A group of specialist underwriting agencies has expanded its national reach with the addition of a new Adelaide office.

In a statement, SURA said that with its launch of the new Adelaide office, insurance brokers can be assured of genuine local underwriting authority for faster quotes and decisions on local client risks.

The office, which is located in South Australia’s McLaren Vale, will focus initially on underwriting engineering, construction, and machinery breakdown risk. 

It will be headed by Michael Holbrook, a specialist underwriter with 19 years of experience in the engineering niche and who has previous regional management experience in South Australia. He will be joined by underwriter Debra Genovese, with over 20 years of insurance experience, including in underwriting, claims handling, and loss adjustment. 

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Jim Wiechman, SURA construction underwriting manager, said the new office will provide local brokers, seeking engineering, construction, and machinery breakdown insurance cover for their clients, with a dedicated underwriting presence able to service them right in their own backyard.

In addition to SURA Construction, the new office will also support SURA Plant & Equipment, headed by Stephen Borg, and SURA Engineering, headed by Peter Curtis, all three agencies targeting local growth.

Angie Zissis, SURA managing director, commented: “We didn’t just want to open an office, we wanted to staff it with well-known local professionals with the specialist expertise we’re known for. What we now have is an office led by a South Australian, in South Australia writing South Australian business.

“Our new office in Adelaide underlines the clear message we’ve been sending brokers all along - we are serious about underwriting specialist industry risks, and we are here for the long term.”


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