The Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (ANZIIF) has bestowed the first of its new Making a Difference recognition awards, which were introduced as part of its Year of the Insurance Professional initiative.

The ProRisk Claims Team, Professional Risk Underwriting, took out ANZIIF’s Most Valuable Team Award, which is sponsored by Munich Re and recognises a team that works collaboratively.

ANZIIF also presented awards in underwriting and the life sector, while entries for broking, general insurance and claims will open on August 17.

The Making a Difference recognition awards highlight individuals who have gone above and beyond to display professionalism in their workplace and for their customers, ANZIIF says.

“We look forward to recognising outstanding insurance professionals in the sectors of broking, general insurance and claims later in the year.”

ProRisk’s winning team members are Group Claims Manager Chloe Thomas; Claims Team Leader Bianca Parussolo; Claims Consultant Lee Cooper; Claims Examiner Eden Matene; Claims Assistant Daniella Murnane; and Claims Administration Assistant Emilie Naylor.

Ms Thomas says her Melbourne-based team knew “from that very first week of lockdown in March last year…that communication would be critical to continuing to deliver fast, reliable, fair and empathetic claim services”.

“Our customers were having a difficult time and we had more claims than ever before. We kept our own team motivated through regular catch-ups, we shared each other's successes and built each other up.”

Finalists for the award were the services team at CHU Underwriting Agencies, the Technical Claims Team at Westpac Group and rQ academy at IAG.

Flex Insurance Senior Underwriter Lillian Zhou won for underwriting, while CHU Senior Claims Consultant Vrisha Bhagat was a finalist.

In Life, Vocational Services IPAR Team Leader Rachael Crick took the award, which is sponsored by AIA, while Allianz CCI/Life Team Manager Dolores Bartolomeu was a finalist.

Winners receive an ANZIIF Skills Unit, registration to a 2021 event and a one-year membership, as well as being recognised with a feature profile on the ANZIIF website.