Australian Insurance Industry Awards 2021
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CO-FOUNDING PARTNER
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Australian Insurance Industry Awards 2021
Presiding Judge’s Message
On behalf of the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (ANZIIF) welcome to the 2021 Australian Insurance Industry Awards. Now in its 17th year, the Australian Insurance Industry Awards recognise the outstanding achievements of both the individuals and businesses in Australian insurance and to celebrate our collective success.
While it would have been lovely to frock up and celebrate the insurance industry’s ‘night of nights’, we hope you enjoy this professionally produced online movie which celebrates the incredible achievements from individuals and companies and the positive impact we have on the Australian community.
All award categories illustrate the progression our industry is making to support its people, customers and community over the last year.
The Australian finalists should all be incredibly proud of their achievements and for displaying excellence and incredible professionalism in what was a challenging year.
Thank you to our diverse judging panel that have given their time to assess the submissions and to our great partners and sponsors, who continue to support the leading celebration of excellence across our whole industry and help make this year’s event possible. Thank you to all individuals and businesses who submitted; and our co-founding partner, Asia Insurance Review.
Thank you for helping us celebrate the Australian Insurance Industry and the year that was.
PRUE WILLSFORD CEO, ANZIIF
2021 JUDGING PANEL
PRUE WILLSFORD CEO ANZIIF
Prue attended the Queensland University of Technology, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws. Prior to her appointment as ANZIIF CEO, she was the General Manager, Corporate Operations at State Trustees, a role which included the oversight of Finance, Technology, Legal, Compliance, and Investments in a highly complex, medium size financial services company.
She has over 20 years’ experience in the financial services sector, including management accounting at Macquarie Bank and policy development at Investment Funds and Superannuation Association.
She has also held leadership roles in financial services product development, marketing and operations at Colonial Mutual and National Australia Bank.
Prue was the Deputy Chancellor of Victoria University and the Chairman of the Resources Committee and is currently a Board member at Citywide Service Solutions.
JENNY BAX
Jenny Bax is a highly experienced and qualified insurance professional and a founding member and current Chair of ANZIIF’s General Insurance Faculty Advisory Board.
She holds a Graduate Diploma in Insurance and a Master of Business Administration from Deakin University.
Jenny has worked for several leading insurers including Allianz, CGU & QBE in a variety of operational and management roles both in Australia and overseas.
Jenny is passionate about investing in the future talent of the insurance industry and is heavily in involved in the development of insurance professionals in the Australian and New Zealand marketplace.
JAMES BURNET
General Manager Corporate Services
ANZIIF
James is responsible for management of ANZIIF’s corporate services, including IT, Finance, HR and Company Secretarial duties. He is currently focussed on delivering key IT platform upgrades (including new website and new accounting system, with a new CRM to come), improving finance budgeting and reporting, and establishing an $8M investment fund to house ANZIIF’s liquid assets. James only commenced with ANZIIF in April and was previously CFO for a large membership organisation in the international development space, and earlier still was CFO for a $130M professional services organisation.
James is a Fellow of CPA Australia and holds a Bachelor of Economics at Monash University and an MBA at Deakin University.
FIONA CAMERON
General Manager Policy, Consumer Outcomes
ICA
Fiona Cameron was appointed General Manager Policy, Consumer Outcomes in 2017. She is responsible for self-regulation and the new General Insurance Code of Practice. Her areas of responsibility include key Insurance Council engagement forums, for example both the Indigenous and Consumer Advisory Committees. Fiona has also held senior positions in regulation policy, government and stakeholder relations at the Insurance Council. Prior to that Fiona worked in various roles including as a senior advisor in government and as a Judge’s Associate.
LUKE DAVIES
General Manager ‑ Professional Standards ANZIIF
Luke Davies is the General Manager of Professional Standards at ANZIIF and is responsible for the delivery of education and membership services, as well as establishment of ANZIIF’s Professional Standards framework. In his 15+ years at ANZIIF Luke has held a variety of different roles and led many significant initiatives, focusing on customer engagement and the development of insurance professionals.
Luke holds a Master of Enterprise (Executive) and a Bachelor of Environmental Science.
