Crissy McKay—Personal Lines Insurance Broker, Jones & Associates
Crissy’s parents worked in insurance. She got her start in the industry at age 10, stuffing envelopes on Wednesdays after school. She worked her way up from there, ultimately becoming a Personal Lines Broker at Jones & Associates. Her favourite part of being a broker is “being able to educate and help people, and give them guidance when they don’t know where to turn.”
Crissy recently took on the role of Education Chair for the Insurance Brokers Association of North Western Ontario (IBANWO). “I’m really passionate about education and insurance is so interesting to me. It’s so multifaceted. So I’m excited about the role.”
When she’s not at work or volunteering with her Affiliate, Crissy spends her time with her three-year-old daughter and their rescue cat. This is a day in her life
6:30AM: I wake up, make some tea and breakfast and enjoy a quiet half hour before anyone else wakes up. This often involves some pre-game snuggles with my cat.
8:00AM: Positive affirmations or dance party! We make sure that no matter what, we rock out and tell ourselves how ready we are to have a great day.
9:00AM: Work time—I put on music, pick an album or two for the day, which can be anything from Tool to Simon and Garfunkel. I check emails and voicemails and work my way down the list of urgency.
10:00AM: Time for a coffee, and I try to say hello to at least one co-worker I haven’t talked to in a few days, taking 5 minutes to catch up.
10:15AM: This is when I like to work on my big projects—re-writes, quotes, new business and claim follow up.
12:00PM: I usually use this time to review policies and reach out to clients to make sure there aren’t any concerns, answer any questions about their policy or the industry as a whole. This is my favourite part of the day. It helps to build our relationship with clients.
2:00PM: I have a weird lunch break, but 2:00 is when I get to relax. Either a quick stretch, or a little reading—currently reading A Stolen Life: A Memoir by Jaycee Lee Duggard.
3:00PM: Back to the grind. By now, more emails and phone calls have come my way. I try to take care of the immediate need and plan my day for tomorrow.
5:00PM: I pick up my munchkin from daycare and make dinner. This is where meal prep is an asset. My daughter often won’t eat her food, but I make it anyway.
6:30PM: I wind down and get my daughter ready for bed with a few books, maybe a song.
9:00PM: I end the day with music or a podcast—usually Joe Rogan—and head to bed.
8:00PM: I try to fit in exercise, usually 15–30 minutes of cardio and stretching.