October 2024 producer spotlight is on Clint Bailey, executive producer for Acrisure. Interestingly enough, Clint spent 10 years as a high school chemistry teacher and has used his teaching acumen to become a successful insurance producer. He’s now been in the insurance industry for more than 20 years, and we got the chance to learn more about his extraordinary transition from chemistry teacher to insurance producer in a recent chat with him.
Tell us a bit about who you are, your current position, how you got there and how long you’ve been at it.
Clint’s journey began at UCSD in San Diego, where he majored in Animal Physiology, which is a biology major. “I was always science based,” Clint said, “and so, when I graduated high school, I gravitated towards majoring in the science fields. I went to UCSD and studied Animal Physiology, which is a biology major.” After college, he spent 10 years as a high school chemistry teacher before joining his mother’s successful insurance agency specializing in mobile and manufactured communities.
Clint shared that although his mom always wanted him to work for her, but he had other plans. “Being a young, headstrong kid, I wanted to go pay my own way and do my own thing. But after teaching for 10 years, my mom reminded me that the opportunity was still there to work with her, and although I loved teaching and enjoyed my kids, I made the move to the insurance industry, and I’ve never looked back.”
According to Clint, it was a tough decision to leave, and in his final year of teaching he was named Teacher of the Year and won what was called the Golden Apple. And though it was difficult to leave, Clint has successfully carried the values and expertise he used as a teacher into a successful 20-year career in the insurance industry.
How has your teaching experience translated into teaching and mentoring others?
Clint’s teaching background significantly influenced his approach to client interactions. He started as a client service representative and quickly pursued Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) courses. “I began as a client service representative (CSR) and within the first few years, I enrolled in Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) courses and passed all the tests and put the time into learning what I was selling. I used my skill at teaching and combined them into providing better service to my clients.”
He emphasizes that many people in the insurance industry lack a fundamental understanding of insurance. “Getting an insurance license is not the hardest, most challenging thing to do. It’s a pretty easy exam to say the least, but the CIC requires some actual studying and understanding of how policy forms and coverages work and the different nuances of insurance.” He described that really digging into learning about these intricacies enabled him to help not only his clients, but also the lenders he works with, especially in the niche field of manufactured housing. “That is the key,” Clint said. “And as you educate your clients and lenders, you build more trust.”
What’s the most common misconception do clients often have about your job?
Clients often mistakenly believe that agents control pricing and market conditions. Clint notes, “The major misconception is that as an agent, we can control pricing and overall market appetite. And that is not specific to the manufactured housing sector, I think it’s overall.”
He explains that agents are often blamed for these changes, despite having no control over market fluctuations. “15 years ago, the industry was pretty smooth. It was an easier time. We would write the policies and renewals, and they were pretty much smooth each year. We’ve hit a freak hard market where clients are seeing 100%, 200% price increases in a single cycle sometimes. And how do you explain this to somebody?”
Clint compares himself to the agent down the street. And from his perspective, the only thing that separates them is the service that he provides. “What are we doing for you? Are we providing you the education, the understanding of the insurance market? Do we pick up the phone when you call? Do we to your emails in a timely fashion? Are we getting things done? That’s what differentiates me from agent down the road.”
What personal tips and shortcuts have made your job easier?
Clint asserts that there are no shortcuts in insurance. “What has enabled me to become successful in the industry is a commitment to finding solutions for my clients, even when the market itself is unforgiving. This requires reaching out to multiple people in the industry and finding a ‘yes,’ when others say ‘no.’”
He actively builds relationships with real estate agents, loan brokers, and property managers in the mobile home park sector to facilitate referrals. “I have made a concerted effort to know all the real estate agents, loan brokers, lending companies and property managers that work in the mobile home park space. This makes referrals a smooth process.”
Clint’s perception is that many agents do what’s worked for them in the past, but Clint believes in not resting on your laurels. Clint shared, “The problem is a lot of times the market appetite changes, sometimes severely, especially in the mobile home industry, and you can’t always do what you’ve always done. So, I’ve not taken a shortcut…I start making calls, start having some conversations that open up communication with others, and what I’ve found is that through a lot of diligence and a lot of work, I find new solutions that might not have been there before.”
