Insurance News Magazine

The US is battling insurance challenges on many fronts, and Australia is watching with interest to see what it can learn.

The latest issue of Insurance News magazine contains an in-depth look at the US market, as an Insurance Council-led delegation returns from a recent tour.

Also in the August/September edition, we analyse the latest local trends, with insurer appetite rising and the market starting to soften.

There’s an interview with key players at the original AR network, Insurance Advisernet, and Liberty spills its secrets on 25 successful years in Australia.

We also cover Aldi’s launch into insurance, Swiss Re’s latest list of emerging risks, and RAA’s insurance reset.

Assistant Treasurer and Financial Services Minister Stephen Jones says he is not interested in engaging in “populist politics” on the insurance affordability challenge, as a government taskforce is launched.

The full interview with the minister – who says accompanying insurers to Europe last year was one of the “most valuable things” he has done – is in the latest issue of Insurance News magazine.

Also in the June/July edition, we delve into the $2.3 billion acquisition of PSC by London-based Ardonagh, and consider how it might alter the local broking landscape.

There’s also an in-depth interview with Steadfast’s Robert Kelly, Nigel Fitzgerald and Sam Hollman, as the listed juggernaut’s revamped leadership team considers opportunities at home and abroad – plus Marsh Pacific CEO Josh Roach outlines the international giant’s next steps.

We examine the implications of the Baltimore bridge disaster, break down a significant court ruling on unfair contract terms, and recap key insights from the Insurance News strata seminar.

It’s all in the latest edition of Insurance News magazine, the industry’s leading publication that’s packed with vital information and fascinating reads.

There is growing concern about the dangers of lithium-ion battery fires, and the impact they could have on insurance. The batteries may be powering a host of new technologies, but our Insurance News magazine cover story explores their explosive downside.

The April/May issue also features an in-depth interview with Lloyd’s new Regional Director Chris Mackinnon, and introduces his replacements in Australia. Mr Mackinnon believes Lloyd’s has much more to offer the local market, through traditional and non-traditional means.

Meanwhile, our reporting team addresses the industry’s stubborn gender pay gap, casts an eye over the bloodstock market, and asks outgoing National Insurance Brokers Association CEO Phil Kewin for thoughts on his tenure and challenges still facing the broking sector.

We also analyse Vero’s latest SME Insurance Index, and look back on a hugely successful inaugural Insurance News conference.

US-based WR Berkley President and CEO Rob Berkley visited the insurer’s Australian operations this month, and spent time with Insurance News magazine to outline the group’s management philosophy.

Our feature in the February/March issue also details Mr Berkley’s views on the industry’s contribution to society, climate change, the insurance cycle and technology.

Also in the latest edition, we talk to the experts about what’s going on with our weather, as flooding continued to cause chaos over a summer supposed to be influenced by the drying effects of El Nino.

We speak to insurance leaders about the biggest challenges for 2024, and hear from former Insurance Council CEO Peter Daly, who’s just hung up his boots after a 70-year industry career.

And there’s a special feature on broking powerhouse Envest, which is growing fast following its combination with UK-based Ardonagh.

It’s all in the latest edition of Insurance News magazine, the industry’s leading publication that gives you all the information you need, and some fascinating reads. 

It’s that time of year when we recognise the top influencers and influences in insurance. The December/January issue of Insurance News magazine presents our considered, if not scientific, summary of this year’s movers and shakers.  

This latest edition also includes another annual staple – our Insurance Ad Oscars, which analyses the standout insurance advertisements of the year. 

Our team of journalists has taken a detailed look at Finity’s Optima report, as well as the NSW Government’s pledge to reform the ESL, and we’ve featured the successful and growing family brokerage MGA. 

We run the rule over Steadfast’s move into the US, and look back at the top stories of 2023. 

Our annual wellbeing survey gives an insight into how insurance professionals are coping – and chief among their concerns is burnout. The October/November issue of Insurance News magazine presents the survey results in detail, and makes for captivating, if confronting, reading. 

This latest edition is packed with analysis of how our insurers, brokers and reinsurers are tracking, along with an examination of the more prominent position of mutuals. 

We’ve interviewed the global chief at WTW on life after the failed merger with Aon, leaders at ambitious listed brokerage PSC, and outgoing ANZIIF CEO Prue Willsford on her achievements in setting the industry on a path to professionalism. 

There’s also a special feature on pet insurance pioneers Doug and Gwen Ford, and what next for their ever-growing global empire. And that’s before you get to explainers on electric vehicles, cyber and broker disclosure on commissions. 

It's all in the latest edition of Insurance News magazine, the industry’s leading publication that gives you all the information you need, and some fascinating reads. 

What – or perhaps who – killed Catholic Church Insurance? The August/September issue of Insurance News magazine provides the background you need to understand why this venerable organisation needed recapitalising, which led to its owners placing it into runoff. 

There’s good and not so good news in our thorough examination of what’s driving premiums ever upward, and we also look at the reinsurance market’s June renewals, where there were some pleasant surprises compared with the bloodbath European and US insurers copped in the January renewals. 

In an edition full of interest for insurance professionals we provide some clarity for the Boomers on how to plan for and execute a successful business succession, and dig deep on the pains and perils of public liability. 

The New Zealand insurance market (which is dominated by Australian insurers) is still reeling from the twin impacts of a major flood and a cyclone, and Insurance News looks at the lessons learned. We’ve also talked about catastrophes with ICA’s Andrew Hall, profiled a leading WA-based national brokerage, and we join an industry leader who’s celebrating a big company event while showing us all what courage and determination is all about. 

It's all in the latest edition of Insurance News magazine, the industry’s leading publication that tells you the things you need to know and celebrates the things that make working in insurance so worthwhile.

Suncorp’s all-action Insurance CEO Lisa Harrison makes the cover of the latest edition of Insurance News magazine, and our interview covers off as many aspects of her wide-ranging role as possible.

Also featured in this edition is Lloyd’s CEO John Neal, who gives exclusive insight into his plans for Australia, and Chubb’s local leader Peter Kelaher.

There’s an in-depth article on the issues facing rural brokers and their clients, we examine the troubled builders’ warranty market, while a KPMG report pull out 10 trends all industry professionals should be across.

Underwriting agencies take centre stage in the latest edition of Insurance News magazine, as their influence in the local market continues to grow.

We’ve interviewed UAC’s inaugural CEO Jenny Bax about the passionate, innovative people driving the sector, and taken a detailed look at why brokers are increasingly turning to agencies.

In this edition we also mark the one-year anniversary of the devastating NSW/Queensland floods, talking to residents of Lismore to see how things are going there.

And Zurich’s local CEO gives in-depth insight into his priorities as he looks to bring the life and general sides of the business closer together.

There’s also articles on recruitment, mould, the recovery of travel, taxes – and we chat to APRA’s new board member about all things insurance.

The reinsurance market, and its approach to Australia, is changing fast, and that’s why an analysis of the latest renewals makes the cover of the latest edition of Insurance News magazine.

Yes, most of the local market renews mid-year, but crucial lessons can be learned from what went down on January 1.

We also publish two surveys this month – a broker opinion survey featuring some stark criticism of insurers, and an industry leaders survey that looks forward to the challenges of 2023.

You might not agree with everything that’s said, but both make fascinating reading.

There’s also an interview with Lloyd’s Chairman Bruce Carnegie-Brown, who sees opportunity as a new risk landscape emerges, but believes insurers can’t cover everything alone.

And we take another look at the flood pool debate that just won’t go away, as the country comes to terms with last year’s catastrophic events.

QBE Group CEO Andrew Horton has been in position for more than a year, so Insurance News magazine caught up with him for an in-depth interview.

He explains how he’s got Australia’s largest international insurer heading in the right direction, but also flags an industry issue playing on his mind as demand for insurance grows but capacity shrinks.

Meanwhile, it’s that time of year again as we look at the Top 20 industry influencers and influences, and this edition we’ve changed it up with some outside-the-box thinking.

We also look back at a remarkable 12 months of flooding, and analyse the stories that have been most important to you, our readers.

The insurance industry is being battered by natural catastrophes, inflation and a tight economy, so Insurance News magazine this month takes a long and detailed look at how reinsurers, insurers and brokers are faring. We also have Taylor Fry’s annual examination of the industry class by class.

