Meet your future boss: Marc-André Dallaire, Manager – Personal Insurance Underwriting

Hello, Marc-André. What is your position at Promutuel Insurance?

Hello. I’ve been working at Promutuel Insurance for almost four years now. I started as Senior Actuarial Advisor, which enabled me to develop the underwriting model for New Brunswick. A few months later, I became Manager – Personal Home and Auto Insurance Underwriting.

Wow!That’s a big move in a few months!But it took more time to build your entire career, right? Give us 5 figures that sum up your professional experience.

- 2 years in France: I started by earning a bachelor’s degree in actuarial science from Université Laval in Québec City. Then I took advantage of university exchange programs to hop the pond over to France, specifically Grenoble, where I did the equivalent of a master’s in finance. After that, I stayed in France and did a one-year internship as an economic analyst for the Casino group in Saint-Étienne. When I came back I knew without a doubt that I wanted a career in the actuarial field!

- 1 year while I was cutting my teeth in actuarial work: Back to Québec City, I began my career as a junior actuarial analyst for an insurance company working mainly with a broker network. I stayed on with them for a year and a half and helped with underwriting for the business auto and commercial vehicles sectors.

- 10 years with a big player in direct distribution: It was a long and enriching experience. I started as an actuarial underwriting analyst in auto and nonstandard insurance as well as for group and association rates. After a few years, I specialized in corporate actuarial services and became a senior analyst. Specifically, I worked on reserves, reinsurance, budgets, and dynamic capital adequacy testing (DCAT). Then I had the opportunity to rise through the ranks to become a corporate actuarial manager, supervising a six-person team for five years.

- 3 years for an insurance company working with exclusive representatives: This was a new challenge for me, but still in the same area of specialization. I started as a senior actuarial advisor on the corporate team. I developed the models for reserves, budgets, and DCAT for a new company in Ontario. In this position I worked a bit like an internal consultant: I had a lot of leeway to propose and implement the most suitable models. I also had the chance to move up to a position as a senior risk management advisor.

- 4 years with Promutuel Insurance: We discussed that earlier.

Now that we know a bit more about you, tell us about your team.

I am excited to lead a team of eight young and very motivated people, with a good blend of profiles and backgrounds ranging from a newcomer to the field to someone with about ten years of experience. Most people are at the Québec City office, but the team is also expanding at our Longueuil office.

What was your team’s biggest achievement in the past four years?

That’s easy. It’s how we’ve improved our underwriting methods and techniques while staying true to the business model of mutual insurance associations. This aspect is very important in our day-to-day because providing mutual insurance associations (our clients) with advice and methods is what we do. Not only do we need a firm grasp of the technical aspects, we also have to be good communicators able to explain complex concepts.

How would you describe the work atmosphere on your team?

For me it’s about cooperation, sharing expertise, developing skills, and, above all, having fun at work. I know that may seem trivial, but it’s a big priority on my team.

Today, what types of job profiles are you looking for on your team?

In terms of experience, I’m looking for seasoned individuals with five to ten years of experience in underwriting, as well as specific experience in the business auto and home insurance sectors. As for personality, I gravitate toward people who are eager to jump in and share their know-how and experience with a younger team. People known for their intellectual curiosity, who stay on top of market trends and new techniques, and who are always looking to hone their skills.

Tell us the number one reason why it’s more enjoyable and more of a “win-win” to work with your team rather than elsewhere on the market?

Proactivity! Thanks to the structure of our business—not too big, not too small—we can afford to be very creative and develop and implement new ideas and concepts very quickly, which is not necessarily possible in the big corporate structures I’ve worked in before.

How do you motivate your team?

To me, motivation is connected to the freedom I give my team to do their jobs. I’m not a micromanager. I like when people come to me with new solutions that they came up with on their own. I also want everyone to have the chance to show the fruit of their labour and get the recognition they deserve. That’s how I motivate my team.

Thanks, Marc-André! How can people interested in joining your adventure contact you?

Contact me on LinkedIn, send me an invite, tell me about your background and, most importantly, your aspirations.

We look forward to meeting you!