September 2020

NEWS AIDA DIARY CONTACT HOME

Read a roundup of activities around the AILA and NZILA chapters

 

Young Professionals


by Jillian Pancott

As the calendar flipped over to a new financial year, the NSW Young Professionals (YP) committee started its second year of the YP Mentoring Program.

The program is organised by Jillian Pancott, Senior Manager, Sedgwick, forensic advisory services division, and Rebecca Bowman, Senior Claims Specialist, Global Lines, AXA XL.

After a successful first year in 2019, the program saw the return of prominent industry leaders as mentors, who offer their time to give regular guidance to YP mentees as they continue to develop and grow personally and professionally. 

With mentors boasting a broad range of experience and practice areas, such as legal professionals, insurers and brokers, the Mentoring Program committee aimed to match mentee groups with mentors in areas relevant to their career development.

Returning mentor David Lloyd, Regional Claims Manager Australasia and ASEAN, HDI Global SE, says he sees the importance of giving back to the industry by guiding mentees through the next stage of their careers. One returning mentee also reflected on connections made within the group in 2019. The advice they gleaned was not only from their mentor, but from fellow mentees who had faced similar scenarios in their careers.

The program’s success hinges on the small size of each group so mentees can connect with their mentor and nurture relationships among the group, fostering open conversation and discussion on topics central to career development and progression.

Program participants receive a handbook with links to external resources to assist in starting conversations on topics such as the career journey, promoting good mental health, networking, negotiating, and developing your personal brand.

This year brings challenges that 2019 did not have to contend with, such as  restrictions on face-to-face meetings due to Covid-19. However, that has been addressed by scheduling virtual meetings, which give mentees the opportunity to share their strategies and coping mechanisms with mentors in a reverse mentoring situation. Program organisers hope that, before the end of the program next year, participants will have a chance to meet their groups in person.

Looking ahead to 2021, AILA plans to roll out the mentoring program in additional branches, further demonstrating its support for and commitment to developing the next generation of leaders in the insurance industry.


Queensland


by Berren Hamilton

The Queensland chapter hosted three webinars in July 2020, with tremendous attendance rates.

On 1 July, Michael Bromley, CEO and founder of Beyond Billables, presented Business development in times of crisis – 12 steps to forging ahead no matter the market. The webinar was part of the Queensland chapter’s focus on the young professional segment of the AILA audience. Michael provided priceless advice and tips on how to create value for business and grow personal brands in the face of the brave new Covid-19 world.

The AILA High Court verdict webinar series was launched on10 July 2020. The inaugural webinar analysed and discussed the journey, the evidence, the decisions and the lessons of the High Court’s verdict in Lee v Lee. It was presented by a panel of some of the Queensland barristers who appeared before the High Court in the matter – Michael Grant-Taylor QC, Geoff Diehm QC and Jennifer Hewson  – who explained the implications of the case for reliance on factual and expert evidence in all areas of insurance litigation. Read Resolve’s report on the webinar here.

Stay tuned for further instalments in the High Court verdict webinar series.

On 21 July 2020, Travis Schultz presented Personal injury jurisprudence from the plaintiff perspective – Australian public liability law – the year to date. Travis is the principal of Travis Schultz & Partners and a member of the Qld Law Society Accident Compensation/Tort Law Committee. Travis examined and discussed 10 court cases handed down in 2020 and provided a paper with summaries and discussions of each of those cases, which is available to members in AILA’s online library.

The Queensland committee is hard at work developing more webinars to be announced soon and is looking forward to again hosting face-to-face events when that’s possible in these challenging times.


Western Australia


by Justine Siavelis

The WA committee and AILA National worked hard to get WA’s first webinar off the ground.

We are grateful to Carolyn Moss, barrister, from Francis Burt Chambers, for presenting Eyes forward: Future issues in insurance,covering limitation, developments in the Federal Court insurance list, and new regulation and opportunities for insurers on 30 July.

Hot on the heels of that seminar, Glen Walker, RAC claims manager, presented on detecting fraud using AI on 19 August.

Psychiatrist Dr Gemma Edwards-Smith, from the Hollywood Clinic in Nedlands, WA, is scheduled to present on nervous shock on 23 September 2020.

With Covid-19 containment working well in WA, we hope for a return to face-to-face seminars sooner rather than later, however we are grateful to our presenters for adapting to the new Covid-safe style of presenting.


Tasmania


by Kate Stockford

Tasmania has successfully hosted its first webinar, which was wildly successful.

We had 144 participants listen to Jane Reid, Chief Risk Officer, ‎Royal Automobile Club of Tasmania, present on Cracking the code: Understanding the changes to the General Insurance Code of Practice

Thanks to Jane for presenting such a comprehensive and interesting look at all the changes to be rolled out.