And the results of the 2022 Insurance News Wellness Survey are in, providing deeper insights on industry employees’ radically changed work cultures. Not everyone’s a fan, and the impact on developing the next generation of insurance managers is a particular concern. And our questions on mental health, which raised some serious issues last year, will add weight to calls for urgent action.

This edition of Insurance News magazine also features a new leader at Aon, a global loss adjusting CEO visits his old Sydney base, and we dig deep to understand the risks behind manufactured stone benches in homes and e-scooters on the streets.

There’s all that and much more, so if you’re finding the pressures insurance is experiencing at present hard to keep up with, the October-November issue of Insurance News brings all the facts together. This latest edition is being mailed out to subscribers this week, and it will be available online at the same time.

Melting permafrost leads the list of global threats highlighted by our cover story in the latest issue of Insurance News magazine.

Swiss Re’s annual Sonar report on emerging risks is always fascinating and instructive reading – let’s not forget that the 2015 edition included a section on the rising risk of a pandemic.

Also well worth a read is our piece on the latest renewals, with experts lining up to explain what’s going on in the insurance market and why.

We also take a close look at the government’s cyclone reinsurance pool, how it will work and what savings consumers can realistically expect.

Outgoing Underwriting Agencies Council General Manager William Legge looks back on a long and fruitful career, we preview the upcoming Dive In diversity and inclusion festival, and DXC launches its annual Invitational for promising start-ups.

All this and so much more in Insurance News magazine, the industry’s most popular and trusted publication.

AUB Group believes it’s onto something big with the acquisition of Lloyd’s wholesale broker Tysers, and Chief Executive Mike Emmett explains why in the latest Insurance News magazine.

It’s all about giving clients better access to complex risk solutions – and who better to turn to than Lloyd’s?

This edition also includes an in-depth chat with Lloyd’s Chief of Markets Patrick Tiernan, who talks market modernisation, innovation and commitment to Australia.

Meanwhile, the impact of this country’s worst flood disaster on record continues to unfold, and we look at how and why we need to build back better, plus an exciting initiative to push more weather-resilient homes.

The other issue on everyone’s minds at the moment is talent – or lack of it – and our team has spoken to ANZIIF and others about possible solutions.

All this and lots more in Insurance News, the most-read magazine circulating in the Australian and New Zealand insurance industries.

The lessons and challenges resulting from the catastrophic NSW and Queensland floods are the focus of the latest edition of Insurance News magazine, which has been mailed out to subscribers and will also be available online.

Insurance News journalists report on the long post-floods rebuild that’s just beginning, and politicians’ encouraging new interest in mitigation. We’ve also spoken to risk experts warning that Australia is going to see more frequent extreme weather events, raising issues around affordability and even availability.

With a federal election looming, we’ve also dug deep into the insurance-related plans of the major parties, and interviewed local Munich Re MD Scott Hawkins, who warns the solutions to climate problems won’t be found in the catastrophes of the past.

You can also meet CGU chief Jarrod Hill, who explains his plans for growth under his new management team. We also dive deep into the latest Vero SME Index – a must-read for brokers, in particular – check out the latest financial results of the major listed insurers and brokers, and examine how the dynamic between brokers and underwriting agencies changed during the downturn.

All this and lots more in Insurance News, the most-read magazine circulating in the Australian and New Zealand insurance industries.

There’s so much uncertainty in the world right now, but it never hurts to take a look at what might be coming down the road.

The latest issue of Insurance News magazine includes an in-depth industry leaders survey on what 2022 holds.

It’s insightful reading, with experts in insurance, reinsurance and broking giving their views on issues such as the state of the market, climate change, insurance affordability, government intervention and skills shortages.

The magazine also features an interview with Steadfast’s Robert Kelly, shedding light on his determination to complete the network’s homegrown IT systems and the benefits that they bring.

As International Women’s Day approaches, we take another look at the insurance industry gender pay gap and talk to women on the front line about what needs to be done.

Swiss Re Corporate Solutions’ Christine Bell talks about positive times ahead as businesses take a fresh look at how to manage risks.

And supply chain disruption is inflicting pain on the motor repair industry, but companies like AMA Group are working hard to find solutions.

All this and so much more in Insurance News magazine, the industry’s most popular and trusted publication.

Sorry if the cover picture for the December edition of Insurance News magazine seems a bit confronting, but it helps to illustrate the vast gulf between the Australian Government’s emissions promises and the insurance industry’s growing dislike of fossil fuels.

Our report examines the Government’s belief there’s room for fossil fuels in its plan to reach net zero emissions, and the insurance industry’s more nuanced but nevertheless increasingly rigid attitude to the issue.

You can also read an expert in-depth examination of the industry’s business performance over the past year, with the annual Optima Report stating there is “not a class of business that is not affected, nor is there any business in the world that is not affected, by what is happening”.

Our annual look at the Top 20 influences and influencers guiding the Australian insurance industry is essential reading, and the Advertising Oscars also returns to Insurance News showing why and how getting the message across is all about creativity.

Meet industry leaders like the new Australian Financial Complaints Authority Lead Ombudsman Insurance Emma Curtis, who says 70% of the 17,000 complaints received each year are all about claims. But there’s positive signs in new regulations and a more committed industry.

Learn how WTW is coming back into the market after being forcibly torn from the arms of Aon, and look back through a year of challenge and change through the thousands of articles published in the past year by insuranceNEWS.com.au.

You’ll find plenty to inform, educate and even entertain in the December issue of Insurance News magazine. Printed copies have been mailed out, and it’ll soon be available online through our website.

Solid research shows that Insurance News is the industry’s favourite publication, and you can trust us to keep printing it because there is high demand. We’re also well advanced in developing a more interactive version of the magazine for online readers, and we’ll tell you more about it in the new year.

While the pandemic and its many challenges have been front and centre of all insurance professionals’ thoughts, there’s been a lot happening in the industry that will continue to throw up challenges.

The latest issue of Insurance News magazine provides a detailed overview of the regulatory changes that impact across the industry. If you want to understand exactly what it all means to you, this article will help.

The magazine also features the first interview with Sue Houghton after she arrived at QBE as CEO Australia Pacific. We also interviewed new Axa XL Country Manager Catherine Carlyon, who explains why the insurer is moving forward to banish uncertainty and deliver enhanced products.

Arguments over Covid working conditions and vaccine debates in the construction industry may be dominating the headlines, but builders face a bewildering range of problems that have led insurers to withdraw capacity and raise their premiums. This edition of Insurance News magazine examines the issues and gathers expert views to explain the background.

Our inaugural Insurance News Wellness Survey was an opportunity for locked-down professionals to detail their trials and triumphs as the industry went home and kept right on working. Locked-down and locked-out states are slowly returning to some semblance of normal, but the negative pandemic-related effects we unearthed need to be taken into account as offices reopen.

Most companies get a pat on the back for their support, and employees who want a hybrid working regime (that’s most of them) provide plenty of reasons why.

All this and so much more in Insurance News magazine, the industry’s most popular and trusted publication.

Once a minnow in the field, local insurer Hollard has turbo-charged its GWP after pulling off the daring acquisition of Commonwealth Bank’s insurance business. The cover story in the latest edition of Insurance News magazine features the company’s founder Richard Enthoven, who talks about how the deal came about and how Hollard will leverage its new business to foster growth.

The August-September edition of the industry’s favourite news magazine also examines the June 30 renewals period, finding premiums continuing to rise and some pain points becoming more acute.

It’s much the same news in the commercial insurance market, with another report looking at the commercial insurance market from brokers’ perspective.

Meanwhile, insurers are facing a new dilemma after a torrid year of natural disasters: building material costs are rising and availability is falling. Insurance News looks at the causes and solutions.

In other articles we profile how broker PSC has managed its first 15 years; we meet the CEOs of Howden Broking and Ardonagh-owned Resilium; an expert warns brokerages adding ARs must be aware of changing compliance rules; we preview the upcoming Dive In Festival and its drive to make us all “allies for change”; and we show how Vero is helping its customers by providing business recovery grants.

All that and our regular features –  including social pictures –  in the busy August-September edition of Insurance News magazine.

The Federal Government’s decision to rely on a reinsurance pool and a mitigation program is intended to push down premium pressures for cyclone-prone northern Australia. But will it succeed? That depends. Insurance Magazine’s June/July edition examines the long-awaited government initiatives and speaks to key stakeholders about their chances of solving the problems.

