Major brokerage Insurance Advisernet has launched a life insurance and financial planning division that will work with its general insurance brokers.

Former Genesys Wealth Advisers financial planner Ben Semple will head up the new division at the company, which is half-owned by Austbrokers Holdings.

Mr Semple says his adviser team will be licensed by Fortnum Financial Advisers, which offers life insurance as well as financial planning advice.

“My team will be using the Fortnum dealer group licence, but we will be badged as Insurance Advisernet,” he told insuranceNEWS.com.au. “The financial services guide will say the advice is licensed by Fortnum.”

Mr Semple says when a general insurance broker or authorised representative reviews a client’s insurance portfolio, this will “act as a trigger” to encourage people to take out some form of life risk cover.

“The review of a client’s insurance will now include a section on life insurance,” he said.

“The fact-find will help link a client who might have professional indemnity insurance to looking at risk products such as income protection insurance.”

Insurance Advisernet has appointed another Genesys adviser, Ben Travers, to work with Sydney brokers and former Planwealth adviser Jeff Chung to cover Brisbane.

Mr Semple says another adviser will be appointed in October to work in Melbourne.

“We will eventually look at SA and WA, but we want to start small,” he said.

Insurance Advisernet has 130 brokers and authorised representatives generating $200 million of premiums from 60,000 policies.