Thousands of Suncorp employees face a nervous wait as the Queensland based company undertakes a study to determine whether insurance jobs are to be sent offshore, a union claims.

The Finance Sector Union today revealed Indian based outsourcing companies World Network Services and Genpact are in Australia at Suncorp workplaces assessing roles and business processes for offshoring suitability, and are believed to be preparing tenders to manage Suncorp’s offshoring program.

“This is a slap in the face to the employees who assisted policy holders impacted by the unprecedented natural disasters that have occurred in recent years. After putting in extra hours and working hard to process the high volume of resulting claims, to now have their jobs threatened is unconscionable,” said FSU National Secretary Leon Carter.

The FSU understands insurance claims processing roles are in-scope for offshoring as part of the mapping exercise Suncorp is undertaking, the first time any Australian insurer has considered sending these kinds of roles out of the country.

“If governments give Suncorp the green light to send finance jobs offshore it could potentially open the flood gates for other finance companies to follow suit,” said Mr Carter.