If you thought the brokerage buying race must be coming to an end, think again. The cover story in this edition outlines the strategy of industry identities Paul Lynam and Adrian Kitchin to build a new national broker network for UK broking powerhouse Ardonagh.

Insurance News journalists also cover the re-emergence of an insurance option that just might help to meet the challenges of what’s said to be the hardest insurance market in 40 years. Do mutual insurers have the answers?

You can also meet Sharon Ooi, Swiss Re’s new Australia and New Zealand chief, who came to insurance from a science background, and learn about how former CHU chief Bobby Lehane found tranquillity in NSW’s rockpools – all 100 of them – while raising money for Lifeline.

From mega-ships and their insurance nightmares to the dark world of online ransoms, Insurance News magazine has the information you need to stay abreast of our rapidly changing industry.

Insurance Ombudsman John Price has spent 17 years adjudicating on disputed claims, and working with the insurance industry and consumer groups to build a process that emphasises fairness over what the mainstream media likes to call “fine print”. In the April/May edition of Insurance News magazine Mr Price looks back over the development of an independent claims review system.

Our latest edition also looks at how the Sydney and Queensland floods have once again turned the focus on the affordability of flood cover, land-use planning and the impacts of flood on communities.

And we examine the government review of broker remuneration. The industry says it’s a system that’s working just fine by providing businesses with affordable and ongoing advice. But can commissions survive in an environment where the big word is transparency?

The debate over gender inequality in the insurance industry isn’t going to go away, for very good reasons. You can read about the causes and effects, and what companies across the industry are doing about it.

Underwriting agencies are stepping up as insurers grapple with rising claims and falling profits. The sector is always the go-to place for brokers seeking cover for hard-to-place risks in a hard market, but our report examines how underwriting agencies have become much more than a “last option” – they’re a power in their own right.

Read all about these issues and a whole lot more in the Australian insurance industry’s most popular news magazine. 

While 2020 was a year to forget, 2021 should be the year for finding answers. That’s the theme of the latest edition of Insurance News magazine.

We have assembled views on the industry’s future with heavy-hitters who are working to keep ahead of the ever-evolving issues this year and beyond.

Broking and industry group leaders highlight key challenges and opportunities, ICA CEO Andrew Hall explains why he wants to implement change and not just talk about it, and we feature an illuminating Q&A with IAG’s new CEO Nick Hawkins.

Another must-read article examines the shifting broking landscape which has enabled powerful new entrants to emerge, with the money and influence to change the Australian market even further.

We also run the ruler over the ACCC’s final report from its three-year inquiry into the availability and affordability of insurance in northern Australia, and ask: What does it say that hasn’t been said before?

And 10 years after the devastating Canterbury earthquakes that tested New Zealand – and Australian-based insurers – like never before, we look in detail at the lessons learned over a decade of recovery.

Like a catastrophic love affair, 2020 altered our lives and try as hard as we might not to look back on it, we won’t be able to help ourselves.

So the latest edition of Insurance News magazine sets out to jog your memory by looking at the 10 major things that influenced the industry in 2020, and probably will still be in 2021 and beyond.

The Top 10 Influences – a departure from our annual list of the Top 20 Influencers – looks at the different ways our industry has been pushed and pummelled through the year by a whole series of seemingly unrelated events – we can’t blame the pandemic for everything, however – and how they are reshaping the way insurance goes about its business.

The industry’s most trusted magazine also asks experts why we shouldn’t despair over profitability falling off a cliff and how a seemingly harmless fertiliser is also an efficient bomb. We dive deep on the business interruption test case drama, and our marketing partners take their annual dip into insurance industry advertising to select the one that touched them most. It turns out that insurance advertising can be “violent” while being perfectly relevant.

The pandemic continues to wreak havoc across the Australian community, so we’ve investigated how governments, insurers and businesses around the world are working on ways to improve risk protection for the next pandemic.

With the La Nina climate feature already influencing Australia’s weather, we report on the coming summer and its associated hazards, noting that despite a lower risk of bushfires Australia is facing bigger hailstorms, bigger tropical storms, more severe tropical storms and more floods.

Insurance News has also taken a look at the financial performance of the major insurers, as well as the leading local brokers. In a nutshell, one sector is performing much better than the other.

The insurance industry is rich in data, and we already have many systems that promise to revolutionise the market. The problem now is how to use those systems and data without experiencing “data overload”.

An industry technology expert helps sort through the complications to present a concise guide to progress so far, what’s happening and what to expect from insurance IT.

This issue also has interviews and profiles of men and women who are using technology to pursue the dream of a more flexible, focused and competitive insurance industry.

Nothing much will be the same after the coronavirus pandemic, and new Suncorp Group CEO Steve Johnston is one of those industry leaders already planning for new approaches to insurance and its markets.

In the August/September issue of Insurance News magazine Mr Johnston explains his rationale for a strategic restructure that has seen the insurance operation split in two and some senior executives leave the group.

Insurance News also examines an unpleasant truth about the pandemic: it was never about if, but when. Journalist Bernice Han looks at how warnings from the insurance industry were left on the shelf.

And we look at the washup from one of the most difficult and contentious renewal seasons of recent years, with an exclusive survey gathering together the experiences and reactions of brokers large and small.

An illuminating article on the emerging generation of insurance buyers – the Millennials – is a must-read. What is the industry doing to build systems and expertise that meet the demands of a new customer class who want their insurance flexible, online and totally fuss-free? We have the answers.

All that and a whole lot more in the latest edition of Insurance News magazine, where you’ll always find articles to illuminate, inform and even entertain.

What comes next? That’s the big question facing an insurance industry emerging from the revolutionary pressures and changes brought about by an unprecedented pandemic.

It has touched every part of insurance, from staff working at home (our cover story) to claims handling to the speedy growth of technology in so many areas of the business.

The latest edition of Insurance News magazine sets out to explore the impacts and issues, with our experienced business journalists seeking the opinions of local and global industry leaders to provide a valuable assessment of where we’re at – and where we’re going.

We also speak in depth to retiring Insurance Council of Australia Chief Executive Rob Whelan, whose thoughts on developments and issues over the past 10 years provides valuable insight. And we profile his successor, Andrew Hall, an industry “outsider” who’s expected to take the industry body in a new direction.

Learn about revolutionary ways to tackle bushfires before they get out of control, how a “fair go” has become a major aspect of claims dispute resolution, and some reminders from experts on the need to focus on the growing dangers of climate change.

Learn more about insurance people, the issues and future challenges and opportunities with Insurance News magazine, which is available online now.

The coronavirus emergency has forced the insurance industry to change its focus from managing billions of dollars in natural catastrophe claims to dealing with a hazard that’s invisible but even more destructive.

The April/May edition of Insurance News magazine switches its own focus from bushfires to the unfolding story of the COVID-19 outbreak and its impact on insurance so far.

Carefully researched articles into this unprecedented event look at how the economic “hibernation” and resulting business slide will put more pressure on brokers to demonstrate value as SME clients seek ways to cut costs.

We also look at how the pandemic has taken the wind out of the sails of the two largest local brokers, and how several months of bushfires, floods and hailstorms have caused extreme financial pain to insurers.

This edition also examines other vital industry issues. As generational change sweeps through the industry, Insurance News shows how the old tradition of “falling into insurance’ is no longer enough. Solving skills shortages has become a key industry challenge.

There’s interviews with Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance’s global chief Peter Eastwood and the CEO of New Zealand insurer Tower, who is using technology to compete with the Australian-owned market giants. And we look at the rise and rise of Ansvar in Australia.

You can learn how smoke haze, lost bees and needy pumpkins added to lost millions in the agricultural sector, and how insurance can be better equipped to deal with the risk next time; how mergers and acquisitions have come to a sudden stop; and how premium funding is performing in a low interest rate environment.

All that and so much more in Insurance News magazine, the industry’s most popular and widely followed magazine. It’s being mailed out around Australia over the next week, and is available online now.

The insurance industry has often found itself embroiled in controversy following major catastrophes, but not this time. With around 27,000 claims from the devastating bushfires that began in September now nearing $2 billion, the industry’s response has been swift and effective.

The latest edition of Insurance News magazine tells how insurance specialists across the industry swung into action to provide a co-ordinated program of support and assistance, sometimes even hitching rides with the air force to get to affected communities.

Despite the efforts to be there for customers, underinsurance and taxes on premiums continue to bite. Insurance News examines the causes and effects.

