Alvaro Ungaretti
- MSc course: Insurance and Risk Management
- Graduation year: 2022
What motivated you to study MSc Insurance and Risk Management?
I'm a Brazilian student and a third generation of insurance broker. Our family business is an 80-year-old insurance broking firm focused on corporate insurance. My undergraduate studies were in Engineering, and I decided to study MSc Insurance and Risk Management to join my family's company. My interest about the London Insurance Market was sparked by my father and my grandfather, from who I was always listening about the Lloyd's of London and how all risks could be insured on the London Insurance Market. Therefore, since then, I decided that I wanted to study Insurance in London.
How did you find MSc Insurance and Risk Management at Bayes Business School?
The whole programme was very well designed to allow the students to absorb most of the lectures and the activities. I most liked the practical and real approach of the lectures and course. Most of the classes were designed to provide practical cases of study and to see the real implication of everything we have learnt in class. In addition, the school and professors have managed to bring several guest speakers to speak about real cases. This provided a massive opportunity for us to see how the theory we had learnt was being applied by important professionals in the industry. Also, the whole program offers a deep knowledge of the risk and insurance industry, which is the best opportunity for a student to enter the industry with good knowledge.
You were invited to visit Lloyd’s of London; can you tell us a bit about this experience?
When I received the invitation to attend the Lloyd's visit as part of the MSc Insurance and Risk Management, I was sure this could be an important moment for my experience during my master's degree. During the visit, I was able to see in person how the Lloyd's market works and to live for one afternoon how a professional from the insurance market lives. The visit passed through all physical parts of the Lloyd's building, and along the way it was shown all details of the market's history and current practices.
It was very interesting to see how the Lloyd's market keeps old traditions while working in a high-performance corporate environment. The market keeps old traditions, from dress codes to quill-written claims books. The market underwrites complex risks from all over the world and still operates with the same historical method. In my opinion, it was one of the most critical moments of my master's experience. It was inspiring to see how the market works and to live for one day the London market. During the visit, it was possible to learn important things about insurance and risk management, especially practical aspects of the market. The visit allowed us to see the importance of technical knowledge and strong relations with the market participants. It was very good to see in practice how the insurance and risk industry is able to deal with a wide range of different risks, and almost all risks could be transferred on the Lloyd's insurance market.
What advice would you have for potential MSc Insurance and Risk Management applicants?
My advice for potential applicants is to enjoy every opportunity to make contact with professionals and colleagues. The insurance industry is based on relationships, and the environment created by the school is one of the best places to make valuable contacts and to work with some brilliant minds.