Ben Howell, the executive who led Chubb's local general insurance operation until earlier this year is taking the insurer to court, and the company is not the only respondent.
Howell lodged a claim in the Federal Court's New South Wales registry at the end of last week, alleging breaches of the general protections provisions of the Fair Work Act. Chubb Insurance Australia Limited is the lead respondent in the case, Benjamin Howell v Chubb Insurance Australia Limited & Ors (NSD1882/2026), according to the Commonwealth Courts Portal.
Eleven individuals are listed as respondents alongside the insurer: Bruce Bollom, Olivier Bouchard, Mark Eggleton, Andrew Gourley, Marcos Gunn, Sally Loane, Paul McNamee, Jane Michie, Timothy Rowe, Gary Seymour and Giles Ward. Reports indicate the list includes senior executives and members of the board.
Two of the names carry particular weight. Gunn is Chubb's regional president for Asia-Pacific and was Howell's direct manager, a reporting line Chubb set out when Howell was promoted to country president in 2024. McNamee was named executive vice president of Chubb Group and president of its overseas general insurance arm in the same round of global appointments.
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Not much, yet. The court file shows Howell filed three documents on the day: an originating application, a statement of claim and a genuine steps statement. The portal lists them but does not publish what they say, so the substance of his allegations is not public. He is represented by Harmers Workplace Lawyers.
None of the allegations has been tested in court, and so far the public file lists only documents filed by Howell.
General protections claims sit in Part 3-1 of the Fair Work Act. In broad terms, the provisions make it unlawful to take "adverse action" against someone for a prohibited reason, such as because they have, or have used, a workplace right, the Fair Work Ombudsman explains. Making a complaint or inquiry to seek compliance with a workplace law is one example of a workplace right.
Under section 550 of the Act, a person "involved in" a contravention is treated as having committed it, which is why these claims can name directors and senior managers as well as the employer, as the Australian Institute of Company Directors has explained. Whether any individual here was involved in anything unlawful is a matter for the court.
For brokers who place management liability and employment practices cover, it is a live example of a claimant naming directors and senior executives personally.
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Howell's career with the insurer spans two stints. He started at Chubb as an underwriter in Sydney in 2002, spent time with other global insurers, and returned in 2016, according to Chubb. Not long after rejoining, he was put in charge of accident and health for Australia and New Zealand.
By mid-2024 he was executive vice president and head of consumer for Chubb Asia-Pacific. He took the Australia and New Zealand country president job from 1 September 2024, succeeding Peter Kelaher, who moved to Europe. Howell's profile rose further in October 2025, when the Insurance Council of Australia appointed him a non-executive director.
Howell left in April 2026. Chubb did not formally announce or explain the exit, and Chris Colahan stepped in as interim country president. Colahan had only arrived at Chubb in February as Asia-Pacific head of commercial property and casualty, after leading AIG in the region.
The local leadership bench has kept shifting since. Former AIG Australia chief Kathleen Warden was due to join Chubb as head of Pacific property and casualty once her notice period ended in October, and in August Chubb named Jon Longmore country president for New Zealand, reporting to Colahan.
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At group level, Chubb's numbers have been strong. It reported a property and casualty combined ratio of 83.8% for the second quarter, with underwriting income up 18.8% to US$1.94 billion.
For now the case sits on a provisional docket with the court's National Operations Registrar.