We have also dug deep into the latest JP Morgan and Taylor Fry report on the state of the industry, and found a discarded suggestion that just might have application in cyclone-prone regions.

In other articles, 12 industry leaders share their assessments on the future of insurance in Australia, an expert discusses the industry’s role in sorting out the construction sector’s liability mess, and we feature the latest twists and turns in the insurtech revolution.

The NSW and Queensland spring bushfires caught everyone by surprise, and now the states – and insurers – are bracing for a summer like no other Australia has ever experienced. In the December/January edition of Insurance News magazine our editorial team talks to victims, firefighters and scientists to understand the causes and the consequences as we prepare for a fiery summer.

The magazine also examines the insurance industry’s performance over the past 12 months and probes the reasons behind a slowdown, falling profitability and continuing premium rises.

Our popular informal look at the Top 20 influencers and influences on Australia insurance continues for the 10th year, we talk to industry leaders across the wide world of insurance, and we provide background to issues like how a reinsurance pool for northern Australia was resurrected and how codes of practice will survive the chilly winds of regulatory change.

It’s 10 years since Insurance News magazine was launched, and this month’s special anniversary edition looks back over the big industry issues and events we’ve covered over that time. You’ll be surprised how long some of those issues have dragged on.

That first edition in October 2009 also looked at the life and times of insurance professionals through the eyes of 10 Gen X managers battling long working hours and the needs of family life. Ten years later we’ve interviewed them again, asking the same questions, with different answers.

We’ve also delved into the lives of six Gen Y professionals making their mark on the industry. Their approach, their ambitions and their views on work are a revelation.

Apart from celebrating our 10-year milestone, we also have plenty of industry news and features in this month’s special edition. They include a look at Suncorp’s reshaped market approach, why accident & health insurers are in the right place at the right time, how insurance is playing a pivotal role in eliminating workplace sexual harassment, and an expert’s view on the economy’s chilly outlook.

The latest edition of Insurance News magazine reveals why broker group IBNA decided to leave the AIMS joint venture and move to Steadfast. Candid interviews with IBNA Chairman Gary Gribbin and new AUB MD Mike Emmett detail the depth of IBNA’s concerns and AUB’s plan to remove “distractions” from its focus on broking.

Insurance News was at the County Court in Melbourne throughout the trial of a couple accused of stealing $17.4 million from Dual Australia. Our article highlights the stories behind the trial – the characters, comments, humour, tears and incredulity behind this remarkable case.

The construction industry’s professional indemnity crisis is explored in depth, as is the impact of Lloyd’s decision to retreat from poorly performing business and icare’s journey over development potholes.

Insurance News also probes the industry’s silence on emissions, the Hayne royal commission’s claims conundrum, and how 5G technology will accelerate the pace of change in insurance.

All that and so much more in the industry’s most popular source of news and background information.

In this issue we take a long look at authorised representatives, finding the surge in AR numbers is being driven by a search for business independence, the promise of less paperwork and the chance of a better lifestyle.

Insurance News has interviewed ARs around the country and talked to their licensees to find out how the intermediary sector is changing the industry’s profile on the main street.

Our June/July edition also examines some of the complex risks stemming from the Hayne royal commission, and explains how brokers are taking a head-on approach over moves to ban commissions.

What’s insurable and what’s affordable? How can insurers do more to understand customers’ catastrophe risks? And what’s the true economic value of insurance? You’ll find all the answers in the latest edition of Insurance News, along with our acclaimed interviews with the industry’s movers and shakers.

How will insurance brokers deal with the fallout from the Hayne royal commission? The latest edition of Insurance News, the industry’s most popular magazine, looks at the quandary for brokers struggling with the consequences of an inquiry they weren’t even invited to participate in.

From the Vero SME index to broking and industry leaders, as well as an ethicist, you’ll find some real answers in Insurance News.

We’ve also asked the federal Assistant Treasurer and his Opposition counterpart to give us their views on a number of industry issues, you can also catch up with some of the latest trends in insurtech, see how the industry is progressing in terms of performance and profit, and contemplate the ironies of a flood insurance definition that still apparently causes confusion.

Yet another government agency’s report on insurance in northern Australia comes under the Insurance News microscope, with the devastating Townsville floods demonstrating one inescapable truth – the north of Australia is far more prone to natural catastrophes than the southern regions, and that’s why property insurance costs more.

Insurance News also looks at the fallout from the Hayne royal commission, with particular emphasis on its recommendations regarding brokers’ commissions.

We’ve also examined the industry’s financial performance as premiums start to rise after a prolonged flat period, how amusement park operators are battling a tough combination of soaring premiums and low capacity, why hail is Australia’s most expensive natural hazard, and also why customers stick with their insurers. 

You’ll find interviews with the new chief executives of Zurich and Sedgwick, a house designed to withstand bushfires, and analysis of the emerging risks and opportunities of virtual reality.

Allan Fels, the monitor of NSW’s non-existent emergency services levy change and primary foe of the insurance industry, is stirring up insurers again. Believing in the principle of knowing your enemy, Insurance News magazine interviewed the industry’s most strident critic for its December edition. He might just surprise you.

The edition also features our annual favourites – the 20 most influential people and organisations in the insurance industry, and our picks for the best insurance TV ads of the past year.

Insurance News has also interviewed QBE’s Vivek Bhatia about his drive for “everyday brilliance”, we’ve asked industry leaders about the five issues that keep them awake at night and we report on growing support for tackling global warming.

We speak to Swiss Re’s global chief economist, examine how insurers’ caution is making life tough for former lawbreakers trying to get into business, look at how climate change is making windstorms stronger, and talk to AIG about its embrace of blockchain technology.

A new survey has found the insurance industry can do a lot more when it comes to promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

The hardening market has come at a good time for the three leading insurers. This edition sees them emerging from hard times energised and ready to take on new challenges, and we’ve tracked the industry-wide effects as rate rises kick in.

Meet new insurers and new CEOs and check the pulse of a very busy insurance industry in Insurance News (the magazine).

Can we afford class actions? We’ve investigated moves to get things back in balance. And we show how insurers are reshaping their investment portfolios in the face of environmental and social challenges.

The big issue right now is diversity and inclusion, and we feature the views of industry leaders that range from “we’re making progress” to “it’s time to bring in quotas to speed up change”.

AIG is a global giant, but it’s a lot leaner and nimble than it once was. Leading the drive to transform the American group’s 75 international operations is former Australian CEO Chris Townsend. If you want to know what’s going on in the wider insurance world, don’t miss our interview in Insurance News (the magazine) this month.

We visit a leading insurer that has four women on its nine-person board and the most flexible and inclusive personnel policies you’ll find anywhere. You can also meet a marketing heavyweight who’s a key part of IAG’s drive to change the way people interact with their insurer.

We’ve also interviewed a broking leader with a bold vision for the industry and intermediaries. Will the term “broker” survive? Will insurance become just one of a range of ways to control risk? He sees the industry completely changed by the early 2020s.

James Shipton, the new Chairman of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, says financial services – which includes general insurance – has lost its way by focusing solely on profit and must now learn to “do the right thing”.

The June edition of Insurance News (the magazine) looks at Mr Shipton’s crusade and the add-on impact of the royal commission investigating misbehaviour, to find out what it may all mean for insurance.

Meet leaders and thinkers from across the industry, check out the social scene and gather so much more from Insurance News (the magazine) – the industry’s largest and most popular news publication.

You can also read about how the major local insurers are looking again at their growth strategies, how Lloyd’s is dragging its brokers and underwriters into the present and why SME buying habits are becoming more complex.

We also feature Financial Services Minister Kelly O’Dwyer’s views on everything from insurance in northern Australia to the industry’s place in the economy.

We interview the new CEO of Allianz Australia, Richard Feledy, who wants to listen to staff before he starts strategising. There are plenty of views on emerging risks, commentary on the upcoming royal commission and NIBA’s concerns about the need to focus on standards of conduct.

We examine the future of autonomous cargo ships that will be plying the oceans in the future, show how collaboration has become important in the “digital insurgency”, ask some hard questions about insurtech, and highlight how black lung disease has returned to the coal mining industry.

We look at the immediate future for insurers as premium rates continue moving up and why the insurance industry took it on the chin and when consumers and ASIC attacked add-on automotive insurance.

