Ready to take the wheel

NTI chief Janelle Greene knows the truck insurer inside and out

By Bernice Han

Janelle Greene joined NTI Insurance more than a decade ago and has enjoyed a steady rise since. She became chief executive in July, taking over from Tony Clark, who led the truck and logistics insurance specialist for 18 years.

Her ascendancy will come as no surprise to anyone familiar with NTI. Stability is in the business’ DNA, and it has served the company well when maintaining its leadership of a highly specialised segment of the insurance market.

Over the previous 25 years of its almost 50-year history, the business had only two chief executives: Mr Clark’s predecessor, the late Wayne Patterson, was in charge for seven years.

Ms Greene is well qualified to step up after Mr Clark’s decision to retire.

In her previous role as chief customer officer, responsibilities included developing strategies for underwriting, customer experience, marketing, business insights, and pricing and portfolio management teams.

Before taking that job in 2019, she was general manager in charge of operations, strategic planning and delivery. She has, in a way, completed her apprenticeship for the top job.

“All my roles at NTI have been materially important,” Ms Greene tells Insurance News. “I ran claims and strategic projects … and then I did chief underwriting officer, plus marketing. These big parts of the business were very, very useful in preparing me for the role.”

She says “it is business as usual” for her and the NTI executive team, with a focus on doing what’s best for the insurer, employees and, most importantly, customers.

“At the end of the day, we’re stewards of the business. Our job is to lead and shape the business, helping it continue to evolve and grow.

“We have the same priorities we’ve always had, which is to be there for our customers.

“We have a really great team with a great plan and a very stable senior leadership team and executive team. So that gives me comfort.”

Customers, Ms Greene says, are a “number one” focus – and that means being there for them round the clock and offering products that match the transport and logistics industries’ niche risks.

“We keep our appetite consistent,” she says. “But we also remain agile to meet the unique, evolving needs of the industries we support.”

This customer-focused approach has led to clients being given the option of “scalable cover” that can raise the coverage limit to $50 million. NTI policies come with a standard $2.5 million limit.

The insurer says this flexibility helps businesses meet contract requirements and manage exposures across a range of hazardous materials, including radioactive and infectious substances. In a high-cost operating environment, one major incident could severely affect a fleet’s bottom line.

For fleets involved in dangerous goods transport, scalable cover can make all the difference.

Most recently, NTI introduced a mobile plant and equipment repair network that aims to help customers resume operations faster following breakdowns of essential machinery.

Repairers in the network must pass a “rigorous’ accreditation process that NTI has developed with industry experts, and they must have at least a 10-year history in the plant and equipment repair industry and demonstrate proven technical capability.

Ms Greene says the machinery repair network complements NTI’s premium repairer network, which puts heavy vehicles back on the road on average nine days faster than competitors.

“We’re proud to be a market leader … more importantly, we lead the market in standards,” she says. “We want to be the leader in what we offer, in our products, in our claims, in our expertise, and our service.”

As the industry evolves, adapting to changes such as the clean energy transition, so must NTI.

“Our aim is to continually stay a step ahead and deliver for industry,” Ms Greene says. “For example, we’re the first to insure hydrogen trucks, so we’re trying to stay progressive, working closely with the heavy vehicle industry.”

Staying ahead is something NTI has excelled at, and Ms Greene intends to keep it that way, whether its winning awards or supporting communities, such as through its annual truck raffle to support motor neurone disease research, in honour of the late Mr Patterson.

The business won back-to-back best underwriting agency and claims team of the year honours at the recent Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance awards.

“I think the number one reason we are continually recognised with these awards is the service we offer our brokers … and the second reason is our culture,” Ms Greene says. “We’re in a highly competitive marketplace where we see new entrants come and go all the time. So we really focus on a culture that’s ethical, that nurtures talent, and that contributes to the community.

“We offer outstanding products, services and partnerships that deliver value, and we give a positive return to our shareholders year in year out.”

CGU Insurance and Vero Insurance jointly own the underwriting agency, and have representatives on the NTI board to set strategies. “We’re very proud of our results and we’re very proud to be a market leader,” Ms Greene says.

A fast learner

Janelle Greene means it when she says customers are a priority – and that’s why she decided to learn how to drive a heavy vehicle.

She passed the test on her first attempt four years ago, and describes it as “one of the best things” she has done.

“The more we understand our customer base, the more we can figure out how to help them,” she says.

“I thought if I got my truck licence, I would then have a better understanding of what it’s like to be standing in the shoes of our customers, and so I did do that.”

The process gave her first-hand knowledge of the challenges facing truck drivers, who she says are a vital part of the workforce that keeps the economy running smoothly.

In her driving classes, she saw how challenging it is to run a six-speed manual 12-tonne truck on busy roads.

“I was driving an automatic Golf at that time, so it was a big change for me. You have a better appreciation for the kind of stresses that truck drivers are having on the road.”