At DUAL, we’re already widely known for our market-leading WebRater platform. But we've also invested in helping brokers meet the needs of more complex clients. 

The appointments of specialist heads across all business lines, including Accident and Health, Cyber, General Liability, Property, Motor, Transaction Solutions and Financial Lines has strengthened our leadership and reinforces our focus on delivering tailored solutions to meet the evolving needs of clients. 

In addition to these key appointments, we are actively expanding the team and promoting underwriting talent within the business to ensure we have the resources and expertise necessary to support our ambitious growth plans for 2025. 

DUAL ANZ CEO Damien Coates says that building our bespoke underwriting capabilities represents a welcome return to DUAL’s roots. 

“When we started DUAL 20 years ago, our model was to sit down with clients, find out what they needed and deliver solutions. We created WebRater after realising only around 20% of clients needed a bespoke solution and the other 80% would benefit from a smarter, swifter technology-driven underwriting approach,” says Damien.  

“Now we’ve come full circle. Our fantastic network of brokers talked. And we listened. What we heard was that, although WebRater still has a great role to play, many of our brokers also needed more flexibility.  

“When you’re dealing with complex risks, you have to get it right. We now have more than 60 technical underwriters across four offices in Australia and two offices in New Zealand. Among them are highly experienced, 20-year veterans.”  

Our expanded offering encompasses 21 products in Australia, including across financial lines, accident and health, cyber, general liability and transaction solutions insurance. In New Zealand, DUAL has 15 products encompassing property, liability, financial lines, cyber, motor and transaction solutions insurance. 

As well as our extensive risk appetite, DUAL’s outstanding distribution and technical expertise is one of the reasons Allianz recently engaged us to take over the underwriting and management of its AU$50million financial lines portfolio. According to Damien, the calibre of expertise in the team sets DUAL apart in the market. 

Damien continues: “It’s about locals doing business with locals. We can sit down over a coffee and work through a complex deal to negotiate the right cover. We listen to you and together we can develop a customised solution that meets your client’s needs.” 

“As well as strengthening the expertise at the front end of the deal, we have in-house experts for every stage - from product development to claims handling. This includes four lawyers in our product team keeping up to date with all the regulatory changes and making sure the cover we offer is fit for purpose, as well as eight lawyers in-house with the expertise to handle claims.” 

According to Damien, this enables us to deliver the experience brokers and their clients are looking for. 

“They want to know they’re dealing with someone they can trust, that the product being offered is market leading, and that we’ll give them a quick decision and deliver on our claims promises – helping them do more for their clients.”