Danny Ash (Catastrophe modeller)
Name: Danny Ash
Degree Title: Geography/North America BSc
Graduated: July 2017
College: Furness College
Where are you now and what are you doing?
I’ve been a Catastrophe Modeller within QBE, a syndicate of the Lloyds of London insurance marketplace, for just over a year, and I’ve finally (this week) moved down to London! My job revolves around modelling the probability that a property and/or portfolio of properties will be damaged or destroyed from natural hazard events, and the likely financial losses. I work directly with underwriters to assess which properties the company should reinsure and also attempt to provide estimations of claims that will likely be incurred in a typical year, or the likely losses post a hazard event. In the department that I work in, we specialise in North American risks, specifically North Atlantic Hurricanes, and Californian and Cascadian Earthquakes.
What would you like to do next?
I definitely want to continue down the path of catastrophe modelling but I’d like to spend more time within different parts of the Cat Modelling world, different hazards (including wildfires), different classes of business (such as Marine and Energy) etc. There’s a wide variety of insurance modelling and I’ve only had exposure to a small part of it thus far.
Why did you choose to study at Lancaster?
Firstly, I loved both the campus and the city. When I arrived for an open day it was pouring down with rain yet it just felt like home. After that I put Lancaster as my number one choice and never looked back. Another reason was that Lancaster were offering the opportunity to study abroad, and even though I originally didn’t think I had the confidence to go, I applied for it anyway and it had a massive impact on my uni experience. Finally, I loved the collegiate nature of the uni, and I’ve been back a few times since I graduated to cheer on Furness- Everywhere else really is nowhere!
What was your favourite part of your degree and why?
As mentioned, I studied abroad in my second year at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver. It was an experience I’ll never forget and it gave me tonnes of confidence that I had never had before. It was a daunting thing to do, especially as before then I’d never left Europe, but the friends I made and the places I visited during that year were well worth it. I can recommend to any nervous fresher that taking the plunge will teach you so much about yourself, and allow you to grow in ways you might not expect.
How do you think your time at Lancaster prepared you for what you’re currently doing?
Catastrophe Modelling is a very ‘mathsy’ profession and the physical geography modules that I took allowed me develop those maths and analytical skills that I use in my day-to-day job. Tasks such as presentations and group projects improved my soft skills around public speaking and communication within a team, which again has made my job easier. Furthermore, I wrote my dissertation on the risk from Cascadian tsunamis and it was during this that I identified my passion for risk and in understanding the human and physical processes that lead to losses. This led me to further study (MSc) which solidified my route into the risk and insurance industry.
What did you enjoy most about your time at Lancaster? (Including extra-curricular activities and beyond?)
Obviously I treasure the friends that I made during my degree, from my first-year flatmates, to those I first met 5,000 miles away. But it would be remiss of me not to single out Furness Bar Sports and Lancaster University Darts Society, who provided friendship and an opportunity for me play darts across campus, the country, and on the big stage at Roses (even if I did lose in the end!).
