Rebecca Gilbert recognised with ANZIIF’s Making a Difference Award

As the North Queensland divisional insurance manager for Nutrien Ag Solutions, Rebecca Gilbert is managing a large portfolio of clients and staff from Cairns to Rockhampton, in Queensland. 

Gilbert is based in Townsville, but when one of her clients was struggling to secure insurance for their second property in a remote area of Western Australia, she made the journey to Kununurra, a town of about 5,500 near the Northern Territory border. 

 “When someone reaches out for help, I just can’t say no,” she says. “My client had only the most basic cover and couldn’t get insurance for more than $1 million in hay … we got all her sheds covered, the hay covered, and packaged it all up so it was just one easy transaction.” 

“All the farmers, jewellers and other retailers in the community contacted me and said ‘we never had anybody who’s taken the time to look at our situations’ … things aren’t easy when a loss occurs and you need to think outside the box.” Gilbert now manages insurance portfolios for the majority of business owners in Kununurra and maintains regular contact with her clients, including twice-yearly trips and sponsoring community events. 

“It’s a very unique town — I fell in love with it, I can’t wait to go back.” 

The ANZIIF Making a Difference Awards recognise individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professionalism, commitment, achievement and passion across different sectors in the insurance industry. 

Gilbert says she was excited to be recognised with ANZIIF’s Making a Difference Award in the Broking category, not just for the recognition for her own 21-year career, but also for the chance to inspire others. 

“Winning this award has motivated a lot of my colleagues to enter their own industry awards so I see it as a great opportunity to mentor others in our business as well as in the industry more broadly,” she says. 

Pictured: Rebecca Gilbert, North Queensland divisional insurance manager for Nutrien Ag Solutions