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The new Australian dream: Kimberley Jonsson

CHU CEO Kimberley Jonsson is reshaping the future of strata living in Australia through innovation and community leadership, while ensuring the industry looks forward to a sustainable future.

Strata has long been viewed as a second-best option for Australian homeowners – a fallback rather than a first choice. But as CEO of CHU, Australia’s largest and longest-standing strata insurance underwriting agency, Kimberley Jonsson is determined to change that perception.

“I believe we can change the image of strata as a property ownership type, elevating it from a plan B to the new Australian dream,” she tells The CEO Magazine.

“We just need to mobilize apartment owners to help foster vibrant, close-knit communities within their buildings.”

Rewriting the rules of community

Jonsson has spent two decades, and practically half of her life, in strata and insurance. And in that time, she’s watched the industry shift dramatically.

But she believes what’s needed now isn’t just smarter technology or faster claims; it’s education, engagement and a new kind of leadership from within.

“We want people to be more informed about what it means to live in a strata community, and the roles and responsibilities of the individuals living, investing and working within that ecosystem,” she explains.

With more than 4.2 million Australians now living in strata communities, Jonsson says knowledge is power, especially when it comes to protecting and enhancing their most valuable assets.

Beyond insurance, she’s urging owners and committees to think long-term about loss prevention, building resilience, maintenance planning and sustainability.

In collaboration with

The Scotia Group

The company offers 24/7 expertise for building repairs, maintenance and restoration in the Victorian strata sector. The company offers 24/7 expertise for building repairs, maintenance and restoration in the Victorian strata sector
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“Insurance is a high-profile yet small piece of the puzzle,” she points out. “Risk management and building resilience are lesser-known factors that can have a significant impact on the performance of a building over time.”

But Jonsson admits it’s not an overnight fix.

“This is not a small challenge. It requires everyone in our business to be aligned to how we address it from our lens, while the other parts of the sector work on their own ability to influence, impact and educate,” she says.

Innovating for impact

When Jonsson last spoke to The CEO Magazine in 2023, CHU was knee-deep in its biggest claims event on record – the severe storms and flooding in northern New South Wales and south-east Queensland. In 2025, ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred brought more damage, but also reinforced CHU’s core purpose.

“While many things change, the fundamentals of our business remain the same,” she reveals. “In late 2022, we were focused on getting people back into their homes. Since then, a big focus for CHU has been on innovating, adapting our experience and scaling to new technological solutions to improve the speed and accuracy of risk assessment, quoting and claims.”


“Working with Australia’s largest strata insurance company, CHU, creates claim efficiencies and exceptional customer outcomes. The experience and knowledge of the CHU team assists us in making the best decisions for customers, allowing us to return their homes with repairs completed on time and to a high standard.” – Will Millar, National General Manager, Johns Lyng Strata Services

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CHU has since launched tools like SmartQuote, which makes the quote process more efficient by prepopulating with accurate property data, as well as StrataTech, a proprietary platform that powers everything from underwriting to claims.

“Fast-forward to today and we provide the most sophisticated and reliable technology offering in Australian strata insurance,” Jonsson says proudly.

A culture of transparency and trust

The industry is facing increased scrutiny around transparency, accountability and sustainability. Jonsson welcomes these reforms, noting that CHU has long been ahead of the curve.

“These regulatory changes formalize what was already standard practice at CHU,” she confirms, also noting that it’s now vital to support customers in understanding and navigating these changes.

“Transparency and accountability are important as they urge customers to ask more questions, ultimately helping them become more informed and able to find coverage that suits their needs.”

CHU supports a national, uniform approach to transparency and intermediary remuneration.

“In our experience, most strata managers and insurance brokers already offer the transparency that some states and territories are currently looking to legislate,” Jonsson says.

“We believe a common approach to transparency is a key aspect of building healthier strata buildings and communities.”

Sustainability with substance

As pressure mounts to build greener, more sustainable communities, CHU is stepping up. Sustainability has been a core pillar of the business for more than five years and the company has been carbon neutral since 2020.

“As the largest and longest-standing strata insurance provider, we have a responsibility to set an example on best practice to drive sustainability across our industry,” Jonsson insists.


BCB Strata Insurance Brokers
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CHU is a signatory to the Strata Community Association’s Sustainability Charter and has aligned its practices with the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals. In 2024, the company launched a Builders Panel to ensure sustainable practices across its contractor network, helping it stay ahead of the Insurance Council of Australia’s Climate Change Roadmap.

However, Jonsson acknowledges the real challenge lies in the existing built environment.

“Apartment owners and their representatives need help addressing these challenges, which speak to the livability of their communities, and futureproofing to build value in their assets. We are uniquely placed to provide that help,” she says.

“This is also where embracing eco-friendly practices and business partnering is crucial.”

Partnerships that move the needle

Strategic partnerships like those with Johns Lyng Group, CoverForce Insurance Brokers, BCB Insurance Brokers and The Scotia Group are central to CHU’s success. Jonsson notes that choosing the right collaborators is also key to moving the industry forward.

“We believe in the power of collaboration,” she says.

“Our aim is to strategically partner with like-minded businesses that are driving positive environmental change, supporting the wider community and powering real change across the whole strata community.”

This year, QBE reaffirmed its long-term partnership with CHU and for the first time, a second capital provider joined the business to support its Flex Insurance brand – enabling greater flexibility and innovation.


“CHU consistently delivers strong service and value for our clients. We appreciate Kim Jonsson’s leadership and her support of initiatives that streamline insurance quoting and claims, while helping educate lot owners on the role of maintenance in long-term affordability and building sustainability.” – Eleni Svinos, National Practice Lead – Strata, Coverforce

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“Those were both significant blocks of work that required intensive time investments from our leadership team,” Jonsson says.

“Throughout that period, our next level of leadership had the opportunity to step up, demonstrating the succession pipeline in our business is really strong.”

Looking ahead

As CHU prepares for the future, Jonsson’s focus remains firmly on innovation and education. She wants to see deeper engagement with apartment owners, smarter product offerings and a continued commitment to doing what’s right – even when it’s not the easiest path.

“The expertise within our business is unparalleled in our sector. The reason we are the largest player in the market is because no-one does what we do,” she says with a smile.

“We will continue as we always have, to do the right thing by our customers and act transparently and with integrity at all times.”

“The Scotia Group is happy to be aligned with Kim and CHU’S service strategies in providing the very best service that the insured clients deserve.” – Billy McLaughlin, Managing Director, The Scotia Group