Private Client Intern

Olivier-Vandyk Insurance Agency Inc.; Grand Rapids, Northern (MI, KY); Hybrid; USD 21,000 - 30,000; Part time

Job summary

OVD Insurance offers a paid summer internship designed for active students pursuing careers in insurance. You will gain hands-on experience in Private Client Personal Insurance, with training, assignments, and networking with experienced professionals.

Based in Grand Rapids, MI, this onsite internship focuses on understanding personal lines products, agency workflows, and client relationships, while developing professional communication and data skills.

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in a higher education institution and entering junior or senior year.
• Pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administrations, Management, Economics, Finance, or Insurance & Risk Management preferred.
• Must be a current student through the duration of the intern program.
• Ability to type quickly and accurately.
• Microsoft Office proficiency (Required).
• Able to work onsite for the duration of the internship.
• Internship Date Availability: May 17, 2027 – August 6, 2027.

Responsibilities

• Learn the business and how an independent agency serves personal insurance clients.
• Assist with initial quoting steps and renewal preparation.
• Enter or update administrative information in agency systems.
• Receive and route communications to the appropriate staff.
• Participate in meetings, trainings, and internship projects.

Skills

Strong communication

Microsoft Office

Attention to detail

Customer service

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business/related field

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Description

Position Summary:

OVD Insurance offers paid internships to active students interested in careers within the insurance industry. OVD’s summer internship program presents an exciting opportunity to gain insight into the realm of Private Client Personal Insurance. Participants will benefit from comprehensive training, practical business experience, and the chance to network with leading experts and seasoned professionals in the industry. This program is designed to enhance the academic knowledge you have acquired in your studies, enabling you to apply your learning to real-world situations.

Additionally, the program includes educational workshops, presentations from senior leaders within the organization, and promotes collaboration, facilitating interactions with fellow insurance professionals and interns across various locations.

Location: Grand Rapids, MI

Work Model: Onsite

Here’s what you’ll do:

• Learn the Business
• Learn how an independent insurance agency serves personal insurance clients and works with multiple insurance carriers.
• Gain an understanding of the roles of Personal Lines Agents, Private Client Advisors and Personal Lines Coordinators.
• Learn the general purpose and structure of personal insurance products, including homeowners, automobile, personal umbrella, recreational vehicle, and other personal lines products.
• Learn the insurance policy lifecycle, from new client quoting and issuing to servicing and renewal.
• Gain exposure to agency operating systems, agency management systems, and day-to-day insurance workflows.
• Develop an understanding of how data is collected, organized, analyzed, and applied within an insurance agency.
• Learn the importance of documentation, organization, confidentiality, data security, and professional ethics.
• Experience the Client Relationship
• Sit in on first appointments and discovery meetings with licensed insurance professionals.
• Attend new-business and renewal presentation meetings when appropriate.
• Observe how licensed professionals evaluate client needs and communicate insurance options.
• Learn the difference between being a trusted advisor and simply being a salesperson.
• Gain exposure to prospecting, relationship development, and building a pipeline under the direction of licensed professionals.
• Develop professional communication and customer service skills through observation and participation in appropriate activities.
• Contribute to the Team
• Assist Agents and Advisors with initial quoting steps using agency systems and dept. workflows.
• Assist Agents and Advisors with renewal preparation for key clients.
• Enter or update administrative information in agency systems as authorized.
• Receive and route telephone calls, emails, and other communications to the appropriate agency professional.
• Take messages and relay client requests to licensed staff.
• Participate in department meetings, training sessions, and educational presentations.
• Assist with internal projects that support organization, workflow, customer service, data analysis, or agency operations.
• Complete assigned learning activities and an internship project or portfolio.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Students should be currently enrolled in a higher education institution and entering their junior or senior year in college.
• Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administrations, Management, Economics, Finance, or Insurance & Risk Management preferred.
• Must be a current student through the duration of the intern program.
• Ability to type quickly and accurately on a keyboard (Required)
• Microsoft Office proficiency (Required)
• Able to work onsite for the duration of the internship
• Internship Date Availability: May 17, 2027 – August 6, 2027
• Drive. Ownership. Accountability. Passion.
• Extremely strong oral and written communication skills, including the ability to translate “technical speak” in way that end users at all levels can understand.
• High energy work ethic with ability to work independently while maintaining excellent customer relationships.
• Ability to work collaboratively with others.

Core Competencies:

• Accuracy: Achievement of correct and precise work.
• Accountability: Acceptance of responsibility and one's own actions.
• Written Communication: Ability to write letters, reports, articles, and e-mails using clear and concise vocabulary, style, grammar, and punctuation.
• Customer Orientation: A desire to serve clients by focusing efforts on listening and responding effectively to customer questions, resolving customer problems to their satisfaction, and evaluating customer satisfaction.
• Problem Solving: Ability to recognize courses of action which can be taken to handle problems or potential problems and applying contingency plans to solve those problems.

Work Environment & Physical Requirements:

The work environment and the physical demands described here are representative of those that may be encountered and must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Low to Moderate noise (i.e. business office with computers, phone, and printers)
• Ability to work in a confined area.
• Ability to sit at a desk for an extended period.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be regularly required to stand, sit, talk, hear, reach, stoop, kneel, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer, telephone and keyboard.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision requirements due to computer work and the ability to read and understand written word.
• Light to moderate lifting may be required.

OVD Insurance is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and veteran, that celebrates diversity and believes employing a diverse workforce is key to our success. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.

We are not able to sponsor work visas for this position.

This job description does not list all duties of the job. Employees may be asked by management to perform other duties as needed. The Company reserves the right to revise this job description at any time. This job description is not a contract for employment and does not infringe upon the Company’s at-will employment status.