Melissa Boyars
Claims operations manager and technical excellence coordinator UK
Generali U.K., a unit of Generali Group
London
Age: 29

Underwriting or broking may be the first jobs that come to mind when people think about careers in the insurance sector, but claims operations play one of the most significant roles in the industry, says Melissa Boyars.

“It’s really where the value is and why clients continue to place their business with an insurer,” she said.

In addition, claims management skills help improve overall risk management, Ms. Boyars said.

“You are looking at clients and you are able to see that there’s been an incident that’s caused a loss, then you look at trends and say, ‘Where can we improve things?’” she said.

Her analytical skill set and desire to focus on innovation and transformation led her to claims and operational management.

After graduating from Leeds University with a degree in economics, she joined a graduate training program at Lloyd’s of London, eventually landing at the London office of Lockton Cos. LLC, which offered her a position with the risk practices and claims analysis team, including helping implement a new claims system.

In 2018 she joined the U.K. unit of Italian insurer Generali Group’s global corporate and commercial risks division as a claims operations manager where her responsibilities include driving innovation and transformation in the claims sector. 

This year she added the role of technical excellence coordinator for the U.K., where she works with Generali colleagues in multiple countries.

“The operational remit is what most interests me, especially around innovation and transformation in the insurance industry. I think there are so many opportunities,” she said.

Mark Cameron, a consultant who began working with Ms. Boyars in 2018 when she joined Generali, said she has exceptional operational skills, including the ability to navigate different cultures when working on global claims reporting standards.

“She’s very professional and very confident but not so confident that she’s arrogant,” he said.

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