LINDA ELLIS
Group Company Secretary & Corporate Counsel
Steadfast Group Limited
Linda is Group Company Secretary & Corporate Counsel at Steadfast Group Limited and has been part of the Executive team since 2013. She is involved in Board liaison, corporate governance, providing legal advice, strategic planning, major projects, risk management & stakeholder liaison. Linda is a director of a number of Steadfast’s businesses. Before joining Steadfast, she specialised in mergers and acquisitions and worked in Sydney and London at global law firms. Linda is on the board of Abbotsleigh School for Girls (where she also serves on the Governance and Risk Management Committee).
DAMIAN FALKINGHAM
General Manager Industry Engagement
ANZIIF
Damian is the General Manager of Industry Engagement at ANZIIF. Prior to joining ANZIIF, Damian held management positions across claims, underwriting, client services and sales for Allianz across Victoria, Tasmania and managing Australia wide operations.
Damian holds a Graduate Diploma in Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation and he spent time in education as a lecturer and tutorial leader for Victoria University and Holmesglen TAFE and recently completed AICD Company Directors course.
Damian is passionate about developing people to deliver growth across the insurance and finance sectors.
KIMBERLEY JONSSON CEO
CHU Underwriting Agencies
Kimberley Jonsson is the CEO of CHU, one of Australia’s leading strata insurance specialists. She was appointed to the role at the end of 2020, having previously been Regional Manager of CHU’s biggest business of NSW and ACT for three years.
Kimberley has been with CHU for over 16 years in a number of roles in South Australia, Queensland and most recently in NSW. She has a wealth of experience and knowledge of the strata insurance industry and the strata community.
In 2016 Kimberley was named one of “Insurance Business’s” Young Guns and the following year won the Young Insurance Professional of the Year Award at the Australian Insurance Industry Awards.
Kimberley is a Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (ANZIIF) and a member of ANZIIF’s Faculty Advisory Board for General Insurance. She has an MBA from AIM Business School.
Kimberley is one of the youngest CEOs is the Australian Financial Services sector.
WILLIAM LEGGE
General Manager
Underwriting Agencies Council
William worked for direct underwriters in Australia and South-East Asia before spending 15 years in underwriting agencies. His insurance career began at the South British United Group, where he progressed to become a property/industrial underwriter.
After a stint in Asia, he joined Mercantile Mutual, initially running its Parramatta region, then heading the national brokers’ branch in Sydney. He has worked at FAI (before the HIH takeover), MB Prestige and Dexta. William was CEO of the Consolidated Underwriting Group and its four agencies in Australia and New Zealand from 2007 to 2011. In May 2011, William became the inaugural General Manager of the Underwriting Agencies Council (UAC). In this role, he spearheads implementation of UAC’s strategic plan, and is driving a raft of initiatives to increase member services and better position agencies as a vital force in the industry.
GABRIELE MCDONALD
CEO & Managing Director
Protecsure
Gabriele is CEO & Managing Director Protecsure, an underwriting agency located in Sydney that specialises in Equipment insurance for mobile assets and Liability for small businesses.
With over 35 years’ experience in the insurance industry, Gabriele is a highly accomplished executive leader who holds expert knowledge in intermediary and underwriting agency business procedures and practices.
Gabriele demonstrates her ongoing commitment to the industry by her continued involvement in mentoring programs and the ANZIIF Awards judging panel. Gabriele is a Tier 1 Qualified Insurance Broker, Certified Executive Coach and AICD Member.
JILLIAN PANCOTT
Senior Manager, Forensic Advisory Services Division
Sedgwick
Jillian has specialised in forensic accounting since 2007, in both Canada and Australia. She has focused on the quantification of economic damages for insurance and litigation purposes, presenting her findings to industry professionals and in market meetings. Her experience deals with the quantification of economic damages for business interruption and product liability & recall losses in both insurance claims and recovery proceedings. She has assisted with catastrophe response following the New Zealand earthquakes, Brisbane floods, Sydney ANZAC Day Hailstorm, and cyclones and ex-tropical cyclones in northern New South Wales and Queensland.
Since 2014, Ms. Pancott has been a member of the AILA Young Professionals subcommittee, held the position of NSW Treasurer for AILA in 2018 and since 2020 has served on the AILA National Executive Board as Treasurer. In 2019 she was awarded the Young Insurance Professional of the Year award from ANZIIF at the Australian Insurance Industry Awards.
