Zurich Life Risk doubles its Death and TPD business and expands its team

1 June 2010

Continuing with its strategy to rapidly grow its local life risk business, Zurich Financial Services Australia (Zurich) today announced further appointments to its Life Risk team.

After the successful launch of its LifeXpress new end-to-end desktop business solution last year, Zurich continues to go from strength to strength in the retail life risk market, doubling its death and TPD business. The company has also further emphasised its commitment to doing business through independent financial advice channels.

General Manager – Life Risk Australia, Mr Colin Morgan, said, “The recent revamp of product features and pricing – especially in the highly competitive 35–55 year-old segment – has been a major contributor to Zurich’s growth. In 2010, our main focus is on helping meet the needs of financial advisers and their clients with products and service in areas that really matter. In order to deliver these winning strategies we are continuing to expand our team.

“Additionally, Zurich remains committed to its long-standing strategy of doing business with intermediaries, mainly independent financial advisers. Being able to remain true to this strategy underscores Zurich’s global strength and its continuing sustained profitability for 29 straight quarters. The strength of our Life Risk business at Zurich enables us to continue to expand our team with highly experienced experts in their field,” said Mr Morgan.

With more than 15 years experience in the life risk segment, Mr Richard Dunkerley has been appointed Zurich’s Marketing Manager – Life Risk. In this role, Mr Dunkerley will be developing the Life Risk’s marketing proposition and the positioning for Zurich’s retail and group risk products as well as seeking to leverage its market-leading product suite and expanding distribution of the products via independent intermediaries.

Mr Dunkerley has held similar roles at AXA, IAG, MBF and Westpac, and most recently, was a product manager at CommInsure.

This appointment follows Zurich’s further building of its Business Development capability with the appointment of two additional Business Development Managers.

Mr Ben Bancroft is the Business Development Manager for New South Wales and is responsible for managing adviser relationships and business development strategies within this region. He has over 10 years experience in the financial services industry. Prior to joining Zurich’s Life Risk team, he held Business Development Manager positions at ING Australia, CommInsure and most recently was an authorised representative of Matrix Planning Solutions.

Mr Richard Hopwood is the Business Development Manager for Queensland, responsible for managing adviser relationships and business development strategies within Queensland. Starting in financial services in 2004 as a graduate trainee planner in Manchester, UK, Mr Hopwood moved to a BDM role for AXA Life Risk in the UK. He moved to Australia in 2009 working for Suncorp, WorkCover Queensland and Chubb.

ENDS

For further information contact:

Rob White
Corporate Communications Manager
Zurich Financial Services Australia
Business ph: +61 (02) 9995 1557
Mobile: +61 (0) 411 881 887

Jane Legge
Communications Manager
Zurich Financial Services Australia
Business ph: +61 (02) 9995 1591

Zurich Financial Services Australia provides wealth protection and wealth creation solutions, offering general insurance for commercial customers, and life risk, investments and superannuation solutions for corporates and personal customers. Zurich's solutions and services are primarily accessible through insurance brokers, financial advisers and other intermediaries in Australia and New Zealand.

Zurich Financial Services Australia is part of the worldwide Zurich Financial Services Group (Zurich), an insurance-based financial services provider with a global network of subsidiaries and offices in North America and Europe as well as in Asia-Pacific, Latin America and other markets. Founded in 1872, the Group is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. It employs approximately 60,000 people serving customers in more than 170 countries.