underwriters in the Central region of Chicago, working in the Growth and Middle Market area of Executive Assurance. 

Broker relationships are hugely important. Brokers want to do business with people they know and trust. It’s my job to seek out relationship-development opportunities and transform them into business for Arch.

One way we make growth happen is visiting brokerages we don’t currently work with on a regular basis and re-introduce ourselves. We did this in 2020 with a brokerage, who then gave us the chance to expand the relationship and become a go-to market for them. We now have built a million-dollar book of business with them over the past couple of years.

Here’s the Part about Brackets: Arch Madness

One of my favorite events I coordinate is “Arch Madness,” which has become huge nationwide. During the first days of the college basketball tournament, we rent out a big space and invite our brokers to come out, eat, drink, socialize, fill out their own brackets and just have fun watching the games together. This allows us to continue building relationships outside of the office setting.

Dedicated to Training My Team

One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced was making my first move to management.

When you’re an underwriter without direct reports, you’re handed a renewal book and relationships, and you can manage your desk in your own style. As soon as you have reports, particularly if they’re new to the industry, it’s like starting from scratch.

I quickly understood that dedicating the time to train your team properly from the start is a worthwhile endeavor. Becoming a manager means being responsible for building the future of the company, and it takes a different kind of work.

Arch Wants Women in Leadership

I had doubts when I moved into my current role of Regional VP, because I was pregnant at the time with my second child.

I asked myself, “Can I have it all? Can I balance work and family?” I talked to other women with families in similar roles who encouraged me to pursue my current position. Arch truly is a place that believes in the value of female leadership. I am currently a parent to two children, growing the business, developing my team and my career all at the same time.

At Arch, there is space for me to have it all! 

Brittany Cosgrove

RVP, Executive Assurance

Arch Insurance | Chicago, Illinois

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