NATASHA QUIRK
Managing Director Hall Advisory
Natasha is the founder of Hall Advisory and leads its governance, risk, compliance and strategy consulting practice.
Natasha has close to 20 years of experience in the financial services sector, with extensive practical expertise in risk management and regulatory compliance. Natasha is experienced across all sectors in financial services, including insurance, superannuation, banking and finance, financial advice, investments, credit ratings and financial analytics. Natasha is appointed to the Risk Management Faculty Advisory Board of the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (ANZIIF).
Natasha holds an MBA (Executive), Master of Applied Finance, Master of Insurance and Risk Management, Bachelor of Commerce (Finance and Economics) and certification as a Professional Risk Manager (PRM).
Natasha is a Fellow and Certified Insurance Professional (CIP) of ANZIIF, a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (MAICD), and a Sustaining Member of the Professional Risk Managers’ International Association (PRMIA).
REBECCA SLINGO
General Manager Learning ANZIIF
Rebecca Slingo is the General Manager, Learning at ANZIIF and has been an L&D practitioner for more than 26 years. Leading learning functions across a range of industries including publishing, broadcasting and law and more recently 17 years in the insurance industry.
Rebecca has participated on various committees including a four year tenure as Treasurer of the Enterprise Registered Training Organisations Association (ERTOA) and has been an active member of the Financial Services Industry Reference Committee since 2019. Rebecca is a Fellow of the Institute of Learning Professionals and a Member of the Australian Institute of Training and Development.
Rob Whelan has guided the General insurance industry through some of the most challenging issues over the past decade. During his tenure as CEO of the Insurance Council Rob represented the interests of the industry through numerous inquires including the Natural Disaster Insurance Review, the Northern Australia Insurance Premiums Taskforce, the Murray Financial Systems Inquiry and the Hayne Royal Commission.
During his time at the Insurance Council Rob dealt with 5 changes in Prime Minister and a variety of natural disasters many of which were of unprecedented severity and impact on the industry and its customers. Rob came to the Insurance Council in 2010 following a successful and diverse career with the insurance industry, banking and health care sectors. After leaving the ICA in 2020 Rob established a management consultancy specialising in insurance and corporate affairs.
ROB WHELAN
RITA YATES
Co‑founder & CEO
Insurtech Australia
Rita is a co-founder of Insurtech Australia and has been the CEO since April 2019 with the mission of helping Australia become a world-leading Insurtech ecosystem, having previously been on the founding leadership team and Advisory Committee.
Prior to this role, Rita worked for three years as the Head of Corporate Partnerships and Insurtech Lead for Stone & Chalk, Asia-Pacific’s largest Fintech hub. In that role, Rita worked with over 25 large corporate partners in the financial services space, with the goal of bridging the gap between the startup ecosystem and corporate Australia, whilst promoting growth and commercialisation for the fintech and insurtech startup community.
Rita also has a number of years of experience spanning various roles in insurance and financial services as well as health and not-for-profit industries. She also sits on advisory committees for Antler Australia and AILA Techhub and is part of the Open Finance ANZ Team.
ANGIE ZISSIS CEO
Austbrokers Member Services
A senior leader in insurance for more than 30 years, Angie’s industry knowledge and strategic management has delivered a formidable track record of success.
As Managing Director of SURA Pty Ltd, Angie currently provides overall leadership to 15 specialist underwriting agencies and is responsible for the planning and implementation of overall strategy for the organisation.
Previous leadership roles included State Manager for the first ATC Insurance Solutions office in NSW, Finance Director at Marsh Australia, National General Manager at Freeman McMurrick and Chief Operating Officer for AON Australia.
Angie’s skills in product development, binder creation and negotiation with insurers has been instrumental to delivering a range of successful insurance products to a number of industry sectors.
In addition to his role at SURA Pty Ltd, Angie is also CEO of Austbroker Member Services and AUB Group’s Head of Underwriting and Placement.
