Assurance when you need it

BurMac Financial Services have been providing expert insurance and financial advice for the agricultural, commercial and construction sectors in our larger regional NSW hubs for almost 40 years. They pride themselves on having a healthy work culture for its mums and strong relationships with their clients, and they owe that to thinking like a community.

From little things big things grow

The business started as Macquarie Insurance Services and merged 13 years ago with Burrandulla Insurance Services. Five years later when they rebranded the name was officially changed to BurMac across their sites.

“We have a lot of farming and rural clients from our office locations alone. Our main hub is Dubbo, but we’ve branched out to Mudgee, Orange, Sydney, Grafton and Lismore, and have a wide ranging client base,” said Senior Assistant Account Executive, Nadia Kitcher.

The broad geographical coverage made possible by these hubs is ideal. It ensures that obtaining the advice convenient, plus clients can a request a team member come to them. Either way, the easy access to professional advice means they can plan for any business scenario.

Tailored cover for your individual needs

Their clients represent a broad cross-section of the rural and commercial community running small to medium businesses such as farmers, business and tradesmen.

“For anyone going into business we talk about their business makeup and the insurance requirements. We tailor an insurance portfolio that meets their needs and wants,” Nadia explained.

BurMac has a full claims service so clients don’t have to worry about managing theirs when things go wrong. This is hugely helpful as it’s often an anxious time when a claim needs to be made. “We help clients every step of the way: we obtain quotes, put the policies into place, and lodge, manage and finalise claims.”

Nadia has seen how tricky reading an insurance policy can be for some people, with the words getting in the way of the meaning. That’s why she recommends going to a professional, who can explain the details and give sound advice based on their qualifications and experience, and steer them in the right direction in terms of what they actually need.

“We talk to new business owners, too and go through what they want to produce. We talk about liability cover and property coverage should anything happen to that. Also, we ask if income protection is in place and find out what is important to them so we can do what is needed and protect them against personal risk,” she said. “We are affiliated with Orange Financial Planning for any life insurance cover, and our other arm – BurMac Financial Solutions – does asset finance for plant, office-fitouts and equipment etc. So, we’ve got everything covered.”

Putting people before events

Nadia says she gets a great deal of satisfaction from helping people, and recounted a story of a gentleman who lost in home in the recent Molong flood. She feels very proud that BurMac found him emergency accommodation, lodged his claims and appointed assessors and builders.

“Weather events are stressful. We are already getting our farmers’ crops insurance in place before the coming hail and fire seasons – these are always a big thing for our clients,” she said. “If the head of the crop is damaged that’s next year’s income gone.”

A recent trend BurMac is seeing with the developing wine industry in Orange and Mudgee is horticulture cover. She explained that it’s now increasingly seen as necessary by vignerons wanting to protect their vines and other assets including the vats, cellar door and/or restaurant.

Nadia loves her job and says this is because BurMac is a trusted insurer who can tailor an excellent product for any businesses or individual. But the satisfaction really comes from know that everyone in the team acts with the best interests of the client at heart. “I just aim for everyone to be comfortable with their insurance cover, and encourage them to think how it would impact their livelihood without it.”

Community spirit is the reward that keeps paying forward

It was a staff member who initially told Nadia about Central West Mums some years back. “She was about to put a post there and told me about all the good ideas and everything else there, and it sort of grew from that conversation,” she said.

BurMac understand the tough road that small and emerging businesses travel, and feel that sponsoring the Mummy Awards 2023 Business of the Year is a way of rewarding business owners for the work they have put in.

Visit the website.