Q&A with Carrie Ann Bush

Carrie Ann Bush, CIC is a personal lines underwriter with W.N. Tuscano Agency, a regional insurance wholesaler based in Greensburg, PA. She was the recipient of IA&B’s Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) Designation Scholarship in 2020.

Q. You have a degree in psychology, so how did you find your way into the insurance industry?

A. After graduating college, I started working at a nearby daycare while I considered going back for my master’s. I realized that the daycare wasn’t going to be somewhere I could work for long because I had little room to grow and the pay was minimal. One day I was talking with my neighbor, Nadine Rosensteel – who is now my manager at W. N. Tuscano – and she mentioned that their policy service department was hiring. I decided to take the leap and apply.

I came in with absolutely no knowledge of insurance. A requirement for new hires was to shadow each department, and that’s when I found my current home, our Personal Lines department. I started as an assistant and then a few years later made the transition to an underwriter. While I may not have the same job as most psychology degree graduates, I still work with people and solve problems on a daily basis.

Q. What’s your favorite part of your job, and why?

A. I have a lot of favorites, but if I had to pick one, it is the people I work with both internally and externally. W.N. Tuscano is an amazing employer, and we work with agents from all over the United States. Each day is different from the one before, and I get to build new relationships and grow the ones I already have.

Q. Congratulations on earning your CIC designation! What was the most valuable part of the program for you?

A. Taking courses on topics I don’t work with on daily basis was the most valuable to me. The first course I took was Personal Lines, and as a personal lines underwriter, I was familiar with a lot of the information. When I took the Commercial Lines course, I learned a lot of new information. For instance, I knew very little about coinsurance, but now I feel that I could tell you all about it. I really liked that this program allowed for me to step outside my comfort zone and expand my knowledge across all areas of insurance.

Q. The CIC program can be daunting! What advice would you give someone who’s just beginning the coursework?

A. Have a lot of determination and patience. These classes are a lot of information in a short amount of time. I received my scholarship just prior to COVID, so I had to take them all online. If you are doing them online, you definitely need to be strict on studying as the test is not immediate. I actually was able to take all five courses and pass them all within about 6 months!

Q. What is the best professional advice you’ve received, and who gave it to you?

A. When I was graduating from the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, the former dean of student services, Rick Fogle, whom I worked with from the time I was a freshman, told me that life would throw you curveballs every step of the way and while it isn’t always easy, if you set your mind to it, then anything you want can be possible. This advice has stuck with me.

Work will throw you curveballs – whether it’s a disagreement with a co-worker or an agent, the shifting market, or even changing company guidelines. Insurance is an ever-changing and growing industry, so you must be prepared to think and learn in new ways.

I reflected on the second part of his advice when I applied for the IA&B CIC Designation Scholarship. I heard about it at an IA&B Futures Conference and wasn’t sure if I had a chance, but I thought about how anything is possible and went ahead and applied.

Q. What keeps you busy outside of work?

A. When I am not working, I’m usually reading something – anything from non-fiction to romance to Harry Potter. I also spend as much time as I can with my family and friends. My favorite thing of all is cheering on the Pittsburgh Penguins. I’m known around the office as the “Hockey Guru.” In fact, my cat Flower is actually named after Marc-Andre Fleury, the former Penguins goalie.

Q. Tell us about your hometown – Greensburg, PA!

A. I was born and raised in South Greensburg – a small town with a family-like atmosphere. I actually grew up in the same house my dad did. The town is only 30-45 minutes from Pittsburgh, so there is always the chance to drive downtown and find something to do.

Carrie Ann (second from left) with her sister and parents, cheering on the Pittsburgh Penguins