The Federal Government’s response to a Senate inquiry into the insurance industry has shone a spotlight on the need for new approaches to make it easier for consumers to compare policies. But making it happen isn’t necessarily as easy as it might seem. 

When your products are so similar to your competitors’, how do you “sell” insurance in a TV ad? The December/January edition of Insurance News (the magazine) assesses the best insurance ads of 2017 and finds a winner.

The Australian insurance industry’s most-read print publication also features our Top 20 list of the most influential people, and introduces a son who is taking over a booming global business from his dad.

Insurance News is all about interviewing people who are dealing with emerging concepts, and this month we’ve spoken in depth to Suncorp’s new CEO Insurance, an actuary who says Big Data is no big deal, QBE’s first Chief Customer Officer and the man bringing together the insurtech sector.

We also investigate the practice of Facebook “catfishing” to build evidence against claimants and explain why one leading Australian insurer is “different” from the rest.

As the pace of change in the Australian insurance industry accelerates, IAG is making some big, bold and swift steps to build a new kind of insurer. In this month’s edition of Insurance News (the magazine) we speak in depth to new Australian Division CEO Mark Milliner about what all this change will mean for staff, brokers and customers.

We’ve also examined the industry’s vital statistics since 2004 and graphed them to help readers see how the industry has performed over the past 13 years.

We examine the plight of reformed criminals who can’t get insurance cover, feature an AR company that’s following a unique model, explain why we should all be patient with technological change and profile a French global insurer that’s back to gain a slice of Australian business.

You can also meet a young AR who’s encouraging others to get aboard while they can, and see how D&O cover is experiencing some big problems. There’s much more, of course, plus all our usual popular features recording the life and times of insurance.

Do premium rises in the June renewals season indicate the market has turned the corner? The industry’s most popular print publication, Insurance News (the magazine), has the answers in its latest edition.

Our August/September edition also tracks progress in Zurich Australia’s revamp, explains how a bunch of insurance leaders are setting up their own “shark tank” so brokers can spruik their brightest insurtech ideas, and examines emerging risks and the future of broking in a technological world.

This packed edition also looks at AUB’s progress in the evolution of its brokers into trusted advisers, and we report on how catastrophe modelling is revolutionising underwriting.

There’s so many news background articles and so much detailed information packed into Insurance News (the magazine) that it’s become the go-to standard for Australia’s insurance professionals.

Why did the NSW Government execute an embarrassing backflip on the transfer of its emergency services funding levy from insurance customers to all property owners on May 30? And perhaps more importantly, what are the chances of the reform ever seeing the light of day? You’ll find the answers in the June issue of Insurance News (the magazine).

The industry’s most popular and widely read print publication also lifts the lid on Australia’s largest authorised representative organisation, which is undergoing a transformation that includes a new brand and a revised culture.

Insurance News also examines the leading local insurers’ progress on the fintech front, how drones played a major role for the first time in the aftermath of Cyclone Debbie, and why Australian insurers are getting to know much more about crystal meth, better known as ice – the most far-reaching drugs crisis in our history.

Meet innovators, pioneers, leaders and thinkers in this latest issue of Insurance News (the magazine) – the one the professionals read for insights, information and intelligent journalism.

Create a clear direction, have some fun in a high-energy environment, set bold challenges… just a few points in the strategy set by QBE’s Group CFO Pat Regan when he took over the Australian and New Zealand Operations division. Meet the man who’s tipped for great things at QBE in this month’s edition of Insurance News (the magazine).

The Australian industry’s most popular magazine also looks at how disruption in the SME market is affecting brokers, and examines how automation is reshaping the global economy ­– and insurance.

You’ll find profiles of industry leaders providing their perspectives, discover how Millennials are going to change the world, and find out why bushfire-resistant homes burned last summer. Marine insurance, a major broker that’s making inroads into the SME space, and insurers’ struggle to get ahead of cyber criminals.

Where is the Australian insurance market headed in the next 12 months? That’s the big question tackled by the latest edition of Insurance News.

Our annual look at where the industry is at and how premiums are tracking provides some alternative views, while our global report focuses on the emergence of new risks, with climate change risks becoming a permanent feature of the big picture.

Brokers in the rural areas report on how things are going beyond the city limits, we meet a company director who finds inspiration for his novels in the boardroom, a visiting expert provides new insights on innovation, and a bunch of industry veterans have pooled their intellectual and financial capital to invest in the industry.

The 250th anniversary of a court case that led to the establishment of the principle of uberrima fides (utmost good faith) as a cornerstone of insurance is commemorated in the December-January issue of Insurance News (the magazine).

Our article follows a group of insurance claims professionals, lawyers and academics who travelled to the Indonesian city where the whole saga began, and highlights the events, people and legal arguments behind the landmark decision. It’s a fascinating story that makes for excellent summer reading.

Insurance News also interviews Lloyd’s CEO Inga Beale on the rapid pace of business and cultural change at the London market, we examine the looming age of robot advice and what it means for intermediaries, and ask some heavy questions about the present state of broker education.

Read our latest list of the industry’s top 20 influencers – you don’t have to agree; and learn about an emerging risk that threatens health and workplace stability worldwide.

As interest rates plummet and investment earnings do much the same thing, Insurance News (the magazine) has taken a long look at the situation and what’s being done to deal with it.

The October issue of the Australian insurance industry’s most-read news magazine interviews experts and also delves into the detail of what insurers actually invest in.

There’s much more, of course. Industry leaders from Australia and overseas talk to our reporters about the priorities for brokers in a changing world, the need for diversity and inclusion in today’s insurance industry, and why global investors aren’t worried about the industry’s performance.

You can also learn in this issue about a space invader that’s not a game and why every move by Berkshire Hathaway’s Ajit Jain is so closely watched by other industry leaders.

All that, plus a range of articles to both inform and inspire insurance professionals. And then, of course, there’s our hugely popular social pages.

The collapse of New Zealand’s Western Pacific Insurance with a $31 million reinsurance shortfall came swiftly on the heels of the 2011 Christchurch earthquakes. The latest issue of Insurance News (the magazine) looks inside the company to discover its major business focus was Australia, where its exposures totalled $5.8 billion.

Our two-year investigation has revealed the intriguing history of Western Pacific, its Australian driving force, how the company was formed and its operations that spanned the Tasman.

By way of contrast, Insurance News (the magazine) also looks at another New Zealand-based insurer, a niche player that’s kicking big goals globally.

We’ve also reviewed the industry’s progress and perils in troublesome times, interviewed insurance movers and shakers, and dug deep on a range of issues ranging from the blockchain technology revolution to why hoverboards are a hazard.

There’s so much to discover in Insurance News (the magazine), the industry’s most popular print publication.

The people taking insurance forward to a less predictable future speak out in the latest edition of Insurance News (the magazine).

In face-to-face interviews with Insurance News journalists, Suncorp Group CEO Michael Cameron, IAG Commercial Insurance’s Ben Bessell, Marsh’s Scott Leney and Premium Funding’s Ross Hayward discuss a wide range of impacts, including strategic change, technology, diversity in management and the challenges for brokers.

We’ve also compiled a report that analyses the major concerns of insurance CEOs here and around the world, providing readers with some strong signals about the future of insurance.

There’s much more, of course, including a story on how Steadfast and AUB are heading in different directions as they strive to widen their brokers’ horizons. We also feature an expert who says bushfire is a threat to Australian cities, and how regional brokers are frustrated by NIBA and ANZIIF’s “city” focus.

There’s plenty to think about in the latest edition of Insurance News (the magazine), the Australian industry’s largest-circulation news publication.

The collapse of Perth-based authorised representative (AR) group Winley Insurance will have repercussions in the industry, but Insurance Advisernet Managing Director Shaun Standfield explains in the latest edition of Insurance News (the magazine) why the AR model remains the way of the future.

The latest edition of the regional insurance industry’s most widely read magazine also examines Insight, Steadfast’s ambitious new broking platform, and looks what’s going on with other broking system projects.

We also examine the fine print and the fallout from the Northern Australia Insurance Premiums Taskforce report, and we’ve caught up with a much-admired former industry figure who’s facing the biggest challenge of his life.

Insurance News (the magazine) features face-to-face interviews with Peter Eastwood, the President of Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance, as the local operation clocks over a year in the market; and QBE Australia and New Zealand Chief Executive Tim Plant.

You’ll find valuable information on everything from pandemics to mutual insurers to company developments in this issue.