Small Broking Company of the Year
TRADE RISK
Medium Broking Company of the Year
WARREN SAUNDERS
INSURANCE BROKERS
Large Broking Company of the Year
MARSH
Authorised Representative Network of the Year
INSURANCE ADVISERNET
Small Broking Company of the Year
TRADE RISK
Finalists
Austbrokers Coast to Coast
Carollo Horton & Associates
Hunter Broking Group
Trade Risk
Vie Legal Insurance
Trade Risk provided exceptional support for its people in 2020, implementing a ‘whatever it takes’ mindset to ensure all its staff were looked after during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Judges collectively praised Trade Risk for actively educating customers about their insurance policies, which successfully reduced client cancellations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
There is no doubt that Trade Risk is looking to the future of tech for its customers. The company impressed judges with its ability to leverage social media to engage with customers and industry. Trade Risk has grown its Facebook group ‘Tradie Daily’ to become the largest online community of tradies, connecting over 250,000 members.
The judges also noted the investments made by Trade Risk in a variety of initiatives, contributing to the positive reputation of the insurance industry.
Medium Broking
Company of the Year
WARREN SAUNDERS INSURANCE BROKERS
Warren Saunders Insurance Brokers (WSIB) is this year’s Medium Broking Company of the Year, having won the award for Small-Medium Broking Company of the Year in 2019.
Judges applauded WSIB for displaying a consistent focus on support for the community and industry over the past 12 months. The organisation continues to provide exceptional service to its clients, celebrating an improved client retention rate compared to the previous year.
The judging panel also praised WSIB’s winning submission, noting that it represents the way the insurance industry can make a difference by going above and beyond for the community for the company’s outstanding community support program helped raise $20,000 in cash including stockfeed for Australian farmers affected by drought in rural NSW.
In 2020, WSIB supported the wellbeing and mental health of employees during the COVID-19 pandemic which required a shift to a remote working environment. Judges were extremely impressed to see that the organisation had not only retained all its existing staff but had also grown its numbers during the pandemic.
Finalists
Guardian Insurance Brokers
Warren Saunders Insurance Brokers
Large Broking Company of the Year
MARSH
Marsh is this year’s Large Broking Company of the Year for the 3rd year in a row. Judges praised the organisation for consistent improvement to its award submissions year-on-year.
The company’s pandemic response, which supported customers in their time of need was scored highly. Not only did Marsh help clients identify risks, challenges and solutions during the pandemic in 2020, it also delivered them with a range of educational resources. Marsh’s winning submission shows that its clientfocussed approach was reflected positively in its NPS scores.
In addition, Marsh employees volunteered their time to support the Australian Bushfire relief. Judges agreed that Marsh is a great example of how a major broking company in Australia can bring its strengths into play. The organisation’s huge support for bushfire victims and the cash raised by partnering with AFL and Cricket Australia has had a long-lasting impact on the communities affected.
Sponsored by Finalists
Authorised Representative
Network of the Year
Congratulations to Insurance Advisernet, who won the Authorised Representative Network of the Year for the third year in a row.
In 2020, Insurance Advisernet celebrated an extremely strong customer claims satisfaction score.
Its submission displayed an in-depth understanding of the current market throughout as well as a data-driven approach to addressing industry challenges. The organisation’s philosophy on advice: ‘The Future is advice not price’ resonated strongly with the judging panel.
Judges also commended Insurance Advisernet for its community involvement and support for the NSW South Coast Bushfires, which included donating over $50,000.
Insurance Advisernet presented strong examples of how the company is supporting employees with online education, training and an EAP program which is regularly promoted.
Insurance Advisernet is a deserving winner of the Authorised Representative Network of the Year for 2021.
Community Broker Network
Insurance Advisernet
Finalists
Underwriting Agency
of the Year
CHU UNDERWRITING AGENCIES
After being shortlisted as a finalist in 2019, CHU Underwriting Agencies has been awarded Underwriting Agency of the Year in 2021. CHU received overwhelming praise from the judging panel who described the company’s submission as ‘one of the best this year’.
CHU’s performance over the past year has been exemplary, which is evident in its strong NPS and customer satisfaction scores. The organisation displayed significant awareness of its customer base, which is particularly evident in its innovative multilingual resource offering. Contributing to customers and community was a standout.
CHU displayed a clear understanding of its market in its submission and received praise from judges for responding proactively to the Hayne Royal Commission reforms. CHU was also commended for displaying a genuine care for the Australian environment, evidenced by its vision, strategy and industry-leading work to reduce and prevent waste in landfill.
