The National Insurance Brokers Association (NIBA) aims to hold a “virtual convention” this year, following its cancellation of the annual gathering due to coronavirus fears.

Last month NIBA made what it called “the difficult decision” to scrap the popular event, scheduled to take place at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on October 26-27, which usually attracts hundreds of brokers.

Today CEO Dallas Booth revealed NIBA is “seriously looking at holding the NIBA Convention this year in October in a virtual format”.

“This is now happening quite regularly in all sorts of places around the world,” he said.

“We think we can do it, we think we have got the capability, we have certainly got the topics, the issues that we need to cover.

“We are very excited about it and we’re working furiously to try and make that happen.”

Mr Booth says more information will be provided in a couple of weeks.

He says the board has also decided to continue with the NIBA awards process for general insurers as well as the two key broking titles – Broker of the Year and Young Professional of the Year.

The broking awards process had been paused to allow brokers to focus on their clients, but will now be restarted, with submissions for both categories due by July 10.