NAME: Jessica Ballard
NEW JOB TITLE: Phoenix-based director of claims, Roamly Insurance Group LLC
PREVIOUS POSITION: Phoenix-based director of claims, Root Insurance
INDUSTRY OUTLOOK: Our industry is ever evolving. Who would have thought when I started in insurance I would be at an organization that provides traditional insurance but also supports peer-to-peer rentals and is leveraging technology to do it all. What this industry grows into and what we will be providing insurance for next is probably some unheard-of idea or concept living on a white board in a college students dorm and I can’t wait to see it come to life.
GOALS FOR NEW POSITION: My goal in this new position is to work with my colleagues to develop a claims team that provides white-glove service to our consumers. Marketplace insurance is evolving and annual traditional insurance needs to evolve with it. Roamly is in the business of doing both, which means we can and will set the tone for meeting our customers’ needs.
CHALLENGES FACING THE INDUSTRY: Like many other companies, we are facing the challenges of working in a pandemic. We are building a product in a space where we must get creative with consumers and employees around the education of our product offering. Insurance education has always been a challenge and Roamly wants to leverage our skills, knowledge and background to change this stigma.
FIRST EXPERIENCE IN THE INDUSTRY JOB MARKET: I began my career in auto insurance at Liberty Mutual. Liberty Mutual was a great place to work to learn the basics of this industry, and they supported me in expanding my knowledge. Without the strong foundation provided to me, I would have never been able to expand my network and learn different parts of this industry.
ADVICE: Focus on the foundational building blocks of insurance. Do not rush the process. Take your time to learn how to read, interpret and adjudicate a claim. After that, learn the different specialty roles such as injury, appraising and subrogation. As you set your career goals and the more you know about how a claim moved from point A to B to C the better you will be at making decisions for your organization.
OUTSIDE THE INDUSTRY, A DREAM JOB: Growing up, I wanted to be a lawyer. My parents and grandparents said I had a rebuttal for everything. This may explain why Im quick to offer to negotiate with an attorney on an injury file or assist in drafting a response to the Department of Insurance.
COLLEGE MAJOR: Business administration
LOOKING FORWARD TO: I am looking forward to expanding the Roamly annual product in more states and redefining how commercial insurance works with marketplace apps.
FAVOURITE MEAL: I love trying new food, but when all else fails I will default to surf and turf.
BOOK: This is a hard one as Im an avid reader, but at the moment my favorite book is “Feeding the Soul (Because It’s My Business),” by Tabitha Brown.
HOBBIES: When I am not working, I enjoy spending time with my family. Anything we get to do together is a win for me. The last few years have taught me to cherish the ones closest to me and don’t take time with them for granted.
TV SHOW: “This is Us.” Im not typically a cryer, but this one gets me every time.
ON A SATURDAY AFTERNOON: Saturday afternoons I like to spend by the pool. Theres something about the water thats so relaxing for me.
