2024 Underwriters of the Year | Brad Clisdell, Commercial Underwriter, Aviva Canada

Brad Clisdell began his insurance journey with Aviva Canada 20 years ago in a part-time position while he was studying. He took on a full-time underwriting assistant position in 2005 after completing his Diploma in Management Studies with a major in Insurance and Risk Management from Grant MacEwan Community College.

Since then, Clisdell has grown his career from junior underwriter to senior underwriter, honed his field underwriting skills with extensive focus on building broker relationships and writing larger new business, to his current role as a Midmarket P&C Underwriter.  He earned his CIP designation in 2007 and CRM designation in 2009.

Outside of work, Clisdell loves spending time with his family and is an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys camping, hiking, fishing, and playing sports.

“It feels amazing and extremely rewarding to be recognized,” Clisdell says of his nomination by Acera Insurance, a broker member of the Canadian Broker Network, Canada’s largest network of independent brokers. “It reinforces not only the quality and consistency of, and commitment to, the service I strive to provide, but also the excellent relationships and partnerships I’ve been able to form over the years.”

Q: What makes a great underwriter-broker working relationship?

“Being efficient, having strong communication, and ultimately sharing the common goal of providing excellent service and solutions where we can to help our customers.”

Q: Why did you become an underwriter, and what do you love most about your role?

“My dad has been in commercial insurance for as long as I can remember, and it was a discussion with him as I began looking for a career that led me to the Insurance and Risk Management program at Grant MacEwan in Edmonton, and eventually finding a role in underwriting with Aviva. I love learning about various industries and how they operate — from manufacturing to energy, contracting, and more. It’s very interesting learning about the processes, risk controls, and risk management that make up these operations.”

Q: What’s the biggest challenge for underwriters in P&C currently, and one thing they can do to overcome it?

“Attracting and retaining talent. Innovative ‘perks’ need to be looked at to try to change the narrative, whether it comes in the form of flexible work arrangements, benefits packages, or other things. Compensation will always be a focus for employees, especially when inflation, and thus the rising cost of living, continues to be an issue — which is out of the industry’s control. But a recent focus on issues like work/life balance and health and wellness are areas where ‘perks’ can be offered to help attract and retain talent.”

Q: Given the current talent shortage, what would you say to encourage people to join the industry?

“There are so many interesting paths within the insurance industry — whether it’s in claims, underwriting, loss control, business development, actuarial, human resources, and much more — to roles on the broker side as well. The industry offers great opportunities to advance and succeed. It’s a stable industry that can provide you with an excellent, challenging, and fulfilling career.”

Q: What’s one opportunity you think underwriters should focus more on in today’s marketplace?

“Developing relationships with your broker partners. Email has become such a major component to communication within our business, but it doesn’t result in strong relationships being formed. Underwriters should continue to take the opportunity to make a phone call or visit their broker partners to establish and grow relationships.”

Q: How do you see technology, including AI, impacting the role of underwriters in the coming years?

“I honestly don’t know. The things already being done with AI are quite amazing, and there most likely will be a place for this and other advanced technologies within the industry. I haven’t quite wrapped my head around it yet, but I do believe the ‘human element’ will always be needed when it comes to the art of underwriting.”

The Canadian Broker Network Underwriter of the Year awards is a flagship program that CBN has been running on behalf of its members since 2017. The program is exclusive to CBN in partnership with Canadian Underwriter magazine. The categories allow for each of our member firms, at their option, to select one commercial lines underwriter winner as well as one personal lines underwriter winner from a primary market. The program evolved in 2021 to also allow for one commercial lines underwriter from an MGA in addition to the other two categories. The criteria includes underwriting excellence and risk knowledge; prompt and effective responsiveness back to CBN members; writing business that satisfies clients’ needs while creating a win-win for the broker and the insurer; a positive, helpful attitude; and investing time to develop trusting relationships with brokers.

Full list of 2024 Underwriters of the Year Award