Insurance Business has revealed Australia's Elite Women for 2023, women insurance professionals with a successful career and have made a meaningful contribution the industry.
Insurance Business Australia (IB) identified this year's top women insurance leaders by inviting professionals from across the country to nominate exceptional female leaders and provide their nominee's achievements and initiatives for the past 12 months, including examples of their professional accomplishments and contributions to the industry.
The IB team analysed how each nominee had a meaningful contribution to the Australian insurance industry to whittle down the list to the final 52 Elite Women.
Michelle Domanski, claims team leader at GT Insurance, made it to this year's Elite Women special report.
Domanski started her insurance career in the mail room at GIO after completing her VCE. Over the years, she has broadened her insurance experience by working at a claims management company, where she oversaw fuel contamination, material, and property damage claims for major fuel companies. She eventually took a career break to be a mother of two daughters.
After returning to the workforce, Domanski joined National Transport Insurance (NTI) as a heavy motor claims consultant. After three years with NTI, she worked with Avea Insurance as a senior claims consultant, where she managed motor, consumer credit, loan termination, warranty, and GAP insurance claims.
Domanski had been with GT Insurance for over seven years, working as a claims team leader for Victoria and Tasmania and, more recently, the claims team leader for Queensland.
An Elite Woman with extensive experience in the industry, Domanski identified some challenges women face in the industry, including networking.
“We need to offer more opportunities for women to get involved in industry events, whether outside of work hours or during work hours. There are a lot of opportunities for men to attend golf days and network. There just don't seem to be a lot for women,” she told IB.
Domanski also called on the insurance industry to increase education on neurodiversity and compensation.
“I think there is still a big discrepancy between what males and females get paid in our industry, so it would be good if there was transparency on salaries,” she said.
Robyn Watkins, technical underwriting specialist at GT Insurance, is another female leader who made it to this year's Elite Women list.
Watkins is an experienced underwriter with a demonstrated background in the heavy, commercial, and prestige motor insurance sectors. Graduating from the Australian College of Commerce & Management with a diploma in general insurance, there is no such thing as a “typical” work week for her.
Watkins is responsible for conducting underwriting reviews across all GT branches. Most recently, she has been focusing on the creation and development of a library of bespoke underwriting training modules. She aims to drive a greater level of knowledge and understanding within the business while delivering on GT Insurance's goal of building a leading learning and development approach.
Learn more about GT Insurance's Elite Women and the rest of the winners this year by reading the IB Elite Women 2023 special report.
