The messy introduction & transition of the funding of Fire Services continues!

Copy of advertisement from Herald Sun Newspaper

Like many within the Insurance Industry I could not believe it when I saw a large Public Warning in the Herald Sun warning the public against brokers.

It makes it look like every insurance broker in the State is engaging in dishonest behaviour and yet this is of course far from the truth.

While this may be justifying the position of the Fire Service Levy Monitor in an effort to maintain a position that at best was too little too late going a bit longer. But the real question is at what cost to brand insurance and to that of insurance brokers as trusted advisers.

The question is how many cases has there been and what is the amount involved. Should it be that every honest diligent broker in the State is tarred with the same brush? It is like suggesting every politician and public servant is dishonest due to the actions of a small minority.

Having worked in the insurance industry for over 40 years, I know the vast majority are honest hard working individuals who act as the risk manager and trusted adviser to their client.

I know that I am not the only person to be upset by this advertisement and it was certainly the topic of discussion by many at the recent National Insurance Brokers Association conference where the general feelings were of disbelief and outrage.

It is too many of us yet another example of the appalling way the current State Government handed the transition and are trying to move the blame from themselves to the insurance industry.

The State Government is spending a fortune on advertising the changes to the fire service levy, taking the credit when we all know it was the Brumby Government that made the correct decision. Why is such an advertisement necessary. Would not a polite note to every broker in the state reminding them of the changes and pointing out the penalties for getting it wrong been sufficient.

I understand that NIBA quite rightly arranged a meeting with Prof Fells last week and I look forward to hearing the outcome of that meeting and what will be done to undo the travesty of justice bordering on defamation that appears to have occurred.

Meanwhile, we have the ongoing issues of bushfires in New South Wales with a government there sitting on its hands rather than taking proactive steps to improve the affordability of insurance for home and business owners by retaining the unfair taxes on property, business interruption and contract works insurance.