The long-awaited technological revolution is already impacting on insurance, and promises to change everything about the way the industry works. Insurance News (the magazine) looks at the influences behind the changes, and how brokers in particular will be challenged by new systems and operating models. The name of the game is disruptive innovation, and our February/March edition examines just how extensive the disruption will be. 

This issue also features an in-depth look at the state of the industry, asking whether falling rates might start to ease this year. We’ve also looked at several recent rebranding exercises by industry leaders, and meet a broker who’s taking the fight against the direct market straight to consumers.

And we look at important industry issues, asking experts for perspectives on a range of matters, including mental health and travel insurance, the long battle to kill off insurance taxes and the mess over product disclosure statements.

Technology and change – and there’s plenty of change going on – feature in the December/January issue of Insurance News (the magazine).

We have an in-depth look at Zurich’s global transformation program which is having major repercussions in its Australian operation, and we speak to the regional CEO leading the sharp turn towards a different approach to the market.

And, of course, our annual list of the Top 20 most influential people in general insurance also runs in this edition. It’s a popular feature that’s thought-provoking and a little bit quirky. With so many changes happening at the top end of the industry, discover who we’ve chosen for our list, and why.

The Bring Your Own Device revolution sweeping through insurance comes in for some serious examination, with industry experts revealing how companies can balance the advantages against the risks. We also look at how smartphones have become the basis for so many advances in insurance.

Insurers are still counting the massive cost of the Tianjin explosion in August. Our aerial panorama reveals the extent of the damage, and we explain how and why it happened.

We also look back at the year that was, examine emerging risks and profile significant new insurers in the local market.

It didn’t rain enough at Monte Carlo during the September Reinsurance Rendezvous, putting paid to the hopes of industry heavyweights who were following the old dictum that when it rains during the event, the market will turn.

So what’s the latest on reinsurance rates following the rendezvous, and what does it all mean for the local market? You’ll find plenty of answers in this month’s edition of Insurance News (the magazine).

The region’s largest and most-read insurance publication also looks at the industry’s focus on resilience in cyclone-prone northern Australia to take the place of what it sees as stopgap government programs.

We also meet three senior insurance industry women who simply weren’t aware there was a glass ceiling, we examine the challenging world of the Internet of Things, and investigate a new risk that could turn Australian homes and business into deathtraps.

Plus the usual industry and legal backgrounders, interesting people and all the other things that make Insurance News (the magazine) the most popular insurance industry publication in the region.

Why did Warren Buffett, a visionary investor with a famous instinct for business advantage, do a “hands-off” deal with IAG that he admits he hasn’t done in 48 years? You’ll find the answer in the latest edition of Insurance News (the magazine).

We’ve also analysed the market impacts as the premium tide turns and examine an insurance leader’s view that the industry is on the verge of a “relevance renaissance”.

If you’ve ever wondered about insurance-linked securities, don’t miss our interview with Bill Dubinsky, an investment banker working for a global broker, who takes us through everything from cat bonds to industry loss warranties.

And Insurance News was there in June when United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the industry to his New York headquarters for a face-to-face summit on the role of insurance in resilience and disaster risk reduction.

The latest newcomer to the local insurance market is one that’s got competitors worried. It’s Berkshire Hathaway Speciality Insurance, and our exclusive report in the June/July edition of Insurance News (the magazine) introduces you to its 33-year-old Australian CEO, who has big plans and the backing to carry them out.

Why all the kerfuffle over the need to dramatically change broker education? Meet the man who started the debate, and his belief that trying to solve today’s challenges won’t work when it’s the future we should be worrying about.

Younger insurance brokers are experiencing their first soft market. We’ve talked to the more experienced hands and compiled a guide to surviving and thriving as earnings fall.

If you’ve ever wondered how Insurance News (the magazine) became the industry’s most popular and trusted publication, check out this issue. It’s bulging with interviews, news backgrounders and technical reports, all sourced and written by our in-house team.

What happens in reinsurance over the next year or two is likely to change the face of general insurance. So Insurance News (the magazine) has interviewed three leading players in the reinsurance industry – one a global broker who predicts remarkable change, one a European with a cautious but expansive view, and the other a local leader who sees opportunity everywhere.

Join them for a tour through the exciting, dynamic, very rich and slightly mad world of reinsurance in the May edition of Insurance News (the magazine).

Among a wide range of other articles we’ll discuss the challenges for brokers in the digital age, how one insurer is transforming a vital service sector, and how more companies are turning to innovation as the best way forward.

The next year is shaping up to be one of the most challenging for insurers and brokers, as investment income and premium rates plummet. The February/March edition of Insurance News (the magazine) reports on the background to this situation, and what to expect.

But it’s all smiles at Lloyd’s, where Chairman John Nelson sees the market’s radical reform program beginning to be felt, even as it deals with increasing competition. One priority is accelerating the pace of just about everything in its crucial Australian business.

You can also meet the CEO of Australia’s largest insurer, with invested assets the size of Suncorp and IAG combined. You can learn how the experts see new risks growing in likelihood and impact, and why the emerging “sharing economy” is an insurance nightmare.

From drones to the products brokers should be showing their clients and court decisions you should know about, you’ll find it all in the industry’s largest-circulation and most highly regarded news publication – Insurance News (the magazine).

Our annual examination of the most influential insurance people in the industry is boosted this year by the inclusion of organisations whose roles impact on the industry. We’ve also researched the influences the industry is experiencing as it undergoes a quiet revolution.

You’ll learn why the cane toad is very relevant to insurance, where a bewildering range of inquiries, reviews and reports are at, and how Big Data is going to change the way we relate to our customers.

There’s much more, of course. From recruiting top-class graduates to insuring driverless vehicles, Insurance News (the magazine) provides valuable background to the industry’s most important issues. It’s published six times a year, and it’s free.

Australian insurers have held premiums up for a remarkably long time, recording a $4.96 billion profit last year – but the easy times are coming to an end. The October-November issue of Insurance News (the magazine) features two expert reports that predict a cyclical turn.

It includes an exclusive interview with Zurich Insurance Group Chief Executive Martin Senn, who looks at market opportunities from a global perspective. We also examine insurer challenges to the workers’ compensation monopolies of state and territory governments, and reveal the results of the expanded LMI Claims Comparison service.

Plus you’ll find the background to all the latest news and events that affect the insurance industry.

Who’s Australia’s largest insurer? It has to be IAG, right? Yes, but Suncorp is more profitable and makes more on its investments. The latest edition of Insurance News (the magazine) lists the top 10 insurers, measuring them against a range of criteria supplied by APRA. 

That’s just one of the articles that makes Insurance News (the magazine) the region’s most popular general insurance print publication.

This edition will feature a wide variety of exclusive reports, including why closing down the Australian Reinsurance Pool Corporation would be an unnecessary gamble; the history of tsunamis on our coast; and why risk modelling in this region is a developing science.

We interview industry leaders, dig deep to explain the industry’s issues, and report on the activities and events that keep insurance buzzing.

The local broking scene is in for a shake-up following Arthur J Gallagher’s acquisition of No.5 broker OAMPS. The June/July edition of Insurance News (the magazine) contains fresh information on the way ahead for Gallagher in Australia, and examines the impact on the local market.

We also highlight the general insurance progress (or lack of it) by online comparison sites, which now dominate the UK market but are finding the Australian experience a whole lot tougher. 

And we return to the area of Australia’s greatest potential disaster, with a new government report providing a stark and unsettling summary of northwest Sydney’s exposures.

Subscribers will also meet brokers who mean business and Australian insurance professionals who call Singapore home. We also investigate the growth potential of pet insurance and report how a court case serves as a sharp warning for brokers and underwriting agencies.

Backgrounding the news, digging into the issues and celebrating the industry – that’s what makes Insurance News (the magazine) the most-read insurance publication in the country.

They call Robert Kelly Mr Steadfast, and the name suits the man. While the hurly-burly days of the “Steadfast tribe” are past, he still speaks his mind on industry issues. Meet the man behind the legend in this month’s edition of Insurance News.

Insurance News also examines the environment for brokers – competition from the direct market, the attitudes of SME owners and how brokers’ businesses are changing as the industry grows more sophisticated and new opportunities and challenges emerge.

And we introduce you to an inspirational broker who juggles life on a dairy farm with four young children and a growing national brokerage.

All that and so much more in Insurance News (the magazine), the Australian insurance industry’s largest-circulation and most informed publication. 

