MEET THE STATE FINALISTS OF THE 2023 BROKER OF THE YEAR AWARDS

The Broker of the Year Awards are proudly sponsored by QBE

MEET THE BROKERS LEADING THE INSURANCE BROKING PROFESSION.

THE 2023 BROKER OF THE YEAR AWARD, SPONSORED BY QBE, CELEBRATES THE EXCELLENCE AND INTEGRITY OF PASSIONATE BROKERS WHO ARE LEADING THE INSURANCE BROKING PROFESSION. GET TO KNOW THIS YEAR’S STATE FINALISTS BETTER AND DISCOVER WHERE THEY FEEL THE FUTURE OF BROKING IS HEADED.

INTERVIEWS BY VIRAT NEHRU

Aimee Henderson

WA State Manager, Grace Insurance

How did you get started in the insurance broking profession?

I joined the insurance industry in 2007 in New Zealand, beginning in a processing role before moving into a broker support position with a large global firm in Wellington. I moved from the health and benefits team into commercial property, learning and developing on the job to become a broker in my own right. I spent my formative years learning through the Christchurch earthquake disaster and by learning in such a difficult market, it set the groundwork for being able to successfully operate in other market conditions. I relocated to Perth late in 2018 and after taking time to settle in, I turned my focus back to my insurance career, moving to Grace Insurance in June 2020. I took up the challenge and rapidly expanded my skills to win new clients.

What do you think the insurance broking profession will look like in the future?

Insurance is becoming increasingly more technological, with a lot of insurers building and relying on online portals to transact business. There is less and less real-life underwriters underwriting the risk, so the onus to ensure the client is insured correctly is falling more to brokers. This is going to change the role of a broker. Brokers will need to understand their clients in more depth as they are required to not only provide advice but also write policies themselves, ensuring that the policy has been structured correctly. This will also bring in more risk management strategies to the role of a broker. They will need to provide sound advice where clients can mitigate risk and reflect this in the policy coverage.

Clients still value a broker who not only speaks to them but spends faceto-face time with them, learning about their business. This builds trust and strong connections with your clients. Human connection underlies the basis of every relationship – for people to be seen, heard and understood.

What does becoming a finalist of the 2023 Broker of the Year mean to you?

Being named as a state finalist is an opportunity to share my passion for insurance and to connect even further with clients and business communities. It’s another way to let my clients know that I won’t stop going above and beyond for them. It demonstrates that I walk the talk and connect personally in authentic ways to solve their problems and ensure their cover is just right. It underlines for clients that I am always working to find the best and tailor-made policies that deliver peace of mind for them. I believe this nomination lets clients know I will go the extra mile, so they don’t have to.

I am also very passionate about promoting women in the insurance industry and being named a state finalist allows me to continue to help shine a light on women in leadership within the industry, with the number of women in C-suite roles still minimal.

Nick Hodges

Corporate and Commercial Leader, Marsh

How did you get started in the insurance broking profession?

I completed high school in 1994 and had no idea what I wanted to do and I wasn’t interested in doing any further study. I thought getting a job and seeing what happens would be the way to go and applied for an Office Junior position at a local business in Geelong, Associated Insurance Brokers. This was the first job I applied for. I was successful, and the rest, as they say, is history. I have no idea what I would be doing now if I didn’t get that job, but I am so thankful that luck was on my side. I had no clue what a broker did or anything about insurance. I literally started at the ground level with my first six months spent filing, doing the mail and banking. I eventually progressed to providing some relief on reception, taking calls and greeting clients. After a while, I was providing quotes for car and home insurance. Looking back, I learned so much in the first 18 months. I was lucky to have a couple of experienced brokers take me under their wing, show me the ropes and instill some strong principles.

What do you think the insurance broking profession will look like in the future? Whilst the industry has changed over my career, the fundamentals of what we do as brokers and the value we bring to clients has remained at the forefront. Technology has changed how we do certain things, how we interact and how some clients buy insurance. But, I’m a strong believer the role of a broker as a trusted advisor will always be here and as the world continues to change and new risks emerge, our industry has never been as important.