Trusted Canberra insurance adviser celebrates 15 years, shares secret to success

It has been a tumultuous few years with the pandemic, wild weather events and political and social upheaval across the globe. It’s translated into an increase in physical and mental health issues, travel and business interruptions, and financial markets in turmoil. For insurers, it has been a defining period.

As the claims flew in, people anxiously waited to see whether years of premium payments would pay off in their time of need, or if they’d get stiffed on the bill. The outcomes would no doubt inform the public’s perception of the insurance industry for some time to come.

Director of allinsure Peter Chamberlain said calamity presented an opportunity for insurers to demonstrate their true value to society and they could do so by adhering to an ethos in business by being client-centric and in claims by being proactive.

“It’s about changing the perception of the insurance industry,” he said. “It’s about proactively partnering with your clients to get the right outcomes for risk transfer and to be present and advocate for them at the time of claim.”

It may sound trite, but the results speak for themselves – people want to work with insurers who will come through for them.

“In the past six months, we’ve picked up five large new property and strata clients who were still having issues with their claims from the 2020 hailstorms,” Peter said.

“They were referred to us from our client base for the work we did during that period.”

These clients included those who owned the large commercial building in Fyshwick that underwent over $1 million in hailstorm repairs.

“Knowing the path for the storm and location of the building, it struck us as odd that they hadn’t made a claim for hailstorm damages,” Peter said.

“We got their permission to inspect and found the roof was peppered in golf ball-sized damage and some of the air-conditioning units were Swiss cheese. They’re currently undergoing full replacement.”

The proactive approach hasn’t just won them clients. Allinsure took home the top prize at last year’s annual Insurance Business Awards – Australian Brokerage of the Year.

“That a locally-owned and operated business of 10 staff here in Canberra can compete on a national level with brokerages based in Sydney and Melbourne – some with thousands of staff – is very fulfilling,” he said.

A year of enormous growth and success at the awards culminated in allinsure’s 15^th birthday milestone in March, making 2022 a year for celebration for the brokerage and in keeping with a notable track record in community engagement and workplace giving.

While celebrations would honour its “brilliant” partners, clients and staff members, Peter said the business would soon launch the 15 for 15 community grants program (a working title until details are hammered out).

He said bestowing grants on 15 selected organisations or groups doing good things for people and planet, the program would focus on smaller recipients that “fly under the radar”.

“There are some amazing, little-known organisations and groups out there doing incredible work in the community,” he said.

“Often with these smaller grassroots-type organisations, a little goes a long way but they can struggle to access fundraising opportunities.

“We figured in all the things we do – whether it’s finding opportunities to transfer risk for peace of mind, renewing insurance to find where savings can be made, or walking clients through the critical juncture of making a claim – ultimately an insurance broker’s role can be summed up in one function and that’s ‘help’.

“We are, when you come down to it, in the business of providing support nets for people when they need them. We couldn’t celebrate our success without incorporating that.”

Organisations and groups interested in allinsure’s 15th birthday community giving program should monitor the website for updates. Contact allinsure to ensure your current insurance covers the risks of today.

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