Australian Insurance Law Association (AILA) founding member John Hastings has died aged 75.

Co-founder Michael Gill told insuranceNEWS.com.au Mr Hastings’ contribution had been huge, and he had remained involved with AILA until the end.

He was an “outstanding person who would be remembered above all for his human qualities”.

Mr Hastings was the first AILA founding member to make contact with the International Insurance Law Association (AIDA). He attended the Madrid congress in 1978 and the London congress four years later.

Mr Gill – who is now the AIDA President – was also in London then, and the pair met for the first time. They were asked to form an Australian chapter and they agreed, with Mr Gill as president and Mr Hastings as secretary.

“We started with a membership of two,” Mr Gill said. “But we pulled together some mates who were also leaders in the insurance industry and decided it was worth a go.

“We put on our first conference and it has just grown and grown.

“AILA is now the biggest chapter of AIDA in the world, with 1700 members.

“John played a key role in the expansion. He loved to travel and was instrumental in taking us offshore to Indonesia, Singapore and New Zealand”.

Mr Hastings was a partner with Aitken & Pluck for many years before becoming a sole practitioner and later a consultant.

He was not a specialist insurance lawyer, and as such was not involved in AILA for personal gain, Mr Gill says.

“He wasn’t in it for the networking or the opportunity to make money. He was the most generous person who genuinely liked people.

“His major reward was the amazing relationships he formed all over the world. His wife Judy often accompanied him on his travels and they were a hugely popular couple”.

Mr Hastings’ funeral was held in Sydney on Thursday.