Significant numbers of insurance industry executives and staff around the country have been isolating with covid as Omicron levels rise.

insuranceNEWS.com.au has spoken to dozens of industry professionals whose companies have been affected by the virus in recent weeks, but few would speak on the record other than to admit significant numbers of their staff have been forced to isolate.

Some pointed to the recent Steadfast Convention in Adelaide, where 1600 gathered last month, as a potential contributor to the spike.

However, the convention was held with strict entry requirements, and Adelaide – in common with many other communities around Australia – was experiencing a rise in cases when the convention was held.

One insurance company executive whose company has been affected by senior staff isolating with covid says delegates were “out and about a lot in Adelaide and could have caught it anywhere”.

A Steadfast spokesperson told insuranceNEWS.com.au the convention organisers complied with all venue control requirements, including preventing access to those who are not fully vaccinated.

Insurers say the covid wave is not impacting on the industry’s response to the current flood catastrophe.

An Allianz spokeswoman told insuranceNEWS.com.au that additional claims staff are being recruited.

“As with most other business across Australia, Allianz and its employees have been affected by Covid-19 in various ways over the past few years, but particularly in the past couple of months due to the latest wave,” the spokesman said.

“The scale and impact of the current flooding event in NSW and Queensland has been felt across the insurance industry.

“To help manage the significant increase in claims we are on-boarding more than 200 new claims staff, including the recruitment and training of 150 new employees and redeploying existing employees into frontline roles to manage claims.

“We are also bringing in overseas loss adjusters to help assess claims sooner.”

Allianz says it will provide mental health support for its employees. “This is a difficult time for many of our customers, as well as our own people, and we are doing everything we can to support those impacted.”

Suncorp says that while some of its employees have been hit by covid “this has not had any material impact on how we support our customers”.

“Our people continue to demonstrate we can deliver for our customers in a hybrid workplace, and this does offer flexibility for people who are healthy but needing to isolate at home,” a spokesman said.