WFI Insurance has formalised a partnership with Rural Aid, an independent rural charity that provides services to farming communities affected by natural disasters.
The formal partnership follows WFI’s $250,000 contribution to Rural Aid early this year to assist farmers and regional communities impacted by severe flooding in Western Queensland, where farms, homes, and local infrastructure were affected and more than 150,000 livestock were lost. WFI Insurance executive general manager Damien Gallagher said the insurer’s experience of Rural Aid’s operations in Western Queensland preceded the decision to establish a formal arrangement. “Having seen first-hand the meaningful difference Rural Aid made to communities across Western Queensland, we are delighted to now establish a formal partnership to support their ongoing work. Our organisations share the same values and an aligned purpose – to make your world a safer place,” Gallagher said.
WFI operates a network of more than 100 authorised representatives and sales representatives based in rural and regional locations, working with farming clients and agribusinesses on risk and insurance requirements. The Rural Aid partnership sits alongside that footprint, adding a structured link between WFI’s insurance role and Rural Aid’s on-the-ground activities in disaster-affected communities.
The collaboration comes as insurers, governments, and agricultural sectors respond to the effects of a changing climate, with more frequent and intense extreme weather events and additional regions exposed to natural catastrophe risk. Gallagher said organisations with established local networks are part of the broader disaster response environment in which insurers operate. “On-ground disaster response partners such as Rural Aid play an increasingly important role in helping rural communities recover. It’s essential they remain well supported, with their network of resources and volunteers fundamental in helping farmers get back on their feet,” Gallagher said.
Over the past year, Rural Aid has provided more than $6 million in assistance to Australian farmers. Its activities have included financial assistance, counselling services, fodder provision, water supplies, and volunteer labour for fencing and other repairs. Rural Aid chief executive officer John Warlters said backing from insurance and corporate partners contributes to the organisation’s capacity to respond to disaster events. “We are grateful for the support from WFI Insurance, which will help advance our mission to provide economic and empathetic assistance to rural communities impacted by natural disasters. We know the terrible hardship that rural communities face in the wake of these disasters; the scale and devastation can be overwhelming. It’s only through the generous support of partners and donors such as WFI, that we can make such a positive impact,” Warlters said.
Rural Aid, which reached its 10th year of operations in 2025, has raised and distributed more than $125 million over the past decade to support farmers, their families, and rural communities through drought, floods, bushfires, and other pressures.
In 2026, WFI Insurance provided a further $250,000 to Rural Aid to fund ongoing relief work in Western Queensland. The donation followed the insurer’s 2025 contribution, which supported relief efforts in areas where floodwaters had encompassed entire communities, including the townships of Thargomindah, Adavale, and Jundah. Flood warnings for that event covered an area estimated at around double the size of Victoria, disrupting agricultural production, supply chains, and local services. Rural Aid’s activities in Western Queensland include short-term relief and longer-term recovery projects for farmers and surrounding communities.
The Rural Aid partnership forms part of a broader set of WFI initiatives involving regional and rural stakeholders. In October 2025, WFI confirmed sponsorship of the Tour de Cure Signature Tour 2026, a cycling event that funds cancer research, support services, and prevention programs. The 20th running of the tour, scheduled for March 12 to 21, 2026, will involve 140 riders travelling 1,408 kilometres from Canberra to Hobart. The route is planned to pass through a series of rural communities, including schools and farms. During the tour, Tour de Cure will allocate $10,000 each evening to cancer-related projects in host communities, with grants presented at community dinners. The event will also deliver the “Be Fit, Be Healthy, Be Happy” program in schools along the route, with a focus on sun safety and cancer prevention.
Earlier, in May 2025, WFI sponsored the inaugural Great Australian Charity Cattle Drive (GACCD), a BeefBank initiative designed to raise funds and awareness around food insecurity. The drive moved 1,680 cattle along 775 kilometres of Queensland stock routes from Longreach to Roma between May 18 and Aug. 6. As part of its role, WFI insured support vehicles associated with the campaign and adopted 26 steers, one for each participating school along the route. More than 3,500 students have been involved in naming their school’s steer and tracking its progress, with the drive also incorporating community activities on food relief issues.
For the insurance sector, WFI’s work with Rural Aid, Tour de Cure, and BeefBank provides one example of how insurers participate in disaster risk, health, and food relief initiatives in partnership with community organisations in regional Australia.
