IBNZ’s 2015 top story shocker

It’s been a year of thrills and spills for the NZ insurance industry, some quite salacious in detail. However, the story in the number one spot may surprise you.

Insurance News

By Maryvonne Gray

You’d be forgiven for thinking that the sex romp story emanating from Marsh’s Christchurch office in February would have received the most hits on IBNZ.

When the graphic video footage went viral the whole world seemed to be discussing it, and it certainly got IB readers clicking.

However, here is proof that Insurance Business readers really do put business before pleasure, as the number one story award for 2015 goes to Ando Insurance, which broke new records when news of its launch was released in June.

Next on the list is evidence – not that any was really needed - that New Zealand is a rugby nation through and through.

Following NZ’s brilliant back to back Rugby World Cup win it was no surprise that a story about Richie McCaw’s new role at AIG was in third place.

The career moves of two top female executives also stood out, with Jo Mason resigning from NZI to head to Sydney in 4th place and Toni Ferrier’s new role at OMPL coming in 6th place while Jacki Johnson’s departure and replacement had a big impact coming in at 9th position.

IAG made headlines for the wrong reasons when it got nominated for a fourth Roger award, and landed the 5th most read story of 2015.

And its $500 million deal with billionaire businessman Warren Buffett was up there too, coming in at 8th place.

The brokers were making waves too however. When BrokerWeb Management, NZbrokers Holdings and Brokernet NZ announced their new partnership it put them in the 7th most read position.

Not to be left out, direct insurer Tower was in 10th place with its milestone partnership with Trade Me and its new CEO Richard Harding’s appointment was in 12th place.

Steadfast and Hollard Insurance’s new underwriting agency was number 11, with the NZ Industry Award winners in 13th, a jailed Kiwi insurance adviser in 14th and another dishonest insurance broker following suit in 15th place.

Then there were the stories which got readers revved up enough to comment.

Perhaps not surprisingly, John Lyon’s Ando Insurance launch also took out the top spot for that achievement.

Fifteen people expressed their delight at the news of his return, which was announced in June, with comments still appearing this month, many of them asking for an application form!

The next most commented story was concerned with commissions. Outright ban on commissions touted racked up 10 responses, some of which expressed the potential opportunities that could arise.

There were two Five Minutes With… articles that prompted considerable praise for its subjects – Sa Luatua and Drazenka Dordevich.

And equalling them on the comments front were Fire Service review slammed as a ‘mockery’, Women in insurance survey findings show brokers in bad light and Time to suit up, featuring Craig Langstone’s fine fashion tips.
 

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