Can you describe your business in one or two sentences?
Ensuring the right amount of money gets to the right people at the right time in the event of an unforeseen illness or injury occurring.
Tourelle Life Brokers pride themselves in being there for our clients at claim time, we have an in house claims specialist who takes care of clients when times are tough.
What drove you to start your business/get involved in this industry?
I am process driven and enjoy watching a process from start to finish. Risk insurance is a very process driven business – great to see the best outcome for a business owner from start to finish when they are unable to work due to an illness or an injury.
What do you love about running your business?
Being involved in the process of a business owner having needs and wants, putting a package of risk insurance policies in place and seeing the results when a claim occurs. When an unforeseen event occurs, and a claim is triggered, making sure the right amount of money is paid in a timely manner to the right people.
What have been some of your biggest challenges?
Compliance has been one of the biggest challenges in our industry over the past two years. The need for more administration staff to run the business and the additional costs of compliance every year.
What is your biggest ambition?
Educating medium to large business owners on risk management. There are many different insurance and ACC products to provide lump sum cash payments or cashflow injections into a business when a business owner is forced to leave the business temporarily or permanently due to an illness or an injury. Providing education around equity buy out insurance – called an unplanned exit strategy, cashflow management – called a preservation strategy and personal insurance – what is required at home to keep the family running.
This requires working with business owners, Accountants and Lawyers to orchestrate a risk management plan.
What does success look like to you?
Having fewer clients who require greater servicing needs for which I could charge an annual fee.
If you had to walk away from the company tomorrow, what would you be most proud of?
Always putting the client’s needs first and foremost. Tourelle Life Brokers can use six different insurance Companies in New Zealand. Each have their different strengths. Ensuring I do the right recommendation for each and every client takes in-depth knowledge of the insurance industry, care and time. I truly care about every one of my clients.
Who inspires you and why?
My husband Andre Tourelle. Andre’s family has been in the insurance business for three generations. Andre cares about his clients, he knows that claim time is where the knowledge of our industry comes to the forefront. He has taught me, to always put the client’s needs first and foremost and the business will succeed.
What growth have you experienced being in Venus?
I have learnt to network and I have come to the top of my networking cycle. I now need to “network up” Venus will help and encourage me to do so.
What’s your favourite pastime when you are not working?
I live at Waihi Beach, so to be honest, just chilling in and around the beach! I enjoy playing 8 ball (pool), pumping weights at the gym and yoga on a weekly basis. I had enjoyed gardening until the rain ruined by grapes! That will be my focus this summer, to give my garden some TLC and to start taking photos again of the beautiful scenery at Waihi Beach.
Karen Tourelle
