Tower Limited has appointed Dan Walker (pictured) as chief claims officer, effective immediately, chief executive Paul Johnston announced on June 23, 2026. The move follows Mike Skeen’s elevation to chief operating officer in May 2026 – the second consecutive executive vacancy filled internally within two months. Johnston framed both decisions as part of a consistent approach to leadership. “This reflects not only the calibre of talent the company is attracting, but also Tower’s goal of developing people internally,” he said.
Walker joined Tower in December 2025 as head of claims experience and transformation, where he began restructuring the claims function’s operating model before being elevated to the executive team six months later. “Dan joined Tower as head of claims experience and transformation in December, and in that time has reshaped the function’s operating model and delivered significant improvements in customer service,” Johnston said.
Before joining Tower, Walker spent 14 years at Partners Life, a New Zealand life insurer, where he rose to chief operations officer. His background is in insurance operations – the claims-specific experience he brings to the chief claims officer role was developed during his six months at Tower rather than carried over from Partners Life.
Johnston pointed to Walker’s industry tenure as a factor in the decision. “Dan brings deep insurance experience to Tower, including most recently at Partners Life, where he spent 14 years working his way up to chief operations officer,” he said. Walker said the work itself is what draws him to the industry. “Insurance is complex, technical, and fascinating, and I love it. Every day there is something new to solve,” he said.
Walker takes on the position as Tower’s claims costs are moving upward. The company’s BAU claims ratio rose to 44% in the six months ended March 31, 2026, up from 38% in the prior comparable period – a shift Tower attributed to targeted rate decreases and increased storm activity. While the ratio remains below Tower’s long-run average of between 48% and 50%, the company has indicated it expects the figure to continue trending upward through the remainder of FY26.
Tower’s full-year underlying NPAT guidance sits at between $55 million and $65 million, contingent on full utilization of its $45 million large event allowance. Four large events in the first half generated a combined cost of $18.5 million, with the Wellington flooding event in April 2026 contributing an estimated further $5 million in the second half. A rising BAU claims ratio compounds that pressure – how the claims function performs through the remainder of the year will have a direct bearing on whether Tower meets its guided range.
Tower has already moved to automatic processing for motor claims, a change Walker said has reduced turnaround times and improved transparency for customers. “Through digital innovation, AI, and a customer-first culture we’re simplifying our claims processes, improving consistency, and removing inefficiencies. We’ve recently completed automatic claims processing for motor claims, making the journey much faster and more transparent for customers, and we’ll be rolling out more initiatives like this soon,” Walker said. Tower’s half-year results, published May 21, 2026, referenced its AI-enabled contact centre and claims process improvements as contributors to operational efficiency – work that now falls under Walker's remit.
Johnston acknowledged Steve Wilson, Tower’s previous chief claims officer, who left the company earlier in 2026 to return to Australia. “Steve oversaw significant digital investment resulting in improvements to the customer journey and leaves a strong foundation for the next step in our claims transformation,” Johnston said.
Walker’s appointment also comes ahead of two distribution arrangements set to lift Tower’s policyholder numbers. Partnerships with Westpac and Kiwibank – under which Tower will offer general insurance products to each bank’s retail customers – are scheduled to commence in the second half of FY26, adding new policyholders to Tower’s portfolio and increasing claims intake under Walker’s leadership.
Tower’s customer base already stood at 327,000 as of March 31, 2026 – a 5% year-on-year increase driven largely by a 9% rise in New Zealand home insurance policies – providing the baseline from which those partnerships will add further volume. Gross written premium for the half reached $301 million, up 1%, though the company revised its full-year GWP growth forecast down to low-single digits from an earlier range of between 5% and 10%, citing lower average premiums and increased market competition.
As policyholder volumes grow through both organic channels and the incoming bank partnerships, the claims function Walker now leads will face increasing pressure on both cost and service delivery.
