QBE Australia Pacific has merged its workers’ compensation and accident and health underwriting teams, creating a single People Risk function.
This is part of a broader effort by the insurer to streamline its operations and align its offerings with broker models that focus on people risk.
This unification marks the first time QBE has brought these two underwriting teams together, aiming to deliver a more integrated approach to risk management.
The move is designed to enhance the insurer’s ability to offer brokers and clients a comprehensive view of people risk.
Pat Priest, general manager, commercial at QBE Australia Pacific, said combining the two teams enables the company to have deeper discussions and provide more comprehensive solutions for brokers and customers.
“We’ve always been focused on helping our clients to manage people risk effectively, but bringing together these underwriting teams allows us to have better risk discussions and solutions for our brokers and customers,” she said.
Priest also announced the appointment of Anthony D’Oca to lead the newly formed People Risk function.
This restructuring is expected to make it easier for QBE to tailor risk management solutions to client needs and foster more holistic conversations with brokers regarding total people risk.
The merger is part of QBE’s broader goal to innovate and standardise its services. By consolidating these key areas, the insurer seeks to provide more integrated solutions and insights for brokers and clients, particularly as workforce risk needs evolve.
Priest noted the growing demand from brokers and customers for more specialised and comprehensive risk solutions.
“This change supports even better outcomes for our clients, in the endeavour of continuous workforce wellness and wellbeing development,” she said.
In parallel with this internal restructuring, QBE – named among this year’s best insurance companies for claims in Australia and New Zealand – recently rolled out a pilot program using artificial intelligence (AI) and geospatial technology to improve its claims process following severe weather events.
QBE Ventures, the insurer’s innovation arm, trialled the program during its response to Tropical Cyclone Jasper, which impacted Northern Queensland in December 2023.
The pilot used geospatial data and satellite imagery to assess damage to insured properties in real time, reducing the need for traditional hydrology reports. This allowed QBE’s claims team to speed up decision-making regarding resource allocation and on-the-ground support for clients affected by the cyclone.
QBE Ventures is also exploring further integration of AI to improve the insurer’s risk management processes.