What’s the worst part of the job and how do you deal with it?
The hardest part of Clint’s job is delivering bad news about rising costs due to market conditions. “The biggest challenge of being a property and casualty broker who specializes in real estate has been the hardening of the market. As the market has changed dramatically for the worse in the past five years, we are constantly put in a position of having to relay large price increases to our clients.”
To mitigate this challenge, he prioritizes setting client expectations early and maintaining open communication. “The only positive or proper solution is getting in front of the situation and setting clients’ expectations about what is coming due to the market shifts and letting them know you have them in mind. Don’t bring it on three days before renewal.”
What’s the most enjoyable part of your job?
Clint finds joy in educating clients about their insurance policies and correcting common misconceptions. “Once again, I would have to say taking the time to teach my clients how the insurance policy they are purchasing works and what might be the incorrect assumptions made by many clients purchasing the coverage. I put a lot of effort in understanding what I am selling, and I enjoy helping my clients better understand the coverages. It is finding the solutions that is an enjoyable feeling, and it has really led me to be highly successful at what I do. There’s a value I provide in this industry. I’m selling a lot more than just a piece of paper, and there’s enjoyment that comes out of that when we can get the deal done for my clients.”
How did you learn about Arrowhead?
Clint became familiar with Arrowhead General through local industry interactions and their acquisition of a mobile home park insurance program. “Arrowhead General had an office here in San Diego. I was involved in the IBA here in San Diego and would interact with the staff at Arrowhead. When Arrowhead acquired the mobile home park insurance program, the rest was history. As an agent who writes mobile home park communities all over the United States, the partnership was the perfect fit.”
What made you decide to choose Arrowhead and its Manufactured Housing program?
Clint appreciates Arrowhead’s strong underwriting team and competitive pricing. “There were great underwriters who have a solid understanding of the industry, as well as a solid carrier who offers both admitted and non-admitted options.”
What about Arrowhead’s program makes it an easy sell for you? What makes it difficult?
“The policy has great coverage forms and competitive pricing. Owners of mobile home park business know and respect the program. Also, the access of excess liability tied to the general liability is a huge plus. Difficulty would be the lack of an ability to package auto coverage with the park package, as well as expansion of wind availability in CAT states.”
What are typical objections you hear, and how do you overcome them?
Clint has a high success rate when quoting mobile home parks with Arrowhead. “Honestly, I find that if I quote a mobile home park with Arrowhead, we will write the account 90% of the time. The success rate is huge. And the few times that we do not place the new business is usually due to factors out of our control, such as the real estate deal falling out of contract. It’s not anything that we did wrong. It’s just the two parties couldn’t come to an agreement. And as such, it’s not going to go forward.”We will always hear pricing objections, as the owners are always looking for lower pricing. But once they see some of the alternative options in the market, they are usually jumping to place with the Arrowhead program.
What insurance industry trends do you see shaping the future of what you’re doing?
Looking ahead, Clint believes that recent price increases will persist as the market stabilizes. “I think what’s happening right now is that a lot of the current players are readjusting the rates that have gone up. They’ve created what is more sustainable for the long term. And so, what I assume is going to happen is that we’re going to start seeing some stability with where our pricing is right now.”
What advice would you give to those aspiring to join your profession, or advice to newbies in the field?
Clint advises newcomers to prioritize relationship-building by communicating directly with clients and carriers. “Pick up the phone. Make sure you establish a solid relationship with your clients and carriers by speaking to those you are working with. I find that a certain lack of connection can happen in just emailing, and sometimes a misunderstanding of intent.”
He emphasizes that personal connections lead to better retention rates. “Emails are essential in making the job more efficient, but connection is what leads to retention. And we all know that retention is the name of the game.”
Agents, take a look at our program for Manufactured Housing to add to your portfolio of insurance solutions.