Why did IAG outbid the local market to win Wesfarmers’ underwriting operations? You’ll find all the answers in the latest edition of Insurance News (the magazine).

Our team’s investigation includes an exclusive interview with one of the leaders of IAG’s 100-strong acquisition team, brokers’ reactions to the loss of an important insurer, and a check of the new balance of power in the Australian market.

The reinsurance market is awash with capital, and in this edition we report on the impact on premiums and the implications for the future. You’ll also meet the management team at Marsh as they discuss a new move into the SME space, Aon’s new local CEO and a woman who keeps her company moving into new territory.

It’s 60 years since a big quake hit Adelaide – the city that’s Australia’s biggest quake risk. Catastrophe modeller AIR Worldwide has updated the likely damage today, and the cost to insurers.

For news backgrounders, profiles and features that keep you up to speed on what’s driving the local and global insurance industry, there’s no other publication like Insurance News (the magazine) – Australia’s largest-circulation magazine devoted to insurance.

The December edition of Insurance News (the magazine) contains our annual list of the 20 most influential people in the insurance industry. This year there are some surprises as we chronicle the changing face(s) of insurance.

In this issue we interview the global leaders of Willis Re and JLT, and review the slumping fortunes of Australia’s insurers – should they risk-up their asset bases or simply raise premiums?

Meet a broker who has taken her life and her business from a heartbreaking loss to success and prosperity. And we look at the convergence of life and general insurance distribution – is it happening, and is anyone really interested?

You’ll find plenty of stimulating ideas and inspiring stories – there’s even a quiz to challenge your industry knowledge – in our 92-page edition of Insurance News (the magazine). Still independent, and still free of charge.

QBE CEO John Neal has spoken exclusively to Insurance News about his drive to turn the global insurer’s fortunes around. Our in-depth article in the October/November issue of Insurance News (the magazine) examines the company’s new direction and its impact in the local market.

We also feature Lumley CEO John Nagle, who has also been guiding his company through a business restructure, and we examine the industry’s drive to foster more catastrophe-resilient communities.

You can read about the major brokerage that’s putting clients’ interests ahead of anything else, and learn from Australian expatriates about living and working in London.

Asia comes into the spotlight with an examination of new emerging opportunities, and AIG’s larger-than-life Asia chief Jose Hernandez adds his own insights about what’s needed to succeed in the region.

From the risks of insulating sandwich panels to a senior executive wondering if the industry really needs a code of practice, Australia’s largest-circulation insurance magazine informs, inspires and even entertains.

The insurance centre of London is our focus in the latest edition of Insurance News (the magazine).

We’ve got an exclusive in-depth interview with Lloyd’s Chairman John Nelson, who speaks frankly about the challenge of modernising the world’s oldest insurance market as it strives to cement its place well into the future.

Broking boss Steve White, of the British Insurance Brokers’ Association, talks regulation, innovation and professionalism. His insights on threats and opportunities facing UK brokers will sound a distinctly familiar note.

And Lloyd’s luminary Stephen Catlin reveals that behind the highly successful entrepreneur lies a maverick who is never afraid to take a risk.

Closer to home, we give you detailed analysis of the Steadfast float, the independent review of the General Insurance Code of Practice and the death of Victoria’s fire services levy.

The wide world of insurance is well illustrated in the latest edition of Insurance News (the magazine).

You’ll meet Niran Peiris, the new man at the helm of Allianz Australia, who says there’s plenty of opportunity ahead for the company.

New York-based Insurance Information Institute chief Robert Hartwig spoke to Australian brokers last month about the five major risk categories industry professionals should be aware of. His views will get readers thinking.

Insurance affordability isn’t all about huge premiums in high-risk areas – it’s also about how ordinary Australians struggle to afford the sort of security most people take for granted. How can the industry meet their needs? We find answers – and obstacles.

You’ll also find full pictorial coverage of recent industry and company events, technical news, profiles and viewpoints in Insurance News (the magazine).

New laws and regulations are heading our way, governing the way the industry works, how it provides insurance and ultimately how much it costs.

As Insurance News (the magazine) reports in the April/May issue, globally based regulation for Australia will include new rules ranging from gender-based risk to revised capital requirements. And the Australian insurance industry is going to get these rules whether it needs them or not.

The industry’s most popular magazine also looks behind such issues as affordability, why the industry isn’t getting excited about the latest Climate Commission warnings, the challenges facing marine insurance and why brokers will have to keep adapting to a changing market.

In this issue you’ll also meet luminaries like US industry leader Bill Berkley speaking about the Australian market, Mark Searles aiming high for Austbrokers, and the inspiring reason why a Sydney broker has raced on foot across four deserts.

The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) has refocused since the disastrous days of the Brisbane floods, according to new President Mark Milliner. In our exclusive cover story in the February/March issue of Insurance News (the magazine), he outlines ICA’s new outreach agenda.

We also examine a potentially poisonous “present” the Federal Government handed the insurance industry just four days before Christmas, and after a summer of heatwaves and floods we’ve given ourselves the last word on the existence of climate change.

Backgrounders on important industry issues; interviews with people making the news; a new approach to large-scale claims… read Insurance News (the magazine) and you’ll see why it reaches twice as many readers as its nearest competitor.

The December edition of Insurance News (the magazine) is back with its popular mix of news backgrounders, interviews, technical articles and the always-popular PeopleNEWS section.

In this issue we examine the rise in influence of actuaries as explained by Actuary of the Year Estelle Pearson; the perils and pitfalls of changing a company’s brand, and why Steadfast and AIG are among those doing it anyway; and our popular annual Top 20 list, which identifies the most influential people in the industry and explains why.

From imperfect catastrophe modelling to unpredictable social media – and why insurance is now a big user – you’ll find plenty of reasons why Insurance News (the magazine) remains the industry’s most interesting and most-read publication.

The relaxed atmosphere at the annual Reinsurance Rendezvous in Monte Carlo belies the serious business dealings and massive amounts of money at stake.

In the October/November issue of Insurance News (the magazine) we examine the outcomes of this year’s rendezvous and highlight the activities that make this a unique event in the global insurance calendar.

Chief Ombudsman Shane Tregillis and General Insurance Ombudsman John Price have unique insights from dealing with insurers, brokers and consumers. In an exclusive interview they explain the way ahead for better relationships with consumers.

Andrew Godden has moved quickly from a brokerage in Perth to running major broker Arthur J Gallagher Australia. In this issue he discusses how the company plans to grow locally.

You’ll find unique articles that background the news, introduce the people who shake the insurance world and explain the environment we all work in.

Allan Manning runs a highly successful insurance services company. He’s also an academic and a fearless defender of the industry he loves. But there’s so much more about him that you don’t know – yet. Meet the man they call “the insurance evangelist” in the August/September issue of Insurance News (the magazine).

This issue also examines the arrival of authorised representatives as a major force in the industry, CGU’s massive reinvention program, and the end of an era for liability classes as profit pressures increase.

We also discuss the regulatory landscape with ASIC Commissioner Peter Kell, explain the potential pitfalls for brokers using binders, and examine the murky world of cybercrime.

IAG CEO Mike Wilkins opens up about opportunities and expansion in an exclusive interview in this month’s edition of Insurance News (the magazine).

This edition also examines such issues as Victoria’s impending fire services levy transfer arrangements, earthquakes, oil spills, D&O dilemmas and a ferry disaster with sombre insurance ramifications.

We talk to Zurich’s new CEO and examine several Australian insurance operations that have built their own unique paths to success. We also interview an American who protects the US insurance industry’s reputation in times of trouble while promoting its value.

The General Insurance Code of Practice was extensively revised after the 2003 Canberra bushfires, but not enough, say the critics. The latest issue of Insurance News (the magazine) features a wide-ranging examination of the code, the official reports criticising it and the industry’s reaction.

We also examine the likely public float of major broker group Steadfast and examine the impacts it could have on the local broker market.

We show what a key facts sheet may look like, why sport is a great way for insurance companies to get noticed, and how a major loss adjuster’s innovation could change the way claims are routinely handled.

From piracy insurance to Lloyd’s growth in Asia, this issue again illustrates why Insurance News (the magazine) is the region’s fastest-growing and most popular insurance industry publication.

For some insurers the catastrophes of 2011 have become the disasters of 2012, with investors demonstrating their disappointment. In this issue of Insurance News (the magazine) we examine the various dilemmas companies around the market are facing and also some of the solutions being pursued.

