AA Insurance has won the direct general insurance company of the year title at the New Zealand Insurance Industry Awards for the fourth consecutive year.

Vero won best intermediated insurance company of the year.

The awards are organised by the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (ANZIIF).

Rothbury Insurance Brokers was named best large broker for the second year running and Partners Life took out life insurance company award.

Asteron Life received the inaugural women’s employer of the year prize, and global law firm DLA Piper was named professional services firm of the year.

Insurance Council of New Zealand CEO Tim Grafton was crowned insurance leader of the year.

Naomi Ballantyne of Partners Life and Vero’s Burke Butler were given lifetime achievement awards for their service to the industry.

ANZIIF CEO Prue Willsford says customer service was a key theme among award submissions and is a marked characteristic of the country’s insurance industry.

Other award winners were:

• Small/medium broker: Runacres & Associates
• Service provider to the insurance industry: Smith&Smith
• Young insurance professional: Adam Rudland, Cigna Life Insurance.