Friends and colleagues from around the world today farewelled one of Australia’s most highly regarded insurance brokers, Frank Earl, who died last week.

Mr Earl, who had a long battle with cancer, was 63. He has been described as a “gentleman” and “real character” with superb technical knowledge and a passion for the educational development of brokers.

One of the industry’s leading lights in professional indemnity (PI) and a particularly well-known figure within the Lloyd’s market, Mr Earl enjoyed a career that spanned more than 40 years.

He was a long-serving director on the National Insurance Brokers Association board, and was President in 2003/04. Mr Earl was most recently a non-executive director on the board of Austbrokers and chaired the AIMS joint venture’s PI committee. He was also serving as a director of broking group IBL at the time of his death.

His professional career included periods as the MD of Arthur J Gallagher, Minet Australia and Minet Professional Services.

Current NIBA President Steve Lardner, a friend for 17 years, told insuranceNEWS.com.au Mr Earl was an outstanding broker with unmatched technical knowledge.

“He was a true gentleman with strong values,” Mr Lardner said. “He was also a good listener; but he also had some very strong and certain views himself.

“He was always fun to be with; Frank had a great sense of fun which helped him get his message across.

“You meet a lot of people in your travels through life, but not many like Frank,” he said. “He was always consistent. He didn’t flip-flop on things, but he was always prepared to listen.”

Besides insurance broking, NZ-born Mr Earl had an enduring passion for rugby union. Austbrokers CEO Lach McKeough says he was “Aussie to his bootlaces” – with the exception of his beloved All Blacks.

Mr McKeough told insuranceNEWS.com.au Mr Earl’s contribution to the Austbrokers float in 2005 was crucial to its success.

Mr Earl is survived by his wife Dianne, their two daughters and their families.

The funeral was held at St Gerard Majella’s parish church in Carlingford before a large gathering of family and friends and industry leaders from Australia and the London market.

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