Kerrie Lalich has been promoted to the role of CEO at Lawcover Insurance, succeeding Michael Halliday who has decided to stand down after eight years at the helm.

The changeover is effective September 4.

A subsidiary of the Law Society of New South Wales, Lawcover provides professional indemnity insurance to 19,000 lawyers at practices throughout NSW, the ACT and the NT.

Sydney-based Ms Lalich has been a member of the leadership team since February 2013 as chief operations officer. She formerly spent almost nine years at QBE, finishing as acting national manager for two years.

“She has been instrumental in delivering the success and strength the company enjoys today,” Lawcover Chairman Duncan West said. “The appointment of an internal candidate to the leadership role is a measure of that strength”.

Ms Lalich began a legal career in 1996 and moved into the general insurance industry in 2001 as team leader of the major claims unit at QBE, dealing with personal lines, public liability and professional indemnity insurance policies and claims.

Prior to joining Lawcover she spent three years as manager of professional services at medical indemnity insurer MDA National.

Mr Halliday, who was also formerly at MDA National before moving to Lawcover in 2012, says he is taking a “long planned long break and some time to consider whatever next”. Mr West thanked Mr Halliday for taking Lawcover through a period of growth and change with “vision, enthusiasm, commitment and skill”.

Lawcover is Australia’s only ‘profession-owned’, licensed and APRA regulated insurer of the legal profession. It provides professional indemnity insurance up to $2 million for each claim and additional "top up” insurance to $20 million.