Suncorp won the innovation of the year and insurance leader of the year categories at last week’s Australian Insurance Industry Awards in Sydney.

It took the innovation prize for its business Essentials by AAI, which insures low-income customers and was developed in partnership with charity Good Shepherd Microfinance.

Suncorp EM Accessibility Annabelle Butler won the insurance leader award for her pivotal role in creating the socially inclusive insurer.

Petsure (Australia) was named underwriting agency of the year, while the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (ANZIIF) lifetime achievement award went to actuary John Trowbridge, whose career achievements include building a large actuarial practice, working as a member of the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority and most recently formulating a reform model for life insurance adviser remuneration, which led to the Life Insurance Framework legislation.

Other winners at the awards, hosted by ANZIIF, included Aon as large broker of the year and AMP as best life insurance company.

Completing the honours were:

• Small broking company of the year: Austbrokers Coast to Coast
• Medium broking company: Adroit Insurance Group
• Service provider to the industry: JB Hi-Fi
• Professional services firm: Barry.Nilsson
• Youth development employer: Gallagher Bassett
• Women’s employer: AIA Australia
• Large general insurance company: Allianz Australia
• Small-medium general insurance company: RAA Insurance
• Direct general insurance company: NRMA Insurance
• Young insurance professional: Adam Hines, Aether Insurance & Risk, and Emma Doney, YDR Chartered Loss Adjusters, Engineers & Surveyors.