Guild Group Holdings (GGH) today confirmed the completion of its strategic partnership with EML Group, marking the next chapter for Guild Insurance as a specialist Australian insurer. 

EML Group now holds an 80% interest in Guild Insurance, with GGH, on behalf of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, retaining 20%. Guild Insurance will continue to operate as a standalone insurer under its established brand, providing tailored insurance to the industries and professional communities it serves through its association partners.  

The partnership, announced in February, brings together Guild Insurance’s general insurance and workers compensation expertise with EML Group’s national scale and specialist claims capability. Guild Insurance’s workers compensation portfolio, including its NSW programs for pharmacies and early learning, will now be managed by EML Group, creating a combined national workers compensation offering. 

For Guild Insurance customers and association partners, the focus remains on continuity of service and the specialist industry knowledge that has underpinned the business for more than 60 years. 

Cameron McCullagh, Executive Chairman, EML Group, said: 

“By bringing together Guild Insurance’s established workers compensation portfolio and underwriting expertise with EML’s scale and specialist claims capability, we’re creating a stronger national offering for employers, industry groups and their people. 

“It’s a natural extension of what EML has been doing for more than a century, using the competitive advantage of the partnership between the mutual and the management company to help people get their lives back. 

“Together, we’re creating a stronger national workers compensation offering by combining underwriting and claims expertise to support more employers and industry groups across Australia. The partnership also creates opportunities to broaden our offering while continuing to deliver tailored insurance solutions through established industry partnerships.” 

Professor Trent Twomey, National President of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia said:
"Pharmacists need strong institutions behind them, and Guild Insurance has been part of that support network for decades. By retaining a 20 per cent stake, The Pharmacy Guild remains committed to the future of a business that understands and supports the unique needs of pharmacists. This partnership with EML Group strengthens Guild Insurance's ability to continue serving pharmacists and the broader healthcare sector for years to come." 

Scott Simmons, Executive General Manager, Guild Insurance & Acerta, said: 

“We are excited about the opportunity to work in partnership with the EML Group and the benefits this will deliver for our customers, brokers and employees. Guild Insurance has a proud history of standing alongside pharmacy, healthcare professionals and the broader communities they serve.   

“While this partnership marks an important step forward for the business, that commitment remains. We will continue to support pharmacy and the healthcare sector, building on the relationships and specialist understanding developed over many decades. 

“Importantly, the strategic partnership with the EML Group gives Guild Insurance greater scale and capability for the future, while retaining the specialist focus and connection to our professional communities that have always set Guild Insurance apart.”