Finding a career path in underwriting

Laura studied a double degree in finance and commerce at the Australian National University before joining Suncorp in 2017 as part of the organisation’s Graduate Program.

She was new to the world of insurance and admits that she didn’t expect a career in commercial underwriting when she first applied.

“Coming out of university, I had no idea what underwriting was – I’d never actually heard of it before,” she explained.

That’s where the structure of the Graduate Program made a difference.

Through a series of six-month rotations, Laura gained exposure to different underwriting teams, building both technical knowledge and a broader understanding of the business.

“It’s a great opportunity to try out a few different teams before you find what sort of job you want to move into more permanently,” she said.

“I did three rotations in different product teams within underwriting, and my third rotation was in liability underwriting; I just found that I enjoyed that one the best and wanted to continue growing in that area.”

That experience led to a permanent role in commercial liability underwriting under Vero Insurance – one of the Suncorp Insurance brands – where Laura has continued to grow her career.

Growing into leadership

Since completing the program, Laura has progressed from Graduate to Senior Underwriter and now Underwriting Manager, leading a team that supports broker partners across New South Wales and the ACT.

Her role today balances people leadership, technical underwriting and broker relationships, while analysing and pricing public and products liability risks across a wide range of industries.

But for Laura, leadership is as much about people as it is about technical expertise.

“It all just comes back to the people, really,” she explained.

That culture has shaped how Laura approaches leadership, especially now that she’s mentoring a graduate of her own.

A new graduate, a familiar feeling

Angela studied a double degree in commerce and arts at the University of New South Wales, majoring in marketing data analytics, global development and psychology.

She joined Suncorp’s Graduate Program in January, stepping into her first full‑time corporate role within Laura’s commercial liability underwriting team.

Like Laura years earlier, Angela arrived at Suncorp with curiosity.

Her early experience in the program has been shaped by structured onboarding, networking opportunities, and support systems like the graduate buddy program.

“Learning from a grad buddy who was in the same shoes as you just a year ago and hearing about their experiences has been especially helpful,” she said.

Since starting, Angela has quickly developed an understanding of the critical role underwriting plays in supporting customers and their businesses.

“To put it plainly, underwriting is really all about risk analysis – assessing the customer’s business operations and their claims history and seeing whether we can properly protect them under our insurance policies,” she explained.

Angela also discovered that underwriting is more dynamic and social than she expected.

“If you’re a person that loves socialising, this job is great because it involves a lot of talking to people and stakeholder management,” she said.

A full-circle moment: Why the graduate experience matters

Since 2006, Suncorp’s Graduate Program has supported early-career talent to explore diverse pathways across the business.

Seeing Angela start her journey has been deeply meaningful for Laura.

“It’s definitely been a real full‑circle moment to now have a grad join my team,” she said.

Angela has felt that support firsthand, particularly through the team environment Laura has fostered.

“Insurance isn’t always known for having a lot of women, especially in commercial insurance, but Suncorp is really trying to change that.”

“It can feel intimidating being the only woman in a room or a meeting, but it’s really important to make that change from within.”

Both Laura and Angela agree that the strength of the Suncorp Graduate Program lies in its people, flexibility and opportunities to explore.

“Say yes to opportunities – some of the most rewarding parts of my career came from saying yes to things outside the day‑to‑day job,” Laura said.

Angela also offered similar advice: “Don’t be intimidated by all the technical terms – I was going in with little experience, but that actually helped me come in with fresh eyes.”

“Insurance is incredibly diverse and you get something new every day.”

For Laura, mentoring the next generation is also about reshaping perceptions of the insurance industry.

“We really have an opportunity to promote our industry better as a career – it’s a great career with so many opportunities that many are not aware of,” she said.