peopleNEWS

NTI raffles 1946 Jailbar truck ‘Bonnie’

Tickets for a seventh truck restored by NTI are now on sale as the transport insurer raises more funds for motor neurone disease (MND) research.

On offer this year is NTI promo truck “Bonnie”, a restored 1946 Ford Jailbar worth $200,000.

“It’s truly a one-of-a-kind vehicle and no surprise it’s a fan favourite,” Chief Customer Officer Janelle Greene said. “It’s the right time to say a special thank you to our supporters by finding Bonnie a new home.”

Restoring the satin black truck took thousands of hours to lengthen and widen the cab, add a custom-made bonnet and 6.5-tonne electric winch, and more. The truck will be displayed at events around Australia until Townsville’s NTI Supercars Round in July, when the raffle winner will be drawn.

NTI has now raised more than $2 million for MND research in honour of former chief executive Wayne Patterson who died with the condition in 2018.

Buy tickets here.

Quite a prize: raffle tickets for Bonnie are on sale

Built for comfort: Bonnie’s interior is kitted out with full leather trim, air conditioning and touch-screen media

Fan favourite: NTI’s Janelle Greene says Bonnie is one-of-a-kind

Insurance Ashes raises $24,000

The Primary Club of Australia held its “ever-popular” Insurance Ashes cricket contest at the North Sydney Oval in February.

The event featured teams from Austbrokers/Sura, CGU, Steadfast, newcomers Liberty Specialty Markets and NSW Fire & Rescue.

The teams competed in a round-robin tournament with rankings determined by net run rate, and Steadfast regained the coveted trophy by the slimmest of margins.

A highlight of the day was the blind cricket game, organised by NSW Blind Cricket on the Oval concourse.

An estimated $24,000 was raised for nominated charities Blind Cricket, Disability Sports and the Sydney FC Foundation.

InsurtechLIVE attracts record numbers

Advanced technology experts packed the house at this year’s expanded InsurtechLIVE event at a new and bigger venue at Jones Bay Wharf in Sydney in February.

The contribution of insurtech in transforming insurance was recognised, and attendees were treated to generous refreshments and a networking reception with drinks at the Doltone House harbourside location.

Expert panelists discussed how insurtech can be a “climate game-changer”.

Insurtech UK Chief Executive Melissa Collett gave insights from the global insurance market, while another panel explored how to “take AI from hype to reality”.

Regtech start-up Haast was crowned the winner at a pitch event, prevailing against finalists Amelio Health, Climatics, HumanableCX and Peachii Insurance.

“It was a really competitive process and good to see new insurtechs emerging,” Insurtech Australia Chief Executive Simone Dossetor told Insurance News.

McLardy McShane golf day backs FightMND

McLardy McShane’s sixth annual Fight MND Golf Challenge raised more than $115,000 to support motor neurone disease research.

The event at Mornington Peninsula’s Moonah Links in January attracted 120 attendees from the company and various partner groups.

The brokerage has raised more than $600,000 for FightMND through its golf days.
Founders Don McLardy and Mike McShane invited each playing pair to try to beat their score for a $250 donation to FightMND.

Security retailer Secure Your World’s representatives Mark Johnson and John Thompson were the competition’s winners.

The event finished with a dinner at the Continental Sorrento featuring FightMND patron and AFL legend Neale Daniher, and appearances from several AFL personalities and representatives.

Brokers flock to UAC’s Sydney expo

More than 500 brokers attended the Underwriting Agencies Council-Xceedance Sydney expo in February, kicking off a program of events around the country.

The expo at the International Convention Centre featured a record 135 exhibitors and was attended by 20% more brokers than a year earlier, the council says.

Insurance consulting firm Xceedance is the council’s plat-inum sponsor this year and took over naming rights to the Sydney expo.

The expos have now been rebranded as Market Exchanges, with events still to come this year in Melbourne, Brisbane, Parramatta, Adelaide, Launceston and Perth.