The National Insurance Brokers Association named award winners at a gala dinner, as its Adelaide convention concluded last week.

The event was attended by a record-breaking 800 delegates, and featured speakers including Financial Services Minister Stephen Jones and former NSW Rural Fire Service commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons. NIBA has already announced that next year's convention will be held on the Gold Coast.

At this year's gala dinner, Bell Partners Insurance MD Matthew Bates was presented with the broker of the year award and AEI Insurance Broking Group account manager Emily-Rose Srbinovska was crowned the nation’s top young broker.

NIBA CEO Richard Klipin says this year’s finalists demonstrated exceptional dedication to clients and a strong sense of responsibility to be role models in the community.

“They are a highly astute, empathetic and intelligent group committed to personal and professional development,” he said.

“I am filled with optimism and excitement thanks to the incredible potential shown.”

Transport and logistics specialist NTI was named underwriting agency of the year, Vero won the large general insurer category, and Liberty Specialty Markets was specialty insurer of the year. These three awards are based on feedback from the annual broker market survey, which examines product and service quality. The survey attracted a record 1000 responses this year.

Aon head of operations for Asia-Pacific Eric Harris was awarded the Lex McKeown Trophy for service to the association and broking profession.

Mr Harris was a NIBA board director for a decade until 2022, and was association president from 2019 to 2021.

“Eric has been an outstanding leader of our broking profession for 35 years and has made an invaluable contribution to NIBA over the years,” association president Gary Okely said.

“I thank him for his leadership, guidance and contributions to NIBA and the broking profession over what has been a remarkable career.”

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