A Delta force for a sustainable motor future

A Delta force for a sustainable motor future | Insurance Business New Zealand

Motor & Fleet

A Delta force for a sustainable motor future

Delta has a team firing on all cylinders as it vies for a piece of the commercial motor action at a broker near you

Motor & Fleet

By
Bennett Richardson

This article was produced in partnership with Delta Insurance New Zealand

New Zealand’s vehicle landscape is experiencing an exciting transformation as companies increasingly embrace Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles. This rapid evolution is being embraced by companies, with the integration of ESG criteria beginning to shape the types of vehicles in use but also fostering innovations in fleet management and operational efficiency.

This marks a new era in the country’s commercial transportation sector, calling for a fresh approach. Delta is at the forefront with its dedicated team of insurance professionals, the ‘Delta Force,’ ready to lead with innovative insurance solutions. Their new commercial motor vehicle (CMV) product is a testament to this commitment, already providing comprehensive coverage for electric vehicles, including batteries and charging equipment.

A force to be reckoned with

Fuelled up and ready to go, the team is led by Michael Hookham, Head of Motor. Michael lives to provide technical underwriting, expert claims support and an innovative policy to meet the changing landscape.

His passion for automobiles, particularly as a self-confessed car enthusiast, became the driving force behind his career. With over 18 years of experience, Michael is focused on the influence of megatrends such as electric vehicles, ride-sharing, autonomous cars, and specialised vehicles that necessitate innovative insurance solutions.

He reinforces the importance of flexibility in products and approach, referring to his charge as the “art of underwriting.” Michael believes in understanding emerging vehicular risks and crafting bespoke solutions tailored to clients’ needs.

Working alongside Michael in underwriting is Alex Gordon, a born and bred Hamiltonian. Alex credits his father for passing on the petrolhead gene (Dad works in the motor industry), with the associated knowledge proving useful in his work as an underwriter. Having previously worked with Michael, Alex embraced the opportunity to move to Delta.

Measures for success for Alex include personal attention to brokers and customers, particularly when it comes to providing expert knowledge and developing solutions. He points to Delta’s ‘integrated’ approach, where the specialist’s portfolio delivers both broker relationships and technical underwriting.

The insurance cycle is not complete without a claims team and Delta’s claims team is second to none. Headed by Neil Grote, who is passionate about customers and has a singular focus on creating excellence through efficiency, sound documentation, and proven processes. Claims, he says, is the sharp end of the insurance value proposition and perhaps the best opportunity for demonstrating service.

“The rubber hits the road when a customer suffers a loss. That is when we must show service,” he said.

Supporting Delta’s commitment to excellent claims experiences, is Catherine Prasad, who stated that “insurance is a promise, and claims is when the value of that promise is fully exposed.”

As such, she believes that in the moment of a claim, the necessity for rapid, calm, and empathetic service is paramount – as opposed to the more transactional nature of underwriting.

Rounding out the Delta motor team is Paul Dorset. Paul is a seasoned expert, as a qualified collision technician and assessor and with almost three decades of motor vehicle experience. He has worked with some of New Zealand leading repair networks and provides sage advice: “drive carefully”.

Unwavering commitment to ESG excellence

The shift towards sustainability has prompted businesses to reevaluate and reshape their commercial motor fleets, leading to a notable reduction in fleet sizes and a pivot towards more eco-friendly vehicle options.

With the landscape changing so rapidly there are naturally some challenges that arise when managing fleet strategies. Some of these challenges include adopting ESG compliance, legislation, rising costs to implement change and the increasing complexity and cost of repairs.

The adoption of ESG principles is no longer optional but a critical component of many corporate strategies. Companies are under pressure to publicly display their efforts to reduce their carbon footprint and adopt sustainable practices.

The number of hybrids and EVs are increasing. Projections by both the Energy Efficiency & Conservation Authority (EECA) and the Climate Change Commission see EV market share exceeding targets of a 30% zero-emission light fleet by 2035.

This shift towards ESG is driving the transition to electric and hybrid vehicles, which, while beneficial for the environment, come with their own set of challenges. The initial cost of these vehicles is high, but projections from BloombergNEF indicate that globally, EVs may become available at a similar purchase price to their internal combustion counterparts between 2025 and 2029, depending on the vehicle segment. This is almost entirely due to falling battery costs.

Other challenges include infrastructure for charging and maintenance, which is still developing and requires substantial upfront investments. A league table from the International Energy Agency in its 2024 Global EV Outlook showed this country had the lowest number of public charging points per EV in a list of 31 nations, but the ratio of fast chargers to slow chargers was at a global-leading 75%.

The cost of repairing vehicles, not just electric ones, is also on the rise, driven by the complexity of new technologies and increase in costs of specialised parts. Electric and hybrid vehicles, while environmentally friendly, often require the repairer to have specialised skills and equipment for repairs. Delta empowers clients by offering the freedom to choose their trusted repairers and actively collaborate with parts distributors and manufacturers to understand future trends and needs to develop solutions for our clients.

Delta’s mission is to ensure vehicles are restored to the highest standards in the most cost-effective and efficient manner, while consistently delivering exceptional value to customers.

If you would like to reach out to any of the ‘Delta Force’ team at Delta, please click contact them here.

Delta was established in 2014 to answer the call for insurance in new or specialised areas, with exceptional customer service – all underpinned by transparency and integrity. Today we cover over 30,000 risks in New Zealand, Singapore and Australia and are proud to have won ANZIIF’s Insurance Underwriting Agency of the Year award for the last five years for our continued focus on customers. As well as resolving claims we focus on prevention using a range of risk mitigation strategies, partnerships and solutions.