Group Chief Executive Officer, Stan Alexandropoulos reflects on the depth of UAA’s relationship with The Crane Industry Council of Australia (CICA).
How long have you been associated with CICA?
UAA’s association with CICA dates back more than two decades. Our partnership began with a shared purpose, to support the safe, sustainable, and progressive growth of the crane industry in Australia. Over this time, we’ve been proud to work alongside CICA to champion the interests of crane owners, operators, and the broader lifting community.
How has the relationship developed over this time?
What began as a sponsorship has evolved into a deeply collaborative relationship. Today, UAA is more than a supporter, we’re an active contributor to CICA’s initiatives, industry advocacy, and safety programs. The relationship has been built on trust, transparency, and a mutual commitment to delivering tangible benefits to the industry.
You have seen many industry issues over this time, how have you assisted CICA and its members to address these for a mutually beneficial outcome?
We’ve worked hand-in-hand with CICA on a range of challenges, from addressing safety concerns and regulatory change to helping operators manage evolving risk. Whether it’s providing claims insights to shape safety initiatives, sharing technical expertise, or supporting advocacy to government, our aim has always been to help CICA deliver solutions that benefit the industry as a whole while protecting the commercial and operational interests of our customers.
How many times have you been the platinum sponsor of the CICA conference and exhibition and why? What are the benefits for UAA?
I don’t really have those details but what I do know is that UAA has been a Platinum, Gold or Silver sponsor for the CICA Conference for every one of the 16 years that I have been at UAA, apart from the 2020 Covid year when it was cancelled. The history of major sponsorship extends well beyond my time with the company and easily extends well over 20 years.
The benefits for UAA are many and flow both ways:
• Deepens industry credibility and brand alignment by reinforcing UAA’s position as experts and the trusted insurance partner for the industry
• It gives UAA and its customers direct access to key industry stakeholders and decision makers fostering the development of strong and enduring personal relationships.
• Sharing industry insights and thought leadership, via emerging risks and trends, regulatory updates, supporting education and safety initiatives.
• Supporting and giving back to the industry that supports us. It demonstrates UAA’s genuine commitment to the long-term success and safety of the crane and construction sectors. UAA want to be seen as a partner not just a provider.
Helping to Resolve Industry Issues
UAA has been instrumental in helping to resolve industry issues… How has UAA viewed its role during these processes and how does this reflect how invested UAA is in the industry?
We see our role as a partner, not just an insurer. When challenges arise, such as the debate around ‘walking fully dressed cranes’ around wind farms or the risks associated with operating pick and carry cranes, we’ve worked closely with CICA, regulators, and operators to find practical, workable solutions.
For example, our support in highlighting the operational complexities of pick and carry cranes helped pave the way for CICA’s Articulated On Road Course, an important step in raising safety standards and operator competency. These initiatives demonstrate that our investment goes beyond financial sponsorship, it’s about contributing knowledge, advocating for safety, and helping to future-proof the industry.
At the same time we also need to ensure that insuring cranes and lifting equipment remains a sustainable prospect for our stakeholders and we do that by working with the industry to address pain points and concerning trends that we identify in our claims data before they become a major issue that adversely affects our crane insurance portfolio profitability. The fact that we have been insuring cranes for over 50 years says a lot about how effective this collaboration has been and the sustainability of our model.
UAA’s Investment in the Business
UAA has always spoken about its ability to process claims quickly. How have you maintained these high levels of service?
Speed of service comes from having the right people, processes, and technology in place. We’ve built a specialist claims team with deep industry knowledge, supported by streamlined workflows and decision-making authority close to the front line. This means we can assess, decide, and act quickly, which is critical when a customer’s business is impacted. Having people that understand our customers business and equipment is always going to drive a better result and improve customer confidence and experience.
What has been the recent focus to ensure the high levels of service is maintained into the future?
We’ve invested heavily in upgrading our claims systems, expanding our specialist teams, and embedding digital tools that enable faster information sharing with customers and brokers. Our focus has been on reducing touchpoints, eliminating bottlenecks, and ensuring every claim is handled by people who understand the unique nature of crane and heavy equipment risks. We will continue to invest in systems and tools like artificial intelligence (AI) that can deliver efficiencies that improve our customer experience but we also need to be careful not to dilute or lose sight of the things that have made us successful in the first place, like the personal face to face relationships built throughout the industry and with our customers.
Where has the investment been in terms of systems and processes? How will customers benefit?
A focus on new policy and claims platforms. For customers, this translates into faster turnaround times, greater transparency, and an overall smoother experience when they need us most.
Investment in UAA People
How does UAA invest in its people and what are the benefits for customers?
Our people are our greatest asset.
We invest in them through continuous professional development, industry-specific training, and providing opportunities to be involved in industry events like CICA. By equipping our team with technical expertise, market insights, and the confidence to make decisions, we ensure customers get advice and service that is both informed and responsive.
Looking Ahead: How invested is UAA in the future?
How secure is UAA’s support for the crane sector into the future?
Our commitment to the crane industry is unwavering. It’s a sector that is part of UAA’s DNA, and our future plans continue to place cranes and lifting at the centre of our product development, service model, and community engagement.
The crane sector is evolving, with advances in technology, safety systems, and regulatory requirements. UAA is invested, financially, strategically, and culturally, in supporting this evolution, ensuring operators, owners, and the broader industry can thrive with confidence. Cranes and lifting is our heritage and will always hold a special place in our history, story and future.