When Art Meets Risk: The Story of an Insurance Career That Began in Art History

When most people picture an insurance professional, they imagine someone with a background in finance, mathematics, or economics. They probably don’t picture someone with a History of Art degree who once dreamed of working in art or fashion journalism. But for 25‑year‑old Olivia Hazell, now an Underwriting Assistant in Fine Art & Specie with SCOR Business Solutions, the road to insurance was anything but expected.

Her story is a reminder that the industry thrives not only on analytical ability, but on curiosity, diverse backgrounds, and desire to explore the unexpected.

How a Love for Art Led to an Unexpected Career in Underwriting

The arts have always been Olivia’s greatest passion. Growing up, she fell in love with painting, drawing and ceramics, and spent most weekends attending different exhibitions and galleries. When it came time to choose a degree, she discovered History of Art almost by accident but quickly became fixated on attending the Courtauld Institute of Art, where she completed her Bachelor of Arts between 2019 and 2022.

For three years, she immersed herself in British Contemporary art, French Impressionism, and the provocative work of the Young British Artists Movement, the focus of her final year studies and her dissertation.

“History of Art…”, she explains, “…is not merely about paintings on a wall; it’s a way of understanding human behavior, socio-political influence, and wider cultural shifts on a global scale”.

But when graduation approached, she found herself uncertain about what came next. Working for auctioneers or art dealerships didn’t feel like the right fit, with further studies in curation, conservation, or art law also failing to spark any real excitement.

“Despite all my love of the subject…” she says, “…the traditional roles available in the art world didn’t inspire the drive and ambition I want from my career.” Instead, she saw her future in fashion or luxury goods, and explored potential roles in journalism, art direction, PR, and digital marketing.

Following the final year of her studies, Olivia moved to Stockholm for a three‑month internship in a digital marketing agency, where she unexpectedly stayed for nearly three years. At first, it felt like the creative world she had always pictured: partnerships with major beauty brands and fashion houses, upscale events and pop-ups, and celebrity collaborations. But over time, the allure faded.

“It felt increasingly superficial as I continued to gain experience in the sector. I started to get the sense that the work I was doing was failing to contribute to any larger goal other than feeding into the constant churn of social media and digital consumerism that we all experience day-to-day,” she shares. “And most of all, I no longer felt connected to the art world and the deep passion I have for this subject. I wanted to find something that bridged creativity, people, and, ideally, fine art”.

So, when she returned to London, unsure of her next step, it was a message from a broker she had met years prior which unexpectedly reopened a door she had once firmly closed: insurance.

“It was actually my parents who encouraged me to at least have the conversation,” she says, even though she still felt that insurance was “too numbers‑based,” too technical, and too far from her natural talents and interests.

That conversation completely changed her perspective.

Stepping into Insurance

What Olivia didn’t expect was how naturally her background would translate into Fine Art & Specie Underwriting, which focuses on insuring high value, unique and specialized assets, including private and corporate art collections, travelling exhibitions memorabilia, precious metals, cash-in-transit, jewelry, and other items of exceptional cultural and financial value. She quickly realized that insurance plays a crucial role in preserving the cultural objects she loves.

“As underwriters, we become part of the provenance of these works, not only protecting the physical value of the assets, but their wider cultural significance and position within the art historical canon,” she says.

Receiving a submission for an upcoming exhibition or private collection often means reviewing works she once admired in textbooks or museums. Her ability to connect with and understand these pieces is a significant point of inspiration in her day-to-day life.

Whilst some of her colleagues are energized by cash‑in‑transit or crypto, Olivia is motivated by the irreplaceable quality of art. She instinctively understands the extraordinary measures undertaken by museums and private owners alike to protect collections from a wide range of perils, her academic expertise helping her contextualize risk in ways that pure technical training cannot.

However, the transition wasn’t easy. In her first months, she often left meetings, understanding only a small portion of what had been discussed. But she learned to accept that as part of the process.

“You can’t learn the whole insurance market in your first year. It’s a constant learning process,” she says. “And that’s a completely universal experience.”

What made the difference was the collaborative culture at SCOR and her team at SCOR Business Solutions. She emphasizes that underwriters are supported by entire teams in claims, operations, and compliance, all working together to make writing a risk possible.

“Everyone at SCOR is willing to offer support however they can,” she says. This has been fundamental in building her confidence and her understanding of the market.

Learning the Craft of Underwriting

As an Underwriting Assistant, Olivia supports the FA&S Team by managing the operational core of the underwriting process, overseeing data quality, compliance, aggregation, pricing, and above all, upholding data integrity across the entire book and ensuring adherence to all Lloyd’s regulatory requirements. She also spends significant time shadowing Underwriters at the Box – a physical space in Lloyds where underwriters meet brokers face-to-face, observing how risks are presented and written in line with appetites and market trends.

Olivia is a strong believer that diverse academic backgrounds strengthen underwriting teams. An array of professional and intellectual experiences create different ways of evaluating risk and the diverse appetites needed to build a balanced portfolio.

"Different appetites are crucial for a diversified book of business, which, as a result, ensures the spread of risk and resilience against any potential losses,” she explains.

Her background brings value not only in terms of Fine Art, but also in understanding the cultural, historical, and societal dimensions that influence the wider Specie market. It shapes the questions she asks, the conversations she has with brokers, and the way she analyses submissions.

And she’s not alone; many of her fellow underwriters and most inspiring peers within the FA&S market have come from unexpected backgrounds too.

Olivia is already thinking ahead, working towards gaining her authority and becoming an underwriter herself.

Finding Meaning in Insurance

Above all, Olivia has found something she didn’t expect to find in insurance: a real love for what she does.

For her, and so many others, underwriting is so much more than what they initially perceived to be a career rooted in complex spreadsheets and Excel formulas. It’s about being part of a global ecosystem that protects people, culture, and assets, from everyday risks to one‑of‑a‑kind masterpieces.

“It’s very special when you find something that clicks,” she says. “And when you’re in an environment that supports you.”

After years of feeling disconnected in her previous job, Olivia now looks forward to a long career in insurance, which will be built on her passion for art, her curiosity, and her eagerness to learn.