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Category: Insurance Insights

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Insurance Insights Meet Our Team

Meet the Team Behind Your Insurance

Meet our insurance team

As a valued client of East West Insurance Brokers, you’re supported by a team of experts who bring more than just insurance knowledge to the table; they also have passions, hobbies, and aspirations that make them who they are. Get to know the people dedicated to looking after you and your business.

Insurance broker staff profiles - Rawinia Lim

Rawinia Lim
Head of Claims

Rawinia manages complex claims, ensures smooth coordination with insurers, and handle escalations when needed.

Rawinia enjoys walking her dog and unwinding at home. She’s keen to explore pottery as a new hobby, and her travel wish list includes Greece, Thailand, and a return trip to Ireland.

Insurance broker staff profiles - Alicia Newell

Alicia Newell
Executive Assistant

Alicia manages staff policies and supports Insurance Advisors to deliver exceptional services to our clients.

When not at work, you’ll find her at the gym or out enjoying meals, gardening, or taking her kelpie on adventures. She hopes to explore pottery and has Canada at the top of her travel list to see her favourite comedian and experience the wilderness

Insurance broker staff profiles - Shreya Sharma

Shreya Sharma
Marketing Manager

Shreya oversees the marketing team and leads all aspects of marketing for the business.

Outside of work, you’ll find her gardening, hiking, or experimenting with new recipes. She’s keen to explore creative pursuits like pottery or textured canvas art, with South Africa currently at the top of her travel wish list.

See what our team are loving this quarter

Staff favourite of the quarter

Jamie Olivers Gnarly Madras Lamb Traybake

Ingredients

  • 2kg Lamb Shoulder (Bone In)
  • 180g Madras Curry Paste
  • 250g Yellow Split Peas
  • 3 Red Onions
  • 4 Tomatoes
  • 1 Potato
  • 6cm Ginger
  • 1 bulb of Garlic
  • 15g Coriander
  • 12 Cloves

Method

1. Score the lamb and season with salt and pepper.
2. Rub with half the curry paste.
3. Place yellow split peas in a deep roasting tray with all the other ingredients along with the remaining curry paste.
4. Stir in 1.2L of boiling water and sit the lamb on top.
5. Tightly cover with tin foil and roast at 170 degrees for 4.5 hours.
6. Remove foil, baste with the tray juices.

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Business Cyber Insurance Insurance Insurance Insights

Protecting Your Business With Cyber Risk Management

Business cyber risk management and cyber insurance protection

Cyber risk is one of the most common threats for Australian businesses. It can disrupt operations and cause serious losses.

To help businesses, the Australian Government released the Essential Eight. This is a set of eight practical cybersecurity strategies. They are designed to help businesses get back to trading quickly after a cyber incident.

Essential Eight Cybersecurity Strategies

The Essential Eight encourages businesses to:

1.Keep software up to date: Regularly update your operating systems and applications to close security gaps.

2. Control access: Only allow authorised staff to make important system changes. Remove access when staff leave.

3. Use strong passwords and MFA: Strong passwords plus multi-factor authentication (MFA) add an extra layer of protection.

4. Limit risky programs: Block or restrict applications and macros that are commonly used to spread malware.

5. Back up data often: Make frequent, secure backups. Test them to make sure you can restore data quickly.

6. Protect against phishing and unsafe sites: Reduce risk from malicious emails and dangerous websites.

7. Have a simple response plan: Know what steps to take and who to contact if something goes wrong.

8. Educate your staff: .Use monthly updates from the Essential Eight team to keep staff aware of the latest cyber threats.

Australian business protecting against cyber risk with Essential Eight cybersecurity strategies

Why Cyber Risk Management Matters

Insurers now look closely at cyber risk management when deciding coverage, premiums, and claims for Australian businesses. Businesses that follow frameworks like the Essential Eight are better prepared if a claim occurs.

Demonstrating these controls can also help negotiate stronger coverage or lower premiums.

What You Should Do?

If you’re reviewing your insurance or risk management, now is a good time to consider how the Essential Eight cybersecurity strategies could be implemented in your business. Contact your broker to discuss these controls in detail.

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Business Insurance Insights Meet Our Clients

Meet Our Client: Mary-Anne Hall, owner of EPEC Education

Owner of EPEC Education Queensland in early childhood education sector

Mary-Anne has been a client of East West Insurance Brokers for 20 years and we have had the privilege to watch her business evolve from when she owned childcare centres and after-school care facilities to her present business, EPEC Education.

Tell us more about your business.

EPEC Education is a Registered Training Organisation that provides accredited training and professional development to those interested in contributing to the Early Childhood Education community.

EPEC’s training covers all aspects of the care of children with special focus on identifying and preventing child abuse.

What inspired you to start your business?

As a former Approved Provider of a range of early childhood services, I was hoping I could make a positive contribution in this space.

As a former University teacher, I believed the combination of both my theoretical and hands-on industry knowledge would make a positive contribution to the industry.

What’s the most rewarding part of running your business?

Supporting educators and other personnel to be more caring and compassionate in their interactions with the children in their care.

What do you wish you knew starting out?

