Cash prizes of up to £1,000 are up for grabs in a competition aimed at journalists who write about insurance issues.

Organised by the British Insurance Brokers’ Association, the awards scheme is open to those writing for print or the Internet, and judges will be looking for entries which raise awareness of general insurance subjects and help readers gain a better understanding of what is potentially a dry subject.

Last year Jane Hall from The Journal in Newcastle became the first regional journalist to scoop the top prize at the awards, when she was crowned BIBA Journalist of the Year, having already won the regional category four times.

This year there are eight categories, including the Regional Award and Most Promising Newcomer, and an overall Journalist of the Year will again be chosen.

Each category has a £750 top prize, with £150 for each runner-up, and the winner of the top prize will receive £1,000.

The closing date for entries is March 31. Entries will be judged in May and an awards ceremony will be held in London in the summer.