The New Zealand insurance industry named the winners in its annual excellence awards program last night in Auckland.

Suncorp-backed AA Insurance was general insurance company of the year, and Marsh New Zealand took the large broking company prize.

Insurance Advisernet topped the broker network category, New Zealand’s Delta Insurance won the underwriting agency award, and IAG’s AMI Insurance took claims team of the year honours.

It was a big night for Suncorp in other categories at the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance event. Its New Zealand CEO, Jimmy Higgins, was named insurance leader of the year and AA Insurance took the excellence in workplace diversity, equity and inclusion prize.

Suncorp says Mr Higgins’ award “reflects [his] role in helping shape national policy and championing the industry’s shift from reactive recovery to proactive natural hazard resilience”.

In a regular Friday message to his team, Mr Higgins said: “It is a privilege to lead a company like ours and, with a strong team around me, focus on making a real difference for our customers, communities and the insurance industry.”

Delta says it is “incredibly proud” to be recognised as underwriting agency of the year.

“These accolades are a testament to our continuous pursuit of underwriting, claims and governance excellence, our relentless efforts to lead the way in technology innovation, and our unwavering commitment to our brokers, partners and employees,” it said on LinkedIn.

McLarens, which won the professional services award for the fifth consecutive year, said on LinkedIn: “The ANZIIF judges highlighted our forward-thinking approach to claims management, our focus on fair and equitable outcomes, and the transparency delivered through our customer portal and real-time performance dashboards.”

ANZIIF CEO Katrina Shanks congratulated the winners for “strengthening a more trusted and progressive insurance sector”.

The winners were:

• General insurance company of the year – AA Insurance
• Small to medium broking company – Blanket Advice
• Large broking company – Marsh New Zealand
• Broker network – Insurance Advisernet New Zealand
• Underwriting agency – Delta Insurance
• Claims team – AMI Insurance
• Life insurance company – Partners Life
• Insurtech start-up – Folio
• Professional services firm – McLarens
• Service provider to the insurance industry – IVAA Claims
• Excellence in workplace diversity, equity and inclusion – AA Insurance
• Young insurance professional – James Fleet, Fidelity Life executive manager
• Insurance leader of the year – Suncorp New Zealand CEO Jimmy Higgins