The judging panel was extremely impressed by CHU’s support for employees in 2020 during the pandemic, which focused on creating the company’s culture in an online format. CHU also launched a new Learning Management System (LMS) in 2020, which gave its people access to learning and education ‘anywhere anytime’. The judges were impressed to see how this directly supported CHU employees and generated internal growth.
Finalists
Agile Underwriting Services
CHU Underwriting Agencies
Club Marine Insurance
GT Insurance
ProRisk
Sportscover
Underwriting Agencies of Australia
Sponsored by
Leading service provider
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JB Hi-Fi Solutions for Insurance is Australia and New Zealand's leading insurance replacement service provider to the industry.
Our experienced team provide end-to-end replacement and fulfillment for home, warranty and travel insurance companies and claimants throughout Australasia.
Dedicated call centre
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Broad range of products
Indemnity values
eCards
Product validation
Excess collections
Small General Insurance Company of the Year
GUILD INSURANCE
Guild Insurance distinguished itself with the judges by making what they described as the ‘standout submission for this year’s Small General Insurance Company of the Year award’.
Judges commended Guild Insurance for its ongoing commitment and support for its people and the community. In addition to providing strong support to staff while they were working remotely in 2020, the company also launched a leadership academy, which contributed to strong NPS and employee engagement scores.
Guild Insurance’s initiatives and programs also resonated with the judging panel as demonstrating a strong commitment to the wellbeing of the community. For example, the company made sure to clarify insurance cover for its customers and supported the COVID-19 vaccination (COVAX) roll out. Guild Insurance also provided pandemic relief to a large number of dentists through discounted premiums in 2020, which increased its Dentist NPS Score.
Guild Insurance’ display of market leadership during 2020 will undoubtably encourage new attitudes towards insurance as a profession and further inspire the industry to invest in taking responsibility for the community.
Sponsored by
Large General Insurance
of the Year
HOLLARD INSURANCE
Hollard Insurance is now a back-to-back winner of the Large General Insurance Company of the Year award.
Judges were collectively impressed by Hollard’s ‘incredible contribution to the industry’. The company was praised for providing exceptional support for vulnerable customers in 2020, which was reflected by a corresponding increase in its NPS Scores as well as positive feedback from customers.
The judging panel shared great admiration for Hollard’s ability to retain staff and the clarity with which it presented evidence for its success and internal growth. Specifically, Hollard supported the health and wellbeing of staff during the pandemic by providing additional parental paid leave and wellbeing leave. Its submission also detailed new initiatives around learning and development, gender equity and mental health.
In addition, to ensure pets continued to be protected, Hollard’s wholly owned subsidiary PetSure Pty Ltd (Australia) extended policy cover for the pet owners following the 2020 Bushfire season and the COVID-19 pandemic. and generated internal growth.
Finalists
Allianz
CGU
Hollard Insurance
QBE Australia Pacific
Zurich, General Insurance (Australia & New Zealand)
Sponsored by
Unifying professional standards and further enhancing industry trust and confidence within the community, Australia’s life insurance industry has developed an industry-wide Professional Standards Framework, with support from ANZIIF.
Life Insurance
Company of the Year
METLIFE AUSTRALIA
Metlife Australia has been awarded the Life Insurance Company of the Year for the second year in a row.
The company made great strides in 2020, developing a 360Health program that offers all clients informative support and direct engagement with health experts. Judges praised Metlife Australia for its focus on mental health, cardiac health, cancer awareness and diabetes.
Metlife Australia achieved success through increased engagement with customers in 2020, which was reflected in an improved underwriting NPS score.
The judging panel was impressed with Metlife’s community initiatives, which included dedicated staff volunteer days and fundraising programs. Metlife found innovative new ways to continue supporting its community partner Habit for Humanity (HFH) and enabling employees to give back to the community. The organisation also raised significant funds for Australian communities affected by bushfires in 2020. It waived life insurance premiums for customers in bushfire affected areas and directly engaged with customers needing support.
MetLife provided clear evidence for how it continues to contribute to raising professional standards across the life insurance industry and achieving customer trust. The organisation has created a healthy workplace and actively collaborates with industry and regulators.
Finalists
AIA Australia
MetLife Australia
TAL
S e d g w i c k c o n g r a t u l a t e s t h i s y e a r ’ s a w a r d fi n a l i s t s f o r t h e i r c o m m i t m e n t
t o e x c e l l e n c e — a n d f o r t h r i v i n g e v e n i n t h e t o u g h e s t t i m e s .