We also put the reinsurance market in perspective, speaking to a global expert and local players. Be warned: the sharp upturn in rates is continuing.

And we meet some expatriate Australians working and living in New York City. How did they get that overseas transfer, and what’s life in the Big Apple like? There’s plenty of tips for professionals wanting to further their overseas experience.

The way brokers work, their attitudes, beliefs, concerns, challenges and ambitions are examined in depth in the latest edition of Insurance News (the magazine).

The December/January edition uses material sourced exclusively from the Macquarie Relationship Banking broker benchmarking survey, and also features an inspirational broker who wants his counterparts to embrace what makes brokers different.

Subscribers will also find how loss adjusters are being stymied by an imbalance between professionalism and cost cutting, while flood insurance reform looms as a big developing issue.

There’s also the annual feature on the Top 20 most influential people in insurance, plus plenty more to stimulate, inform and surprise in the industry’s liveliest and most popular news magazine.

Broking cluster Steadfast is heading into a very big year, with a listing on the Australian Securities Exchange, a brand repositioning and moves to an all-electronic transaction system just some of the developments it’s dealing with simultaneously.

Executive Chairman Robert Kelly speaks exclusively to Insurance News (the magazine) about how Steadfast is building into an industry powerhouse.

Our October/November issue also contains an interview with new QBE Australia CEO Colin Fagen, examines how some insurers are looking at offshoring services and reports on the insurance market in our nearest neighbour.

We also feature industry women who share views and advice on how to succeed both as professionals and as parents.

The insurance industry has come under fire from governments and consumers over flooding, but the latest edition of Insurance News (the magazine), examines the considerable work the industry is putting into improving flood cover, and its proposals for change.

The August/September issue focuses on issues around the summer floods. It examines the latest technology available in understanding flood dynamics and pinpoints the most flood-prone areas of the country, including a former agricultural area that is now rapidly developing for new communities on the fringes of Sydney.

As the anniversary of the first Christchurch earthquake approaches, this edition also looks at some the precedents set by the series of tremors and what they will mean for the insurance industry.

Contestable broking platforms come under the microscope in the latest edition of Insurance News (the magazine).

The June/July issue includes in-depth examinations of the latest developments in premium rates pre-July 1, some advice from veteran brokers on what broking in a hard market will be like, and why some New Zealand insurance companies are in difficulties as a result of the Christchurch earthquakes.

While Joan Fitzpatrick is a familiar figure around the industry, you’ll be surprised and intrigued as the CEO of the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance talks about the challenges of delivering professional education in a rapidly changing world.

From US bushfire research that has lessons for Australia through to pages that illustrate the industry at work and at play, Insurance News (the magazine) is an excellent complement to our online news bulletins.

Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten has spoken out on flood insurance and insurers’ attitudes in an exclusive interview with Insurance News (the magazine). Calling for the industry to “use its wit and intelligence” to address flood insurance issues, he also says the standard definition of flood “is only a first step”. Read the full interview in the April/May edition of Insurance News.

It also features global experts talking about the impact of earthquakes and floods on Australian reinsurance rates, examines how Christchurch-based insurance professionals are putting tragedy and terror behind them to get on with the job, and explains some new advances that will change the way motorists are risk-rated.

You’ll also find interviews with the CEOs of CGU and global broker JLT, plus a five-page report on the giant Steadfast Convention in Melbourne earlier this month.

All that and a whole lot more in the latest free edition of Insurance News (the magazine).

On March 15 it will be 10 years since the collapse of HIH, and the latest edition of Insurance News examines the history of the collapse, the major players and how the industry reacted.

We speak to some of the major players who recall the late nights spent negotiating a policyholder rescue package and the liability crisis – dubbed by the media as “the death of fun” – that led to sweeping tort reforms. And we ask the question: could it ever happen again?

Floods, cyclone and bushfire have dominated the headlines since December. Our pictorial record looks at causes and effects and speaks to brokers and industry professionals who lived through the disasters and their aftermath. Legal experts discuss some of the issues that may keep courts busy for the next few years, and we investigate options to secure nationwide disaster cover.

It’s all in Insurance News, your independent window on the industry’s issues and events.

It’s back by popular demand – the Insurance News list of the 20 most influential people in the industry.

Publisher Terry McMullan says this year’s list was compiled only because so many readers asked for it.

“Last year we intended the list to be a useful one-off feature, but popular demand and the realisation that so many of the people who featured have moved on prompted us to compile it again.”

Want to know what’s really going to push premiums up? General Re’s global CEO Tad Montross explains in an exclusive interview. We also examine the state of Australia’s overcrowded aviation insurance market, and introduce you to insurance brokerages of various sizes where the kids have either joined the company or taken it over from their dad.

Victoria’s surprise decision to drop the fire services levy puts pressure on NSW to follow suit. But NSW is a very different challenge for the industry - read all about it in the October issue of Insurance News (the magazine).

Australia’s only independent risk insurance publication also introduces the industry’s leaders and their views, focusing this time around on Marsh’s John Clayton, QBE’s Vince McLenaghan and Wesfarmers’ Rob Scott.

It also looks at how brokers are stepping out with their own advertising campaigns, examines the truth behind “soft” and “hard” markets, and points out how your office chair can be a silent killer.

For the background to the big industry issues and the events that make this industry so different, Insurance News is the smart choice of readers. With us it’s never just a case of what and who, but also how and why.

Suncorp is on the move again, capitalising on its scale and using a unique strategy to slash costs and increase efficiencies. Meet the determined trio behind “one company, many brands” in the August issue of Insurance News (the magazine).

Our full-colour August issue fills in the background on how and why premium rates are standing still, how BP’s captive insurance company took a big hit, and where all the much-predicted merger activity at the top end of the market went.

Apart from backgrounders, you’ll find articles on people, office style, climate change, crop insurance, court cases, products and much more besides. Interesting, incisive and even inspiring – it’s all in the magazine that knows the risk insurance market best.

The risk insurance sector is embracing new technologies at an increasing pace, although not with universal support. The June issue of Insurance News (the magazine) has details on those changes and the issues surrounding them, as well as on how we’re capitalising (slowly) on such innovations as smartphones.

You’ll be inspired by the views of leading women in the risk insurance sector; stirred by our examination of the Federal Government’s abandonment of the insurance taxes issue; and intrigued by what employees really want from their work (and it’s not all about the money).

Why is Wesfarmers, a conglomerate specialising in resources companies and giant retail operations, investing in the volatile business of insurance? Wesfarmers CEO Richard Goyder tells you why in the April edition of Insurance News (the magazine).

The April edition includes an interview with a leading broker who tells it like it is, plus articles on the issues, people and events that really matter in your professional life. A special feature in April also takes you inside the world of the underwriting agencies – an increasingly powerful sales channel in the general insurance sector.

Rates are rising, but how fast? And what are the pressures pushing premiums up and down? This month’s issue of Insurance News (the magazine) examines the purported end of the soft market and illustrates where rates have been going class by class since 1994. It also details distribution trends in the local market and looks back at last year’s natural catastrophes.

Austbrokers CEO Lach McKeough talks about the first 25 years of the cluster group that gives brokers “skin in the game”, ANZIIF reveals its strategy for supporting small representative groups, and we take a detailed look at the trials of the life insurance sector.

And we look at “smart casual” – one of the most confused and confusing office choices. And while we’re at it, is it time for the industry to loosen up a little, and maybe get rid of the tie?

In this edition of Insurance News (the magazine), we report on the issue of coastal erosion, and calls for national leadership as Australia faces more extreme weather from climate change.

Newcastle remembers the December 1980 earthquake that devastated the NSW city.

We examine Victoria’s latest review of fire services funding, drama as insurers abandon builders’ warranty insurance and we list the first list of the 20 most influential people in the Australian insurance industry. There’s also an article asking if brokers should shun commissions.

The first ever edition of Insurance News Magazine features AIG CEO Chris Townsend talking about what he learned from hands-on crisis management. You’ll also meet some Generation X managers with clear ideas about the things that are going to change as the Baby Boomers move into retirement.

What does the arrival of an El Nino weather system mean for Australia and the local industry? How will the emergence of many more players in the motor insurance business affect the established players? What’s going to push rates up? You’ll find the answers alongside legal backgrounders, new products, social pages and a whole lot more.