Cutting upfront commissions not the solution: AFA
08 December 2014
Level life insurance commissions will prove another distraction for advisers, Association of Financial Advisers (AFA) COO Phil Anderson says…
Life Insurance
Human rights hearing rules against AMP
08 December 2014
The Australian Human Rights Commission has rejected an argument that authorised representatives are independent contractors…
ASIC Chairman blames advisers for industry woes
08 December 2014
Australian Securities and Investments Commission Chairman Greg Medcraft has called on financial advisers to raise their game…
Strong inflows for group life business
08 December 2014
Group life insurance premium inflows grew 24% to $5.3 billion in the year to September 30, according to the latest figures from Plan For Life…
ASIC defends light touch on FOFA laws
01 December 2014
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission says it will maintain a “facilitative” approach to implementing the Future of Financial Advice legislation, despite Labor calls for a tougher stance…
Draft legislation sets out adviser register requirements
01 December 2014
Treasury has published draft requirements for the new financial adviser register, to be administered by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission…
FOFA changes await date
01 December 2014
A date has yet to be set for proposed changes to the Future of Financial Advice legislation to be lodged in Parliament…
Advice industry welcomes grandfathering reprieve
01 December 2014
Older advisers who want to sell their life books can once again do so under a welcome move to reinstate grandfathering rules, Synchron Director Don Trapnell says…
Suncorp appoints transformation chief
01 December 2014
Suncorp Life has recruited former CommInsure head of strategic services David Pik to be its Head of Strategy…
Mental health issues hit one in five staff
01 December 2014
About 20% of the workforce has some form of mental health problem, a leading psychologist says…
Crossbenchers’ U-turn scuppers FOFA changes
24 November 2014
Regulations to change the Future of Financial Advice legislation have been rejected by the Senate, with Labor winning support from former Palmer United’s Jacqui Lambie…
Life insurers lose out on income protection
24 November 2014
The individual income protection insurance sector recorded a $208 million after-tax loss in the year to September 30, according to the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority…
Conversation is key to client meetings, advisers told
24 November 2014
Providing financial advice is about communicating with clients, rather than just strategy and compliance, iCommunicate director Andrew Whelan says…
Findex deal for Crowe Horwath moves a step nearer
24 November 2014
Crowe Horwath directors have backed a takeover offer from Financial Index Wealth Accountants (Findex), while an independent expert has valued the financial services…
FPA names top advisers
24 November 2014
The Financial Planning Association has named Randall Stout from HPH Solutions as its Certified Financial Planner of the year…
Sector outpaces economy on pay, education
24 November 2014
Financial services and insurance is one of the best-paid, most highly educated and diverse sectors of the economy, according to a report from the Financial Services Council and financial services…
Soaring income offsets TAL claims surge
17 November 2014
TAL’s half-year net profit grew to $71 million from $29 million as higher income offset record claims payouts…
Rising premiums force group life contract reviews
17 November 2014
Almost two-thirds of organisations facing group life premium increases are reviewing their insurance, according to an Aon Hewitt survey…
Groundbreaking surgeon and insurance pioneer dies
17 November 2014
The “father of trauma insurance”, Marius Barnard, has died in South Africa aged 87. He had been suffering prostate cancer for the past 17 years…
KordaMentha to monitor CBA compliance
17 November 2014
Independent expert KordaMentha Forensic has been appointed to oversee Commonwealth Bank’s compliance with new licence conditions imposed on its financial planning arms…