Insurance Advisernet: Everything you need to know
Founded: 2006
Types of services: Broker cluster group
Offices: Auckland
Clients: 16,000+
Insurance Advisernet is a New Zealand broker group representing over 40 independent brokers, all of whom collectively look after over 16,000 clients and employ over 170 staff nationwide.
Insurance Advisernet provides a platform of various services to member brokers, equipping them with the best insurance products, technology and policy wordings. It is also supporting its members through an ongoing changing compliance regime, and is focusing on reducing the administrative burden of ensuring compliance to new standards and providing risk advice.
The group was established in 2006 as a joint venture between Insurance Advisernet Australia and New Zealand investors, and the group’s Australian branch took a majority shareholding in the New Zealand business in 2010. This gave the New Zealand branch membership with the ASX-listed AUB Group, a top insurance broking group in Australasia with over $4.5 billion in gross premiums under management.
Insurance Advisernet New Zealand was partnered with NZbrokers until April 2019, when it resigned from the group as a corporate member. The resignation did not alter its relationship with AUB Group, which remains the largest shareholder of Insurance Advisernet.
Insurance Advisernet in the news
2006: Insurance Advisernet New Zealand is founded through a joint venture between the Australian group and New Zealand investors
2016: Insurance Advisernet New Zealand joins forces with NZbrokers
2018: Travis Atkinson joins the team in the newly-created role of General Manager, Operations
2019: Insurance Advisernet resigns as a corporate member of New Zealand’s largest broking group NZbrokers, citing “significant growth” as the reason behind its decision
Key people as of 2019
David Crawford – Director, New Zealand
Crawford has been with the group from the very beginning, having joined in 2006 as CEO and subsequently becoming a director. The majority of his career was spent working as a corporate broker across New Zealand, London and the Middle East, and Crawford has worked closely with Insurance Advisernet’s Australian operations to drive the growth of its New Zealand branch. He is a current board member of IBANZ and the Chair of PIQ College.
Travis Atkinson – General Manager, Operations
Atkinson joined Insurance Advisernet in 2019 in the newly created role, and now provides support to over 50 broker practices across New Zealand. Atkinson has spent over 35 years in the insurance industry and has worked across New Zealand and Asia, his most recent role being Executive General Manager of NZI.
Paula Mills – Operations & Compliance Manager
Mills joined Insurance Advisernet in November 2011, and currently manages all operations including accounts, compliance, systems and education. She previously held a variety of roles at Apex General, AA Insurance and State Insurance.
Sue Crawford – National Manager, Development
Crawford joined the group in September 2016 as National Sales Manager, and her current role involves recruiting new brokers into the Insurance Advisernet family, while also developing various schemes and facilities to help brokers grow their businesses. Crawford brings 25 years of insurance experience, with her most recent role being general manager at Marsh McLennan Agencies.
Industry affiliations
Insurance Advisernet takes an active role in the insurance industry, and maintains a range of initiatives and affiliations to keep its members at the forefront of all new developments.
Insurance Brokers Association of New Zealand (IBANZ): IBANZ is a professional body representing fire and general insurance brokers, risk managers and consumers in New Zealand. It provides technical advice, guidance on regulation, business support and ongoing training and development programs, and is also a voice for the industry in front of members, government, consumer groups and other stakeholders.
Professional IQ College: A provider of training and ongoing professional development (CPD) for brokers, advisers and support people working in insurance.
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