Jane Brady, managing director of Brady Insurance, shares her life and business lessons.
Jane’s story is one of quiet but determined entrepreneurial success leading a second-generation family business from its roots in a small office in Elphin, Co. Roscommon to a respected national insurance broker based in Carrick-on-Shannon in an industry that has become increasingly Dublin-centric.
Brady Insurance was founded in 1959 by Jane’s parents, Joe and Kathleen Brady, at a time when deals were done by letter and handshake. In 2004 Jane bought the business from her parents, and has steadily grown it nationally, opening a Dublin office, creating a wholesale arm (Brady Underwriting), and even building niche services for Ireland’s Polish community.
“In my 20 years at the helm, the company has grown from seven to 41 people and is on track to achieve €4.3m in 2025”
What’s particularly interesting is the firm’s ability to evolve and stay independent: Jane led the company through an acquisition partnership with an international group in 2021, and most notably bought back majority ownership late last year to retain full Irish control, securing its future as a family-owned, growth-driven business.
Tell us about your background, what journey did you take to arrive at where you are?
I hold a degree in Marketing and Communications, after which I worked in an internet development consultancy. I later pursued studies in Ecommerce and built my experience in sales and business development roles in Dublin.
My parents founded Brady Insurance in Roscommon in 1959 – a successful and highly regarded insurance brokerage. In 2004 they asked me if I’d be interested in buying the company. At the time, I was ready to settle down but also to grab new challenge. So my fiancé (now husband) and I decided to make the move from Dublin to see if life in the West suited us. At this stage the business was operating from Carrick-on-Shannon. We have never looked back.
“Supported by an all-female management team, Brady Insurance continues to explore further acquisitions as we work toward expanding to a team of 50 and achieving a €5m turnover by 2026”
I continued to deepen my expertise in insurance and financial services through further studies. Fundamentally I enjoy working with people, both clients and my amazing team, which has helped the business to scale significantly in the intervening years. In 2015 we opened a Dublin office, which employs six people and focuses exclusively on commercial and events insurance. We then acquired Loftus Insurance in 2022 which has significantly contributed to business growth.
In my 20 years at the helm, the company has grown from seven to 41 people and is on track to achieve €4.3m in 2025. And only last year Brady Insurance was awarded Commercial Insurance Expert of the year from Brokers Ireland. As a board member of the Irish Insurance Institute, I was recently elected to become the President of the Insurance Institute of Ireland 2026-2027.
Why are you doing what you are doing? What need are you meeting? What’s your USP?
We are in business to protect our clients from risk. I’ve believed in advocating for my clients’ needs throughout my career, whether during risk placement or assisting them through the claims process. We’re committed to providing honest, expert insurance advice and services tailored to our clients’ needs – a trusted name that clients know will go the extra mile. We also aim to be the employer of choice for the expert brokers in our area, while also making a positive impact on our community.
What are your growth plans?
Supported by an all-female management team, Brady Insurance continues to explore further acquisitions as we work toward expanding to a team of 50 and achieving a €5m turnover by 2026. Last November we bought back a majority stake previously sold to Coverys European Holdings in 2021, re-establishing Brady Insurance as a privately owned brokerage and bucking the trend of consolidation of smaller brokerages in the Irish market
What are your key skills and qualities that set you apart?
I am committed to personal development and continually work on myself both personally and professionally. In business, I am an all-rounder and my IT and marketing background has been instrumental to our success. Having a breadth of skills really helps me to see the bigger picture and understand where change is needed.
“Look after your people. My guiding principle is to prioritise employee well-being, with the belief that strong financial results will naturally follow”
I also have a lot of trust and faith in my team, and try to ensure that we have people with a great attitude and skills that complement each other.
What (or whom) has helped you most along the way? Who was your greatest mentor/inspiration?
The support and connections I’ve found within my industry have been instrumental to my success. Early on, I became involved in groups like The Brokers Association, The Insurance Institute and local networking groups. Building relationships, particularly in a rural community helps you navigate change, stay abreast of developments and be a more effective advocate for your clients.
My parents were my greatest inspiration for so many reasons: my mum, a serial entrepreneur and my Dad, a true people person who was deeply involved every aspect of our community.
What was the greatest piece of business advice you ever received?
Look after your people. My guiding principle is to prioritise employee well-being, with the belief that strong financial results will naturally follow.
What circumstances/qualities/events can mark the difference between success or failure in life or business?
In our business it has definitely been very useful to have a diverse offering and the agility to pivot into new areas. So, for example, during the Celtic Tiger collapse in 2008, we relied on our strong retail and property portfolio of clients as liability and construction took a hit.
We’ve established a number of specialisms in areas such as Event, Construction and Education where we are now market leaders, while also maintaining a strong retail team in personal lines and a broad base of mid-size commercial clients.
How did you navigate your business through the pandemic and what lessons did you learn?
We learned how important it is to be able to pivot operations, supply chains, and even business models. When Covid disrupted the entertainment and hospitality industries, where we had a large client base, our business had enough scope and resilience to navigate that.
We also discovered that investing in digital tools, remote work infrastructure, e-commerce, and automation was no longer a nice-to-have but vital to ensure longevity and success.
How has digital transformation been a factor in your scaling journey and do you believe Irish firms are utilising digital technologies sufficiently?
Technology has played a major role in our success. In 2012 we made the decision to develop specialised insurance schemes and embarked on the challenging process of becoming Lloyds cover holders- a major milestone for the business making it one of only a handful of such operations in Ireland.
To support our wholesale ambitions we created Eventinsure.ie, which offers a suite of specialised insurance products to brokers across Ireland. Most recently, we launched a new scheme specifically for leisure businesses.
“Don’t fear failure, because this is when you will learn the most”
We also built our own IT platform to distribute the product to the broker market and that has been spun out to become the successful insurtech firm, Vistre.
We’ve embraced emerging technologies to stay ahead in a market where many of the tools are outdated, integrating new technologies wherever possible to enhance the customer experience
How do you nurture talent in your organisation?
As a business we really focus on personal development and training. As one of the original supporters of the Insurance Apprenticeship programme, I have helped many newcomers build successful careers in the industry. We ordinarily have two-to-four apprentices in the business at any given year. This programme develops the future leaders in Insurance and provides them with insurance qualifications over three years.
At Brady’s, employees are encouraged and financially supported to exceed minimum qualifications, with clear paths for career progression. The company’s goal is to be the employer of choice in the region and a model of excellence for others. I believe a good culture is made up of happy employees, who can switch off. It is not profit at all costs.
What are your thoughts on where technology overall is heading and how it will apply to business generally and your business particularly?
Technology is advancing at an unprecedented pace in some areas of insurance such as Agentic AI, customer service, underwriting tools such as flood mapping, and more recently with car number plate recognition.
Many brokers and insurers still rely on outdated quotation technology but things are slowly improving.
As an intermediary our focus is on providing advice in an easy and understandable way. We are obsessed with the customer experience and delivering the best possible service. So whilst we want to achieve efficiency through automation, we must meet the customer where they are at whether online, in person or augmented by clever engagement tools.
At Brady Insurance, we see technology as an enabler of growth, but the human touch remains central to what we do. We use tech to simplify processes, offer quicker quotes, and provide more personalised coverage, enhancing convenience in every interaction.
Finally, if you had advice for your 21-year-old self – knowing what you know now – what would it be?
Don’t fear failure, because this is when you will learn the most. Be confident and ditch the imposter syndrome. Stay true to your values and remember success across so many industries is about building relationships and trust.
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