A s p r o u d s p o n s o r s o f t h e 2 0 2 1 I n s u r t e c h o f t h e Y e a r a w a r d , w e ’ r e i n s p i r e d b y y o u r c o n t r i b u t i o n s
t o i n n o v a t i o n i n t h e i n d u s t r y , a n d w e l o o k f o r w a r d t o w o r k i n g w i t h m a n y o f y o u i n t h e f u t u r e .
I n c o l l a b o r a t i o n w i t h l e a d i n g i n s u r t e c h s a r o u n d t h e w o r l d , S e d g w i c k i s a c t i v e l y w o r k i n g t o p u r s u e n e w t e h r
a n d i m p r o v e d w a y s o f e l e v a t i n g t h e i n s u r a n c e p r o f e s s i o n t h r o u g h o u r c l a i m s m a n a g e m e n t s o l u t i o n s . W e ’ r e h e r e t o h e l p y o u t h r i v e .
Insurtech of the Year
CODAFICATION
In what is always a competitive category, Codafication has won Insurtech of the Year for 2021.
Codafication was described by judges as having a ‘standout’ approach to claims innovation. The judging panel praised the organisation for its Virtual Assist program, which virtually assists customers through the claims process using real-time, high definition (HD) video streaming.
The company’s winning submission included a clear presentation explaining how the program works, backed with data highlighting the positive impact it’s had on customers.
The judging panel was also convinced that this innovation will be sustainable for the future and continue to improve claims processes, incorporating insurers and their customers throughout the supply chain. Codification’s Virtual Assist program has been adopted by some of Australia’s biggest Insurers and has successfully reduced the claims life cycle, including cost overheads and CO2 emissions.
Sponsored by
Finalists
Codafication
Daisee
Mitti Insurance
Wilbur
Professional Services
Firm of the Year
FINITY
Finalists
Barry.Nilsson.Lawyers
DLA Piper
Finity
Hall & Wilcox
MinterEllison
Sedgwick
Described as a clear winner, Finity has been awarded the Professional Services Firm of the Year.
The judging panel was in awe of Finity’s work with the community and its clients in 2020. Finity created a COVID-19 insights campaign which investigated the implications of COVID-19 on general insurance and provided educational resources, which greatly benefited the industry and community.
The organisation supported employees throughout the pandemic by implementing initiatives across health and wellbeing, strategic management and flexible working arrangements. Its support for employees was recognised by staff, who scored Finity high in their staff engagement survey.
Judges were also impressed by Finity’s major investment in innovation in 2020, which saw the introduction of API technology and its subsequent adoption by multiple insurers. Along with incumbents, the innovation helped start-up organisations improve their analytics capability and agile pricing models.
Service Provider
to the Insurance Industry PAYNTERS
In a tightly contested category, Paynters won this years’ Service Provider to the Insurance Industry award.
The judges were impressed by Paynters’ case study, which highlighted how the company supported the community in the South Coast of New South Wales following the catastrophic bushfires in 2020. Paynters provided solutions for those affected including the assessment of damage and the creation of specific designs and solutions for Club Malua Bowls Club. The company’s work with the local councils was also well received by the judging panel.
Paynters received positive feedback and testimonials from its insurer partners, as well as presenting an excellent NPS score. The organisation has shown a proactive approach to promoting a positive and inclusive workplace culture and supporting its people throughout 2020.
Of particular note, was Paynters’ s campaign ‘Lend a Hand’ which helped a family in need and left a long-lasting impact on them and the community. This display of empathy within community engagement has clearly contributed to the insurance industry’s reputation for professional standards and compassion.
Finalists
Bay Building Group
BizCover
Claim Central
Construct Services
Duck Creek Technologies
DXC Technology
Gallagher Bassett
IVAA
B Hi‑Fi
Manheim Salvage Solutions
MJM Corporate Risk Services
MVR ‑ Motor Vehicle Replacement
Paynters
Phenix Jewellery
Excellence in Workplace Diversity and Inclusion
HOLLARD INSURANCE
Introduced in 2019, the Excellence in Workplace Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Award has highlighted many powerful examples of the ways our industry is championing change. Rather than settling for shiny policies hidden in a folder, all the finalists in this category have put their words into action. Judges felt strongly that each submission was real and resonated on every level.
