What it does: QBE Australia provides a wide range of insurance products that include property, crop, marine, energy, aviation, and motor insurance.
Mission: To enable a more resilient future, helping customers build strength and embrace change to their advantage
Size and presence: QBE employs more than 11,700 people in 27 countries globally (2020)
Best known for High-quality services for customers (the Best Car Insurance Brand 2021-2022 for customer satisfaction and Platinum Trusted Service Award 2021 for outstanding service based on customer ratings)
The good bits: QBE was ranked 6th place in the AAGE Top Graduate Employers 2021 as voted by graduates
The not-so-good bits: High-pressure deadlines with big workloads during peak business periods
QBE Australia is a subsidiary of QBE Insurance Group that operates in 27 countries worldwide. Its story began in October 1886, when two young Scotsmen established The North Queensland Insurance Company Limited (QI), a marine insurance company. The new company grew fast, and by 1890, it had more than 35 agencies at home and abroad.
Over the following two decades, their overseas operations developed even more, setting up in London, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, India, Sri Lanka, Burma, China, and more. QBE Australia was established in 1973 through a merger between three companies. The Australian Financial Review called it “one of the largest mergers in Australian corporate history”.
QBE Australia has diversified and grown through a series of acquisitions. Headquartered in Sydney, today they have a strong presence across Australia with offices in all states and territories. Their vision is to be the most consistent and innovative risk partner. In Australia, they protect customers through a wide range of insurance products and services, from home to motor insurance, cargo ships and wineries, to cover universities.
The company tries hard to create a workplace with an inclusive, flexible and supportive culture. They realised that the way people work has changed, so they introduced hybrid working. This model enables good work-life balance and flexibility to work from home or in the office.
They also strive to show that they are customer-focused, technical experts, and accountable. It is a fast-paced environment with challenging work but always looking for ways to build a collaborative culture. You will work with a large network of insurance experts.
A typical day at work can be dealing with numerous customers and their requirements, processing insurance policies, settling claims, managing an operation environment, negotiating with brokers, general administration duties, or monitoring portfolio performance against KPI and taking corrective actions when necessary.
To apply for the permanent roles, you need to submit your application through their website’s Career page and follow the instructions. The interview process is clear and efficient, and if you are successful, the management will make a quick offer for the role. Successful applicants will need to complete work rights, as well as police and credit checks through the company’s online provider as a condition of employment.
QBE Australia also has an 18-month Graduate Program that offers a tailored early career experience. The rotations across multiple divisions will allow you to explore different teams, projects, and ways of working. To join this program, you need to complete your bachelor's or postgraduate degree within two years prior to the commencement of the program.
To apply, you will need your resume, cover letter, copy of the academic transcript, and proof of your unrestricted Australian working rights. You also need to complete an online application form. If you are shortlisted, there will be online assessments followed by a video interview. They may also ask you to join one of their virtual assessment centres where you can meet their team.
The recruitment process for the Graduate Program each year consists of an Application (open in July and close in August), online testing/video interview (September), Group assessment centre (September), Individual interviews (late September), Reference checks (October), Offers extended (October), and Graduate Program starts in February.
The company supports their staff to build their personal development goals through endless opportunities to learn and stretch their skills, financial and leave assistance for further study, payment of professional fees, and opportunities for local and global secondments.
The salary per year for a Graduate Underwriter is AU$ 70,000.
QBE Australia offers a diverse range of benefits that may include:
They implement an approach to sustainability that is focused on making contributions to the environments, economies and communities in which they operate. They provide support for community initiatives addressing specific areas of need through the QBE Foundation local grant program.
One of the examples is their support for MedEarth’s (an environmental and humanitarian charity) work in redistributing medical supplies to communities in need. They also helped construct Christchurch's transitional ‘Cardboard Cathedral’ after the catastrophic 2011 earthquakes to restore the iconic 19th-century cathedral they insured.
QBE Australia also has QBE Employee Choice which encourages their staff to support a charity they work with by applying for a local grant.
The following sources were used in researching this page