Suddenly the insurance industry is awash in awards ceremonies. Lumley Life has won the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance's inaugural Claims Team of the Year Award.

Open to all life and general insurance companies in Australia and New Zealand, Lumley General followed its sibling with QBE third.

The award was judged on 15 categories measuring technical expertise, operational excellence, customer care and such qualities as attention to customers’ and going beyond expectations.

QBE’s Katherine Chand was awarded Best Young Claims Handler; Tammy Bates from Charles Taylor Consulting was named Best Claims Handler; Marsh/Comcover Insurance Services won Best Claims Supplier and River Dynamics was named for Best Innovation in Claims Management.

Another award for young claims professionals is being formulated by the Australasian Institute of Chartered Loss Adjusters (AICLA). Its understood the AICLA winner will be announced at its annual conference in Melbourne next April, and that there will be a “substantial” cash prize.