After being announced as a finalist in 2019, this year’s winner Hollard Insurance provided a superb submission and was described by the judges as a ‘Champion of Change’.
Hollard Insurance has improved its Diversity and Inclusion roadmap each year to drive its purpose of ‘Empowering a Resilient Future’.
The organisation has embedded this roadmap not only internally, but throughout its work with customers and the community.
The judging panel commended Hollard Insurance for its focus areas during COVID-19, which included: no COVID-19 related redundancies, flexible workplace arrangements and domestic and family violence and wellbeing support.
Hollard’s submission clearly outlined how the organisation put its D&I strategy into practice, including a range of events and initiatives in 2020. The submission also presented data showcasing Hollard’s Gender Equality Pledge and a clear breakdown of its diversity and inclusion survey data.
Finalists
Allianz Australia
CHU Underwriting Agencies
Hollard Insurance
Marsh
MetLife Australia
QBE Australia Pacific
Hollard Insurance has worked actively with a range of community groups and government to drive diversity and inclusion to reach its future strategic goals.
Insurance Learning Program
of the Year
SEDGWICK
Sedgwick has been awarded the Insurance Learning Program of the Year for the second time.
Judges were impressed by Sedgwick’s detailed submission, which outlined the organisation’s insurance learning programs and initiatives.
Sedgwick delivered education for all claims handling colleagues, with a real focus on vulnerability training. Sedgwick’s Caring for Customers Experiencing Vulnerability program provided value to claims professionals and significantly improved customer outcomes.
Judges complimented Sedgwick on its robust processes and online delivery for all those employees that handle claims. Due to the program’s success, Sedgwick also made the program accessible to all employees.
Sedgwick’s case study presented clear examples of how the program’s learnings had been implemented in real-life situations. Judges praised Sedwick for providing data, evidence and honest learnings about the program.
There is no doubt that Sedgwick’s learning programs are a sustainable asset for its people, and the community they serve.
Young Insurance Professional
of the Year
LINH NGUYEN
Sedgwick
Finalists
Renee Betton, CHU Underwriting Agencies
Robbie Gibbs, SRG Group
Matthew McHutchison, IVAA
Linh Nguyen, Sedgwick
Jonathan Pack, Chubb Insurance
Bianca Parussolo, ProRisk
Jessie Wang, Hollard Insurance
Linh Nguyen is the Young Insurance Professional of the Year for 2021.
In every sense of the word, Linh is a lifelong learner and academic achiever. Linh has years of dedicated study under her belt, including a Bachelor of Medical Science, Diploma of Loss Adjusting, Diploma of Integrated Risk Management to name a few. Linh has applied her learnings and expanded her networks, which has helped her progress in her career. In the last three years, Linh has been promoted three times, and is now Sedgwick’s Business Development Manager for Australia.
Linh continues to make a contribution to industry boards and sits on organising committees for a range of events and conferences. She is the co-founder of Sedgwick’s Women’s Professional Development forum and is passionate about mentoring and making a difference to the next generation of insurance talent.
During the pandemic in 2020, Linh projectmanaged COVID Business interruption solutions and was integral to managing a significant influx of claims. Linh has also received ‘Values in Action’ awards in recognition of how well both she and her team demonstrate Sedgwick’s core values.
The judges praised Linh for presenting a concise career plan that outlines the short and long-term career goals she has in place to become a leader in the insurance industry.
Insurance Leader of the Year
DAMIEN MU
AIA Australia
Damien Mu is this year’s Insurance Leader of the Year.
Damien has achieved remarkable success throughout his 20-year career and has made a significant contribution to the insurance and financial services industry.
As CEO of and Managing Director of AIA Australia and New Zealand, Damien is an inspiring leader. As the face of the industry, he is always looking to promote and raise the professional standards and reputation of the insurance industry.
Damien is a people focused leader passionate about the health and wellbeing of Australians. Judges were in awe of Damien’s tireless work in the area of mental health, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the support of New Zealand company Mentemia, Damien led the roll out of a mental wellbeing app to all Australians to utilise for free during the pandemic. Survey results following the app’s release show that Australians have benefited from regularly using it as an educational resource and feel better able to manage their stress levels as a result.
