Australian Reliance has moved into Queensland, opening an office in the Brisbane suburb of Fortitude Valley.

Principals Steve Mahaffey and Carwyn Llewelyn, formerly with OAMPS, and Mark Jackson, formerly of Zurich Financial Lines, are establishing the office.

Mr Mahaffey says it is a “subsidiary of Australian Reliance”, with the principals “equity owners, not authorised representatives”.

The office’s point of difference is specialisation, with “the days of a generalist insurance broker fast becoming obsolete”, according to Mr Llewelyn.

Mr Mahaffey will be the marine and logistics specialist, Mr Llewelyn will focus on property and liability and Mr Jackson professional liability.

The move gives Australian Reliance a presence in four cities, with offices already in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. Mr Mahaffey says more Queensland offices will open in the long term.