Coming up each Thursday in August is the AILA Workers’ Compensation Masterclass – Webinar Series. While predominantly focused on Tasmanian legislation, there are many takeaways for people in other states and territories about workers’ compensation and personal injury matters and, at only $80 for four seminars, it is incredible value for money.

The rest of the year will focus on cyber security, which is particularly relevant given the number of people working from home; changes to sexual abuse legislation; examining the difference between contractors and working directors in a workers’ compensation world; and – fingers crossed – a face-to-face social gathering to celebrate the end of what turned out to be a long, hard year.

We have recruited a few fresh faces to the Tasmanian committee who we anticipate will provide us with some new and exciting ideas and refresh our enthusiasm for all things AILA. 

The Tasmanian committee is on track to finish 2020 on a high with a strong educational program and much-anticipated events.


New South Wales


by Nicholas Zambetti

AILA NSW has worked hard, in conjunction with AILA National, to make the best of the Covid-19 situation we have all found ourselves in.

While many of our planned face- to-face events have been cancelled, many webinars, using GoToWebinar, have been held in lieu of the traditional seminar format, with much success and excellent participations rates.

Since the latest Resolve, we have had these seminars in NSW:

Pandemic problems in insurance: A focus on insurance policy response in business interruption and D&O
• The Brilliance of resilience - Actionable strategies to manage stress and improve wellbeing
• Covid-19: Evolving employment law
• Csuite on Covid
• Managing liability for land contamination: Key issues for insurers and property owners
• A talk on the new Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020

These are a testament to the dedication of the NSW committee – thank you for your efforts which help maintain the AILA NSW balance sheet in profit. Our budgeting is now rather conservative and assumes, for budgeting purposes, no face-to-face seminars for the rest of the year.

The webinar format has also enabled seminars that previously would have taken place only in a state or territory branch to be broadcast and enjoyed by members across Australia.

The National Conference, scheduled for Sydney in October, has now been postponed to 2021 and all the main venue contracts have been re-negotiated and signed for 2021.

We have revised the 2021 catchphrase and logo:

Preparations for the 2021 conference are now resuming and we sincerely hope that, by then, we will be less constrained by Covid-19 exigencies.

I wish all members and friends of AILA and your families may stay safe during these unprecedented times.


South Australia


by Scott Duell

While the pandemic continues to bring challenges, and the outlook is changing daily, AILA has adapted with the use of technology.

That has enabled us to continue to offer great educational content to  members and non-members, regardless of their geographical location. All branches have done an outstanding job in delivering quality webinars.

In South Australia, we will run some webinars in the latter half of the year. In September, David Watt, from Hall Chadwick, will present on assessing economic loss from a forensic accounting perspective.

We will also be involved with the Dive In Festival for the third consecutive year. AILA SA has something planned for each of the remaining months of the year, culminating in the Annual Year in Review.

Despite circumstances not enabling us to meet and collaborate in traditional ways, there is still plenty of relevant, worthwhile content being presented by AILA.

On a personal note, best wishes to committee member Emma Pilkington, who is on maternity leave. In July, she and her family welcomed little Louis into the world. Congratulations, Emma.

I remind everyone that now is the time to become a member of AILA. As of 1 July, we introduced a new pricing structure with reduced rates for some sectors, including industry and senior or retired members.


Victoria


by Andrea Petrocco

Victoria is in a state of disaster as we all come together to do our part in staying home to ensure front-line nurses, doctors and other medical carers stay safe.

AILA would like to thank members who have essential workers in their families. Their selflessness in facing the pandemic head-on is much appreciated and we can’t thank them enough for their efforts.

The AILA family continues to support events via webinars in great numbers. We appreciate the continued support shown by members and non-members.

AILA Victoria has some great events coming up, including Bringing ISR into the 21st century – history & challenges, presented by Dr Allan Manning, executive chair and founder at the LMI Group; and Lucy Terracall, a partner at Clayton Utz. The event will be chaired by David Abell, AILA Victoria treasurer.

We are confirming dates to present a Q&A on the new General Insurance Code of Practice provisions, Part 9: Supporting customers experiencing vulnerability and Part 10: Financial hardship.

The panel will include Sally Davis, general manager, code compliance and monitoring, Code Governance Committee; and Annabelle Butler, Suncorp executive manager regulatory change, AFCA panel member, and chair of the General Insurance Code of Practice. It will be moderated by Peter Hopkins, AIG general counsel Australia and commercial counsel Asia-Pacific and an AILA Victoria committee member.

We have many other webinars being planned that will continue to provide valuable learnings and insights into the insurance industry. To keep up to date with all events, ensure you take advantage of the new membership fees that start at the affordable rate of $50.

The AILA Victoria committee thanks you for your continued support and hopes you stay safe in these trying times.

 
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Resolve is the official publication of the Australian Insurance Law Association and
the New Zealand Insurance Law Association.