Damien is an industry advocate who is always willing to push the value of insurance to the market. He regularly contributes as a panellist at conferences and works with health partners, to discuss the future of life insurance and the industry.
Damien Mu was an integral leader and chair of the industry-wide Professional Standards Framework developed for the life insurance industry. This significant project took years to come to fruition, and ultimately set a consistent industry minimum standard for skills and competencies for key parts of the workforce that serve customers in the life insurance industry. Damien successfully brought industry leaders together to agree on the framework and inspired them to achieve a significant and positive step forward to enable the development of people serving in the life insurance sector.
Judges described Damien as an incredible leader, ‘an irresistible force and a larger-thanlife personality’ who always a goes above and beyond to do good for the industry.
ANZIIF Lifetime Achievement Award
WAYNE GOODALL
Wayne Goodall has dedicated over 40 years of service to the insurance industry.
He began his insurance career in 1972, at State Insurance Office (the forebear of the Victorian Managed Insurance Authority (VMIA) and is one of the organisation’s longest-serving employees. In 1992, during his time at the Transport Accident Commission, Wayne was seconded to the Overseas Projects Corporation to work in Nepal across government and business entities as part of the Road and Road Transport Institutional Development Project.
Wayne has led teams in a wide a range of areas including claims, risk management, investigations and customer service. He was responsible for building Ansvar’s Claims Unit from the ground up before becoming Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director. It was very fitting that in 2013, Wayne returned to VMIA where his career began and worked in its Property and Business lines as well as issues relating to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
He went on to manage Property and Liability products and later became Head of Insurance before retiring in 2021.
Judges described Wayne as ‘someone who truly cares about people’ and always striving to make the world a better place. Wayne is highly respected for his empathy and client-centric approach, particularly evident in the incredible role he played at VMIA while leading the work State-related issues arising from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Wayne tirelessly helped the victims of abuse and their families through the claims and litigation process. His winning submission describes one of his proudest moments as ‘supporting a survivor to come in and say her piece – to make sure she was heard.’ It adds that Wayne is glad to have been able to ‘bring that way of thinking to VMIA.’
Throughout his entire career, Wayne has always been a champion of customers, evidenced by the many complex issues he dealt with on their behalf. Wayne’s submission describes his philosophy that solutions shouldn’t just be about money, but about empathy.
The judges were in awe of Wayne’s work in Nepal and his ability to understand and appreciate different cultures and business environments. Wayne presented a comprehensive report proposing ministerial amendments which was instrumental in creating a fairer scheme for Nepalese drivers and local communities.
Wayne is a true advocate of the industry and the role insurance plays to make a difference in the lives of so many in the community. He believes that we should be shining a spotlight on the relevance and importance of claims and to that end, he has worked with various industry bodies both locally and nationally to identify gaps and determine how to attract more talent into the industry.
Wayne is an ANZIIF Fellow (CIP) and was the Chair of the Claims Faculty Advisory Board at ANZIIF where he made an active contribution to improving the industry. His role as an ANZIIF Industry Awards judge over three years has helped showcase the industry’s best talent, initiatives and performance.
It’s said that a legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share about you. Wayne’s life-long legacy and empathetic influence will be remembered not only by the industry, but by the many communities that he helped. His has engrained his leadership style and work ethic in the culture of every organisation with which he has worked and his influence will have a significant impact for years to come.
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The Last Word
The last 18 months have been extraordinary, with Insurers having to deal with the unprecedented complexities and pressures of the global pandemic, changes in consumer needs and behaviour, a steady pipeline of regulatory change and an increasing focus on sustainability.
Despite this environment, the 2021 ANZIIF Insurance Awards submissions demonstrate that the local insurance industry is well placed to respond and address these challenges head on.
EY is a major provider of professional and consulting services to the global insurance industry. Our dedicated insurance sector team brings together a worldwide group of professionals to help the insurance industry address its most difficult challenges.
I would like to thank ANZIIF for the opportunity to participate in the judging process and sincerely congratulate all the award winners and nominees, and wish them every success in the years ahead.
GRANT PETERS
EY ASIA PACIFIC INSURANCE LEADER
THANK YOU
On behalf of ANZIIF thank you for supporting our industry and the 17th Australian Insurance Industry Awards
