New Marsh Strata Lead Points to a More Complex Insurance Market

Gillingham moves into the strata position after working as a general manager within Marsh’s public sector practice. He has more than two decades of insurance and risk experience across Australia and the United Kingdom, which is notable because strata insurance is no longer just a building policy renewal exercise. For many schemes, it now sits at the intersection of asset maintenance, natural catastrophe exposure, building defects, resident safety, governance standards and financial pressure.

For strata committees and owners, the message is practical rather than purely corporate. Larger brokers and advisory firms are investing in strata leadership because clients are asking harder questions: is the building properly valued, are exclusions understood, are commissions and fees transparent, and is the insurance programme aligned with the scheme’s real risk profile?

This is especially important for buildings facing premium increases, ageing infrastructure, water damage claims, combustible materials, cyclone or flood exposure, or major remedial works. In those cases, a simple year-on-year renewal can leave owners exposed to gaps in cover or unnecessary cost. Committees should be seeking clear explanations of insurer appetite, claims history, excess structures and the evidence used to support sums insured.

The appointment also extends a broader industry trend: strata insurance is moving from a transactional purchase towards a risk management discipline. That shift should encourage owners corporations to document maintenance decisions, keep valuation reports current, monitor defects and ask whether mitigation work could improve insurability over time. Good records can make a meaningful difference when insurers assess risk or when a claim is lodged.

For schemes preparing for their next renewal, the lesson is to start earlier and ask better questions. Committees should review what has changed in the building, confirm whether legal requirements are being met, and consider whether specialist insurance brokers can help interpret market conditions. Where renewal pressure is high, it may also be worth taking time to compare options rather than accepting the first available quote.

Marsh’s leadership change does not alter any individual scheme’s obligations overnight. However, it is another sign that strata insurance in Australia is becoming more data-driven, advice-led and sensitive to building-specific risk. Owners who engage with that reality early are likely to be better placed when premiums, coverage terms or claims decisions come under scrutiny.