Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) Deputy President Michael Hawker has been elected President for 2005. Mr Hawker, CEO of Insurance Australia Group (IAG), will take over the reins from outgoing President and Promina CEO Mike Wilkins on January 1. The change was announced at last week’s ICA Insurance Outlook conference.

Mr Hawker said ICA will focus on implementing its new code of practice next year, as well as a number of other industry issues.

“In the year ahead, ICA will focus on using the new code to further enhance service standards, and finalising the collection of comprehensive insurance statistics to assist in better explaining the cost drivers of insurance products.

“It will also continue to work with educators, governments and all sections of the community to improve financial and insurance literacy.”

Paying tribute to his predecessor, he said Mr Wilkins had to deal with some important issues during his term, including liability reform, the Financial Services Reform Act and the Productivity Commission Inquiry into smash repairers.

“During this time ICA has shown industry leadership across all of these issues and has instituted crucial initiatives such as the revised General Insurance Code of Practice.”

Suncorp CEO John Mulcahy was elected Deputy President of the council.