Insurance Advisernet Australia’s (IAA) authorised representative of the year award has been shared between Bresland Consultants and Macquarie Insurance Services.

The awards were presented at the group’s national conference, held last week at the Crowne Plaza in Hunter Valley and attended by 430 delegates and partners.

The category’s other finalists were Boutique Risk, Lewis Milford, Sound Insurance Services, Tony Atkinson’s Insurance Services, Bygraves Insurance Consultants, Insurance Mentor, Lidaviper, Steve Leary Insurance & Financial Services, Allinsure and Moody Kiddell & Partners.

Amicus Brokers was named Insurance Advisernet New Zealand (IANZ) broker of the year, beating Apex General, Financial Independence Insurance, Greenstone Insurance and Penberthy Insurance.

The IAA chairman’s award went to Marni Dittman of Dittman & Associates, while IAA’s Manager Operations New Zealand Paula Mills took the IANZ chairman’s award.

Employee of the year was Manager Compliance Australia and New Zealand Karenne Muston, while Dale Coombes, Nicole Curkoski, Richard Welch and Lindy Layland were recognised for 15 years’ service.

The northern region was named IAA’s region of the year.

MD Adrian Kitchin says the conference – with the theme “see how far we’ve come” – was a success.

He says the group achieved premium growth of about 12% over the past year, to $370 million in Australia and $70 million in New Zealand.

“We are targeting half a billion by no later than 2016, so at our current growth rate we will easily achieve that,” Mr Kitchin told insuranceNEWS.com.au.

“There have been no acquisitions, so this has been entirely driven by new business activity within our existing network.”

The conference also raised money for charities including Mates4Mates, Variety, KidsXpress and Beyondblue.