Janet Lawe, financial adviser at Lawe Insurance Brokers in Kingston, Jamaica speaks to Health & Protection about how she got involved in international health insurance, the influence of her husband and manager on her career, her regional success stretching to Latin America, where else she would like to live and why she sings of the Goodness of God.
How long have you been in the international health insurance/benefits advice industry and why did you start working in it?
I have been doing international health for more than 18 years. Prior to this I sold US Life with Mutual of New York.
I was offered the opportunity to sell international health which piqued my interest, and I took the opportunity.
How long have you been with your present firm and which markets (geographically, industry, people) does your company do business in?
I have been full time with Lawe Insurance Brokers for 10 years.
My company markets health products mainly to higher income persons which include business professionals and company insurance.
We market to people and companies in all parishes of Jamaica.
What is the biggest factor affecting the international health and benefits space for you and your firm?
The biggest factor affecting international health is claims processing, pre-existing conditions and new competition who readily accept people with pre-existing conditions.
Who has been your most important mentor throughout your career?
My most important mentor is my husband who is also my manager and Patrick Lawe who is the president of Lawe Insurance Brokers.
Also important has been attending insurance conferences and being exposed to the art of insurance sales -especially as it relates to closing.
What advice would you give people thinking about working in the international health and benefits sector?
I would highly recommend working in the international market, but it’s also important to have a market…. people who can afford the product.
My advice really, is to be organised, pay attention to details, love people, and to treat this business like a practice and not a ‘stop gap’.
The compensation and renewals are very good so that is a great motivator.
What has been your greatest success at work?
My greatest success is for five consecutive years being Top of the Table and being in 2023 the top salesperson overall for Jamaica, the Caribbean and Latin America.
Another success was being chosen in 2023 as committee member for the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT)/ Top of the Table.
What are your top three priorities for the next year?
My top three priorities for next year are:
- Focusing more on group business, health, life and disability
- Focusing on US$1m premium income for international health and disability
- Focusing on my personal health and fitness
What is one personal skill that most people do not know about?
One personal skill that most people do not know about is that most insurance agents are highly skilled professionals who handle the overall financial portfolio of individuals.
People generally are of the assumption that advisors only focus on insurance products.
However, it’s more than this. We are looking at the entire financial portfolio/security of individuals, families and businesses.
What mantra do you live by?
‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you’.
If you could work in any location in the world, what would it be?
I am very happy working in Jamaica, but I do believe I would also be happy working in some parts of the United States and more Caribbean countries.
What song would you regard as your theme tune?
Goodness of God by CeCe Winans.