Kathryn Knowles: “It’s important to get the information out there in an accessible format”

Dr Kathryn Knowles, Managing Director at Cura Financial Services, is an award-winning insurance adviser and social media advocate. In our latest ‘Women in Finance’ interview she explains how platforms like Twitter have helped her market her company and fuelled her mission to educate the public on their insurance options.

“You have to respond to what people like,” says Kathryn Knowles she discusses how social media came to play a vital role in raising the profile of her company Cura Financial Services. She goes on to clarify, “It’s not about self promotion…it’s about doing something worthwhile.”

Kathryn’s personable case-study videos, engaging blog posts and sharing of relevant industry news make her Twitter feed (@Kathryn_Cura) a must-follow for those working in or looking for insurance. That it’s peppered with references to the anxiety and hypermobility syndrome with which she lives and dutiful nods to her parental responsibilities further underlines just how relatable, inclusive and positive she is. It’s little wonder she was voted Social Media Influencer of the Year at the 2018 Women in Finance awards.

“I think people like that I’m a woman who knows her stuff,” reflects Kathryn when asked about her burgeoning online following. “It has helped propel our business and propelled me because people have recognised Cura as being quite unique. I’m not saying we’re the only ones doing it, but the way we’ve approached it has been quite unique.”

So what is it that makes her company stand out? Co-owned by Kathryn and her husband Alan, Cura prides itself on being able to help everybody, regardless of their circumstances, get the insurance they need. “Most of my clients are high risk,” she explains. “In general, they are not going to be able to get the basic premiums that you see on most price comparison sites.”

While certain insurers might pass on an individual with a pre-existing medical condition, a hazardous job, quirky travel tastes or high-risk hobbies, Kathryn welcomes the opportunity to test industry stereotypes; a motivation that stems from her own experience of being offered insurance at special terms because of a history of anxiety issues.

Social media has proved to be a no-brainer for Cura. Not only has it provided a platform to reach a wider audience, but educational video content — filmed on an iPhone and serialised under the brand ‘CuraVision’- has also been an efficient marketing tool during maternity leave.

“I only needed five minutes away from the children to do the recording,” Kathryn explains. “It was the easiest thing to do compared to sitting down and writing a full article, which is a lot more daunting when you’re tired, the kids need feeding and toys are getting thrown at you.”

She goes on: “I find it quite easy to sit and record myself. From the way people respond to it, I think that comes across quite well. They are engaged, they like the way I’m speaking and the terms and [simple] language that I use when I’m in that environment.”

Due to strict compliance regulations, social media and insurance have not always been easy bedfellows, but thanks to her experience and enthusiasm Kathryn has maintained a consistent output.

“The biggest issue is compliance,” she admits. “There are so many rules and there’s so much fear of putting something out there that could be misconstrued, that may not cover absolutely every angle of, let’s say, the terms and conditions of a policy.

“There are a lot of people who are quite scared of putting themselves out there and giving out anything that someone could point at as a reason to have a disputed claim paid. It’s difficult to find a balance. I do constant compliance background. I know automatically a lot of the things that you can and can’t say. But it’s all about adapting to it.”

In Kathryn’s view, the industry will have to move with the times, especially as social media is likely, in her view, to play a part in educating the next generation. “Let’s face it, millennials are all about what’s on their phone, what’s in front of them, what’s easy for them to view, whether it’s YouTube, Twitter or Snapchat,” she notes.

Given her industry has a reputation for being jargon-heavy, something that often leads to confusion when it comes to differentiating between critical illness protection, income protection and life insurance, she also believes there’s a responsibility to educate.

“In the UK our education system doesn’t gear up young people for what they should be doing with their money,” she explains.

“Anything that we can do to engage them from a young age, particularly people going from college into work, is important. It’s important to get the information out there in an accessible format.”

With that in mind, it’s little surprise Kathryn has supportive words for those looking to get their voice heard, particularly anyone who is just starting out in the insurance world.

“Make sure your voice is heard and get out there on social media,” she suggests and “speak to your compliance team and ask them what can be done to get material out there. Be a leader when it comes to engaging people, even if you start by offering your help on the company blog. There are plenty of examples out there that you can take to your company to show that they are missing out on a huge engagement opportunity. It’s going to take effort but that’s the case with anything.”

Words by Dan Struthers