A group of Australia’s emerging insurance brokers has spent a weekend in Fitzroy Crossing, getting a first-hand look at a Kimberley community still rebuilding after the record floods of 2023.
The visit formed part of Vero and the National Insurance Brokers Association’s (NIBA) Young Broker Alumni Experience and comes at a time when the industry is paying closer attention to how it develops its next generation. Recent NIBA workforce research found brokers aged 18 to 29 account for just 11% of Australia’s general insurance broking workforce, equal to the proportion aged 60 and over. The workforce has a median age of 44.
That relatively thin early-career pipeline contrasts with strong engagement in the awards program. The 2026 NIBA Young Broker of the Year award attracted a record 96 nominations nationwide, the highest in the program’s history.
This year’s state winners travelled to Fitzroy Crossing alongside Young Broker alumni and executives from Vero and NIBA, including NIBA chief executive Richard Klipin (pictured). The group volunteered at the Central Kimberley Football League Grand Final, helping with equipment, serving food at the canteen and supporting junior games.
Vero also provided a $25,000 donation to the Central Kimberley Football Basketball League (CKFBL), which will fund team kits, transport costs and training equipment.
The setting gives the development program a direct connection to a growing part of the insurance industry’s operating environment. Between 2022 and 2026, insurers received more than 400,000 claims to repair or rebuild homes damaged in declared events, at an insured cost of $11.3 billion, according to the Insurance Council of Australia’s latest catastrophe analysis. Building costs also rose around 30% in the five years to March 2026, adding pressure to the cost and complexity of disaster recovery.
Fitzroy Crossing experienced that disruption on an exceptional scale. The Fitzroy River reached a record 15.81 metres in January 2023, more than three metres above the previous record measured at the site. The Great Northern Highway bridge was overtopped and structurally damaged, cutting an important transport connection through the Kimberley.
Lisa Harrison, Suncorp’s chief executive of commercial and personal injury, said the visit allowed participants to hear directly from the community about the disaster and subsequent recovery.
“For communities across Kimberley, the start of 2023 brought a flood event unlike anything they’d felt before, with Ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie’s record rainfall across the Fitzroy River catchment evacuating more than 1,500 residents in its wake. Over the past few days, we’ve had the privilege of immersing ourselves in this remarkable community, hearing their stories of strength and determination in the face of such a severe weather event,” Harrison said.
The experience forms part of Vero’s 37-year sponsorship of the NIBA Young Broker of the Year Awards, with professional development activities accompanying the competition.
Among those taking part was Isabella Moran, the 2026 WA Young Broker of the Year winner, who will compete for the national award at the NIBA Convention in October.
“Beyond the professional growth it’s nurtured, being able to connect with the local people and get our hands dirty was the most rewarding aspect of all. The trip offered a first-hand community perspective that we don’t see in our day to day, with insights we’ll take with us long after we’ve left the Kimberley,” Moran said.
CKFBL community development officer Callan Hatchman said the funding would support participation by young people across the Fitzroy Valley.
“The investment has had a significant impact beyond football. Young people travelled safely, represented their communities with pride and experienced new environments while developing teamwork, resilience and leadership skills,” Hatchman said.