That it takes a long time to develop the fundamentals of a business, and that there is always a solution to 99% of business problems.

What was your biggest challenge, and your solution?

Coming to terms with all the changing technologies. The best way to overcome these challenges is to stay acutely on top of new technologies and all the details of changing legislation.

What’s your favourite success story?

One of my proudest moments from my business journey is staying true to my belief in the importance of inclusive and compassionate care of all children.

What’s your one big goal for your business in the next year?

In accordance with EPEC’s commitment to the early childhood sector, it is starting to make moves into the recruitment sector and aims to develop this as another department of its business in 2026.

Outside of work, what do you enjoy doing?

Exercising on the beach, connecting with nature and recovering from the challenges of the previous week.

What advice would you give to other business owners?

To be successful in business you need to have plenty of strength and courage. Staying the course is about mental toughness and resilience above all else.

Where can people find you to connect or support your business?

www.epeceducation.com.au
www.foodsafetycertificates.com.au
www.childprotectiontraining.com.au

or contact Mary-Anne via 07 4616 8111 to discuss how her business can help you.

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Business Claims Insurance Insurance Insights

When One Accident Put a Business on Pause, We Helped Get It Back on Track

Small business insurance claim support after vehicle breakdown

For small business owners, work is more than just work. It is your livelihood. So when something unexpected stops you from working, the stress can be huge. This is where strong insurance claims support makes a real difference.

One of our clients in the commercial cleaning industry experienced this when their work vehicle was damaged in an accident. With jobs booked and bills to pay, being off the road was not just inconvenient. It caused real financial pressure.

The client had a Downtime benefit in their insurance policy, also known as business downtime insurance. This benefit is designed to provide income support while a vehicle is being repaired. After the breakdown, the client lodged a claim and received a repair quote that was below their insurance excess. They decided to pay for the repair privately to avoid the excess.

Partway through the repair, the mechanic found more damage. The new quote was now higher than the insurance excess. Because of this, the client chose to have the repair covered by insurance instead.

The insurer approved the repair costs. However, they declined the Downtime benefit. They relied on a policy exclusion because the first repairs had been done privately.

Our role

Our claims team stepped in to provide dedicated insurance claims support during this stressful time. We reviewed the situation and challenged the insurer’s decision. We explained that:

  • Any reasonable person would have made the same choice
  • The client acted in good faith and did not try to mislead
  • The insurer suffered no additional financial loss from the client going ahead with repairs

We kept the client informed at every step. We reassured them and handled the discussions with the insurer so they could focus on running their business. This is an example of strong insurance broker claims advocacy in action.

Small business owner affected by vehicle breakdown during insurance claim

The outcome

Because of our team’s experience and persistence, the insurer agreed to pay the maximum Downtime benefit under the client’s business downtime insurance. The client received the income support they needed during a difficult period. This reduced financial pressure and helped them return to work with confidence.

Key takeaways:

This claim shows why working with an insurance broker matters:

  • Policy wording is not always final, and insurers must follow a fair claims process
  • Experienced claims support can challenge insurer decisions
  • Brokers provide insurance broker claims advocacy in complex situations
  • You don’t have to navigate claims alone

Insurance is about being there when it counts and we’re proud to stand beside our clients when they need it most.

Claims contact information

1800 809 132 (choose option 1 for claims)
claims@eastwest.com.au

Categories
Business Cyber Insurance Insurance Insurance Insights

AI in Business: Powerful Tool, New Exposures

Artificial intelligence in business: Insurance to manage AI risks_Hero

Artificial Intelligence in business is now part of everyday operations. It helps with admin tasks, data analysis, and customer service. It can also help write messages and emails. AI is a useful tool for saving time and improving efficiency.

For many businesses, using AI is no longer a choice. It is becoming necessary to stay competitive. But every new tool brings new risks, therefore, it is important to understand these risks before relying on AI.

Understanding AI

A simple way to think about AI is to compare it to your home. A robot vacuum or dishwasher can save you time. But they only work well if the space is set up properly. If there are items on the floor, blocked pipes, or the machine is too full, problems can happen.

AI works in the same way.

The more AI is used in your business, the more important it is to control how it is used. You will need to manage what it can access and who is responsible for it.

Without clear rules and controls, businesses may face challenges. Effective AI risk management can help reduce:
  • Data privacy and confidentiality breaches
  • Cyber attacks or system failures
  • Incorrect results or false information
  • Intellectual property or copyright problems
  • Legal or regulatory issues
Artificial intelligence in business: Insurance to manage AI risks

The Role of Business Insurance for AI

From an insurance point of view, protection must keep up with new technology.

Many insurance policies do not clearly cover AI-related problems. This is common when data, cyber risk, or professional advice is involved. Just as you protect your home and contents, you should also protect your business. This means checking your insurance regularly and making sure your coverage matches how your business uses technology, including AI.

Keeping Business Efficient and Protected

AI can make running your business easier and faster. The key is to set it up properly and ensure you have the right protection in place.

If your business is starting to use new technology or is expanding its use of AI, now is the time to talk to your broker. A review of your risk management and insurance cover, including AI risk management strategies will help make sure your protection grows with your business.