Zurich Australia has won the National Insurance Brokers Association (NIBA) general insurer of the year award for the second consecutive year.

It beat fellow finalists QBE and CGU in the closest contest in the award’s 16-year history, with only 14 votes separating the winner and third-placed CGU.

Last year Zurich took the title from QBE, which had won for 11 consecutive years from 2002-12. CGU returns to the podium this year after an absence of several years.

The award is voted for by NIBA brokers, who rate insurers’ products and services in a range of categories. A record 1148 brokers completed the survey this year.

John Mutton of InterRISK in Victoria has been named National Insurance Brokers Association (NIBA) broker of the year, while Adele May of Willis in Queensland has won the Warren Tickle Memorial Award.

Mr Mutton claimed his award ahead of Greg Rynenberg of East West Insurance Brokers (Qld), Rick Post of Centrewest Insurance Brokers (WA), Tony Bourke of AIIB (NSW) and Tony De Conno of De Conno & Blanco Insurance Brokers (SA).

The Zurich-sponsored prize includes a $20,000 trip to the US to attend the PGA Tour New Orleans golf classic and the New Orleans Jazz Festival.

Ms May won the Vero-sponsored Warren Tickle award from a field including fellow young professional broker regional winners Shane Brady of Sear Insurance Brokers (Vic), Adam Hines of Gibbscorp (NSW), Cassandra Pearce of IAA (SA) and Cameron Dee of Aon (WA).

Her prize is a business development and travel experience in London, worth about $10,000.

Terry Lane, owner of Melbourne-based Midland Insurance Brokers, has won the prestigious Lex McKeown trophy, which recognises contributions to NIBA and the wider profession.

The 72-year-old has attended all but one of NIBA’s 32 annual conventions in a career dating back to the 1950s. He was a founding director of the association in 1982 and played a key role in creating NIBA College.

Donald Keast of Oxley Insurance Brokers in Kempsey, NSW has won the inaugural NIBA College trainee of the year prize, sponsored by QBE.

The NIBA College student of the year is Brendan Zanoni from OAMPS. Mr Zanoni, based in Aitkenvale near Townsville, claims a $1000 prize and a place on award sponsor QBE’s eQuip program. Other finalists were Samantha Forkas (Willis, Vic) and Rebecca Haines (Strathearn Insurance Brokers, NSW).