Arch Insurance Australia has added to its professional indemnity (PI) team with the appointment of Relanda Taing as senior underwriter for the Northern Region, a move that reinforces the company’s commitment to expanding its financial lines business across the country.
Taing, who brings more than 15 years of experience in financial lines underwriting, is based in Sydney and reports to Chris Carreno, Northern Region underwriting manager for professional indemnity.
In her new role, Taing will focus on underwriting PI risks across key industries, including construction, engineering, and legal services.
Carreno said Taing’s appointment will help advance Arch’s growth objectives in the northern market.
“I’m delighted to welcome Relanda to the Arch Northern Region team. Her extensive PI experience, knowledge of the market, and depth of broker relationships will help to further strengthen our capabilities as we continue to grow our presence and collaborate with our brokers to deliver bespoke solutions for their clients,” he said.
The announcement follows the earlier appointment of Carey Sturgiss as senior underwriter for the Southern Region, effective from March 26.
Based in Melbourne, Sturgiss brings more than two decades of underwriting experience and previously held a senior role at Chubb Insurance. She reports to Aisling Hegarty, Southern Region underwriting manager for PI.
Taing ‘s appointment coincides with increased competition in Australia’s PI insurance market, where capacity has expanded and pricing pressure has intensified.
The sector has seen changes in broker conduct and underwriting strategies, particularly among SME-focused carriers.
Anita Lane, managing director at CFC Underwriting Australia, said the current environment is marked by a surge in quoting activity and price reductions.
“There’s lots of competition, lots of quoting, and lots of pricing,” she told Insurance Business in a recent interview. “They’re all really strong signs of how soft the market is at the moment.”
She noted that brokers are now returning with offers priced significantly lower than initial terms.
Softening conditions have also impacted submission quality, Lane added, noting that insurers are increasingly issuing pre-emptive renewal terms, often before receiving updated underwriting data.
Looking ahead, Lane said she expects the soft market conditions to continue throughout 2025. Her advice to brokers is to maintain clear communication with insurers.
“Brokers need to just keep very close to their insurers, during the soft and the hard market, to know what their appetite is and what their pricing is,” she said. “Then they always should communicate to their clients what the market is actually doing.”
