Delta Insurance’s Liz Geden named to ‘Elite Women in Insurance’

Delta Insurance’s Liz Geden named to ‘Elite Women in Insurance’

While she prefers flying under the radar, seasoned underwriter Liz Geden’s talent is apparent to all who work with her – and though it took some prodding, her entry into the Elite Women in Insurance awards has delivered the result expected by her peers. Included in this list of inspiring women in the industry, Geden is surprised, pleased, and a little bashful.

“I’m more of a get on with it and get it sorted type than one to put myself up for awards,” she laughs. “But when my colleagues said, ‘This is for you’, I didn’t have much choice. And it’s now a great honour being added to the list.”

Among the challenges faced by woman in the insurance industry highlighted by Elite Women in Insurance nominees are the gender pay gap, lack of senior leadership mentoring young talent, and stereotyping and unconscious bias. Geden says Delta Insurance was a drawcard owing primarily to Craig Kirk, alongside whom she had worked earlier in her career. “There’s a culture of empowerment, and that means you can be a Mum and do great things at work. And Delta invests in their people, which makes a real difference.”

Geden has invested her entire career into insurance, entering the industry as so many do by sheer chance. That was back in 2001, and she hasn’t looked back after progressing steadily through the ranks with a consistent focus on liability underwriting.

Coming on board at Delta Insurance – which has recently celebrated a decade of being in business - just three years ago, Geden’s experience and can-do attitude have seen her promoted several times from Senior Liability Underwriter to her current position of Casualty Manager and Team Leader.

With considerable experience and acumen, Geden has built and supports an enthusiastic team which includes graduates, new entrants to the industry, those coming in as a career change, and seasoned professionals.

She has played an important role in shaping the Delta Insurance product portfolio, helping bring Infectious Disease cover into the company’s Liability product suite, and was involved in identifying a gap in the market for the Delta Insurance Associations product. Drawing on her years of experience, Geden says she is constantly on the lookout for further opportunities for product innovation and enhancement.

“Working within a specialist underwriting agency is rewarding because it’s about engaging with people, understanding risk, and delivering solutions. There’s space for innovation, and for making a positive change,” she explains.

Craig Kirk, Delta Insurance Group CUO and co-founder says Geden is known for responsiveness, attention to detail, and ‘nothing is too much trouble’ attitude. “She is indeed an Elite Woman in Insurance, and an inspiration to colleagues, brokers and everyone who has worked alongside her,” he says.

“We invest in all our people at Delta, as we share a common purpose of delivering value, all the while being good to one another and everyone in our value chains,” adds Kirk. “While she may have felt a bit awkward being nominated for this recognition, Liz richly deserves it, and we’re proud of the work she does and how she does it.”

From humble beginnings in Auckland in 2014, the company he cofounded recently celebrated ‘A decade of Delta’ and has, in the intervening years, expanded across Asia and Australia. Delta Insurance has won several accolades locally and abroad, including ‘MGA of the Year’ twice in for its Singapore-based branch.