2024 Underwriters of the Year | Matthew Poce, Commercial Lines Underwriter, Intact Insurance

Matthew Poce’s insurance journey is both a testament to his unwavering commitment to helping others, and a reflection of the career growth opportunities offered within the industry.

Poce entered insurance as a summer student with Aviva in 2018. The following year, he interned at Intact Insurance’s Individually Rated Commercial Auto team while attending Trent University. Upon graduating in 2022 with a joint major in business and sociology, with a specialization in advertising, Poce was enrolled in Intact’s underwriter development program. He has been in his current role since the start of 2023.

Poce enjoys video games and is an avid golfer who tries to get on the course at least three times a week during the summer. He also loves spending time with his wonderful girlfriend and two-year-old Shih Tzu, Stella.

“When Mackay Insurance [Brokers Inc.], a broker member of the Canadian Broker Network, took the time to nominate me, it was very motivating to be rewarded for all the dedication that both the brokerage and I put into our day-to-day tasks,” Poce says of his award recognition.

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

“Communication, trust, and consistency are key contributors to a great working relationship, which is crucial to the success of any transaction. Understanding each other’s requirements and constraints and being able to rely on each other to meet deadlines and provide quality service are essential.”

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

“With a degree in sociology and business, I quickly realized I wanted to pursue a career that involved helping people. My mother, who has worked in the insurance industry my whole life, got me my initial opportunity at Intact. From the start, it was clear to me that the insurance industry could encompass all the factors I was looking for. I enjoy the problem-solving involved in my day-to-day tasks and building relationships with my colleagues and brokers.”

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

“Navigating hard and soft market cycles. The best way to overcome this challenge is to strengthen, collaborate, and further develop relationships with our brokers. This will help us better understand the market from their perspective and tailor solutions to meet their needs, ultimately benefiting clients.”

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

“Since I joined the industry, one significant evolution is the greater focus on customer-centric solutions. The industry has evolved to place more emphasis on creating tailored solutions that meet specific customer needs, rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all product.”

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

“The insurance industry offers a wide range of career paths and transferable skills. This diversity allows individuals to find a niche that suits their skills and interests. Skills gained in the industry — such as risk management, data analysis, and customer service — are highly transferable and valued across multiple sectors.”

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

“I see technology and AI having many positive implications for my role and the industry. Automation can help simplify underwriters’ jobs, better analyze risk, and provide us more time to focus on the most important part of the job: building relationships.”

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