QBE is shedding staff in its Australia division, but the number of people losing their jobs is closer to 100 than the 1000 claimed last week.

Online news site Crikey said last week the company has cut 1000 jobs, but QBE has told insuranceNEWS.com.au that “less than 100 roles have been made redundant”.

A QBE spokesman says redeployment of affected employees remains the company’s primary focus.

The job cuts are part of a review of the company’s operations “to better meet customer and shareholder needs, to manage business more effectively and to reduce costs”.

The company’s call centres will also be consolidated into an expanded centre in Parramatta towards the end of the year, and employees “are being offered redeployment opportunities in the first instance”.