Product Strategy in the Ever-Changing Insurance Environment with Marisol Schulte

Marisol Schulte, CPCU, AIC, is a Senior Consultant of Personal Lines Strategic Planning and Insurance at TransUnion. Marisol supports in developing and executing TransUnion’s product strategy for the personal lines property and casualty markets. She has over 18 years of property and casualty insurance experience, beginning in claims, with additional positions in R&D and Product Management for State Farm, CSAA, and Farmers. Schulte attained her CPCU in 2017 and graduated cum laude from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Mathematics. In this episode of In the Know, Chris Hampshire and Marisol examine the current conditions in Southern California in the wake of the January 2025 wildfires and discuss her journey in the insurance industry.

 

Key Takeaways

• Marisol’s humble upbringing underscored the importance of education.

• From claim rep to actuarial work to the vendor side, Marisol has found there is always something new to learn in the insurance industry.

• You don’t need to have a family member in the industry to succeed in your insurance career.

• The importance of networking in a successful career.

• The impact of the Southern California wildfires on insurance ratings and carrier approvals.

• Increasing insurance premiums are creating unique challenges for vendors. 

• Long-term solutions for insurance in California.

• The pros and cons of moving from claims to strategy.

• CPCU courses provide insights into every aspect of the insurance industry.

• Marisol’s decision to move from the carrier to the vendor side.

• Insurtech aims to address the unicorns of the technology industry.

• Marisol’s decision to earn her CPCU designation stemmed from the example of her mentors. 

• Insights into what’s coming next in the insurance industry, the market, and the economy as a whole. 

• A five-year look at the future role of insurance in the constantly changing environment.

• Strategies for fostering a more welcoming insurance industry.

• Marisol’s bold advice to her early career self.

 

Quotes

• “If you are willing to network, there will be someone willing to help.”

• “Beyond just insurance, there has to be something more that someone comes up with that helps with the new climate that we’re in.”

• “Going through the CPCU courses allowed me to see what else is out there.”

• “In CPCU courses, I was having deeper and more meaningful conversations with different folks within the insurance industry.”

• “Everything is changing, and we have to keep abreast on how we can provide solutions in this changing environment.”