CAS Profile: Melissa Freed, ACAS
Melissa began her career in health insurance before transitioning to property and casualty (P&C). Over the past six years, she has worked with a variety of product lines, ranging from long-term disability to travel insurance to snowmobiles. Melissa studied at McGill University in Montréal and has worked in both Canada-facing and U.S.-facing insurance roles.
Where do you work and what is your position?
I am a Senior Actuarial Analyst at Allstate. My team handles segmentation and product design for all of our vehicle products.
Why did you decide to become an actuary?
As a teeenager, I spent much of my spare time trying to predict (with very basic statistics) my rankings at future swim competitions. Eventually, my parents told me that there’s a career path that pays you to predict things. 🙂
What parts of the profession do you love the most?
The work allows for so much creativity! In a field where there is never one correct answer, most of the projects I work on leave room for exploring different options, innovating on prior solutions, and developing a personal analytical style. Every task feels like a puzzle — sometimes even a game — where you get to play around until youfind a way to put the pieces together.
What is the best piece of career advice you have ever received?
Determine your personal brand, and sell it. When working in large teams, I found that it’s easy to become lost in the crowd. Over time, I discovered that one doesn’t always need to be the best or most visible analyst to contribute to a team’s success. Soft skills can be just as much of an asset — the key is to find your strengths and to become known for them.
Why would you recommend a career in the P&C insurance industry to current college students?
The industry is constantly growing and innovating. P&C insurance guarantees a dynamic career path with so many applications that one can never be bored. It’s the perfect career for someone who loves variety!
What can students and early professionals do now to prepare for a career in the industry?
Attend as many networking events as possible. Technical and analytical skills will largely be built on the job, but the soft skills required to have a successful interview — and the learning opportunities involved with speaking to industry professionals — can both be gained through networking.