Condo Media - February 2020 - 64

Ask a Busy Person
their claims and their insurance costs
down. The per-unit option isn't the right
fit for all communities, but if it is, it can
be a great risk management tool. It's
something boards should discuss with
their insurance agent.

Why did you choose insurance as a
career? I was planning to become a
lawyer, but while I was in school, I did
an internship with Northwest Mutual
Life Insurance. I enjoyed the experience.
When I graduated, I went to work for
my father, who had a small niche agency,
providing insurance to drilling and
blasting contractors nationally. I worked
with him until he sold the business.
How did you come to specialize in
condominium insurance? I was a
generalist when I started, working for
a firm with a broad client base. That
gave me experience in many different
areas. Several years ago, I joined the
Rodman Insurance Agency (now Brown
& Brown of Massachusetts), which was
big in the condominium space. I worked
closely with Jeff Grosser, one of the
principals, who taught me a lot about
condominium insurance and about
working with condominium boards
and property managers.
What do you like most about what
you do? I enjoy the complexity. There
are so many issues you have to consider
when advising condominium clients and
so many different people and different
personalities involved in the process.
You have an eclectic mix of people on
association boards, different ages and
different backgrounds-all volunteering
their time, and trying to make decisions
in an area in which they aren't experts.
My sports background shows here, but
everyone involved in the process-the
board members, the association manager
and the insurance agent-are all on the
same team. My job is to help everyone
row in the same direction, and it's very
satisfying when I'm able to do that.
What do you find most challenging?
Making myself unique. There are
a lot of competitors in this field with
different skills and experience and it's
hard to stand out. That makes me want
to go above and beyond-to go beyond
the industry standards-to do things
differently or do them better. I think

64

CONDOMEDIA February 2020

THOMAS SHIELDS, CLCS
PRODUCER
BROWN & BROWN INSURANCE
I was able to do that recently working
with the developer of a residential
project in the seaport area of Boston.
He needed flood insurance and was
having trouble finding it at an affordable
price. I was able to find what he needed
and I felt really good about that-not
only because I was able to help this
client, but because I was able to do
something others said couldn't be done.
What is the biggest mistake
condominium boards make in
selecting insurance? They focus too
much on the price they're paying and not
enough on the coverage they're getting.
What are the major trends
you're seeing in the
condominium insurance
area? Insurers continue
to be sensitive to losses-
especially to water damage
claims. A lot of insurers do
business nationally, so heavy losses in
one state can affect their appetite and
pricing in another. They are insisting on
higher deductibles and becoming more
selective about the coverages they are
willing to write. Some condominium
boards are considering per-unit rather
than aggregate deductibles, to keep

You are doing a lot with CAI-New
England. Why is that important
to you? CAI is a great information
resource. Being involved allows
me to establish connections with
professionals involved in all facets
of the condominium industry. It's an
organization of people who care about
the industry and who want to move
forward, and I want to be part of that.
What do you do in your spare time-
if you have any? I have two kids-
4 and 6-and I carve out as much time
for them as possible. We love anything
involving the water, which is where you
will usually find us.
What would it surprise people
to know about you? That I love
coaching sports. I played sports-
football especially-throughout my
college years, and I've coached football
since. Coaching-working with young
people-gives me great joy. The things
I've learned from coaching-how to
communicate with different people,
how to solve problems, how to cope
with adversity and success- I apply
every day to my work and my life.
What advice would you give
condominium boards on selecting
insurance? Make sure you get the
right coverages, and get the professional
advice you need.
What's the best advice you ever got?
My father often gave us motivational
quotes to contemplate. One came from
Henry Ford: "You can't build a reputation
on what you're going to do." That idea,
that actions matter more than words,
stuck with me. It's one of the things that
keeps me going, knowing that if I don't
do something, someone else will.
Condo Media - February 2020

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