The Auctioneers and Valuers Association of Australia (AVAA) insurance survey builds a clear, evidence-based picture of how insurance markets are operating across the auctioneering and valuation sector. The survey forms part of AVAA’s broader advocacy work, including its engagement with policymakers and submissions to the Australian Parliament’s current inquiry into small business insurance.

Insurance is a foundational element of professional practice. For auctioneers and valuers, appropriate cover supports consumer protection, commercial confidence, regulatory compliance and long-term business sustainability. However, many professionals and firms are reporting increasing difficulty in obtaining insurance that is affordable, available and aligned with contemporary business risks. This survey is designed to move that discussion from anecdote to data.

What the survey covers —

The survey examines insurance coverage across four key policy areas that are central to auctioneering and valuation practice: Public liability insurance, Professional indemnity insurance, cyber insurance, and business interruption insurance. Respondents are asked about the adequacy of their current coverage, changes in premiums and policy terms over recent years, and whether cost or availability pressures have led them to reduce coverage, increase excesses, or consider operating without insurance.

In addition to policy-specific questions, the survey explores broader commercial and regulatory issues. These include whether insurance costs are affecting business viability, whether regional and remote businesses face greater challenges than metropolitan firms, the level of competition in the insurance market, and whether current disclosure, compliance and dispute-resolution mechanisms are working effectively. This structure allows AVAA to assess not only pricing pressures, but also underwriting practices, exclusions, and regulatory impacts across the sector

Who should participate —

The survey is open to professional auctioneers and valuers who hold insurance coverage, as well as auctioneering and valuation businesses operating across Australia. Participation is welcomed from both metropolitan and regional practitioners, sole operators and larger firms, and from across all asset classes. Importantly, respondents do not need to be AVAA members to take part, and individual responses will be treated confidentially.

Why your input matters —

The results of this survey will be aggregated and analysed to produce a sector-specific snapshot of insurance conditions. This evidence will directly inform AVAA’s advocacy, including submissions to government, engagement with insurers and regulators, and policy discussions arising from the Parliamentary inquiry. By contributing, participants help ensure that the unique risk profile and operational realities of auctioneers and valuers are properly understood and represented.

AVAA encourages all eligible professionals and businesses to participate and help shape a stronger, more informed conversation about insurance access, affordability and reform across the sector.

AVAA’s advocacy is fundamentally member-driven. Our policy positions are shaped by the lived experience of auctioneers and valuers working daily across diverse asset classes, regions and business models. This survey is carried out every two years to ensure that real practitioner evidence, not abstract theory, informs our engagement with government, regulators and insurers.

By contributing, members directly influence the priorities AVAA advances on their behalf. Collective insight strengthens our credibility in Parliamentary submissions, industry consultations and regulatory reform discussions, ensuring that the sector speaks with authority, unity and practical understanding when advocating for sustainable insurance solutions.

The results of this survey will be published on the AVAA website and also presented at the AVC26 Conference over 7-8 May 2026 on the Gold Coast.

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Interested In Finding Out More?

For further information on the AVAA insurance survey, please send an email to government.affairs@avaa.com.au or telephone 1300 928 165.  You can also stay up to date by following AVAA on LinkedIn, X/Twitter and Facebook.