Life companies urged to pick their targets in Asia
26 May 2014
Asia still holds opportunities for Australian life companies but they must be selective about target markets, according to Towers Watson…
Life Insurance
Kearns leaves Centric team
26 May 2014
Centric Wealth CEO Phil Kearns is to leave the financial advice group on June 30, following its takeover by Findex Australia in February…
SFG welcomes IOOF takeover offer
19 May 2014
IOOF has launched a $670 million takeover bid for financial advisory and insurance group SFG Australia…
Adviser M&A activity grinds to a halt
19 May 2014
Uncertainty over the Future of Financial Advice grandfathering rules is making financial advisers look at organic growth rather than merging with or acquiring practices…
TAL reports strong 12-month inflows as claims rise
19 May 2014
TAL has increased its premium income by 24% to $2.3 billion, but this has been tempered by a 38% rise in claims to $885 million for the 12 months ending March 31…
ASIC’s funding cut worries adviser groups
19 May 2014
Both associations representing financial advisers have expressed concerns about the Federal Government’s move to cut funding to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission…
BT offers key person protection
19 May 2014
BT Financial Group has launched an income protection product for small businesses…
Life insurers need to look further than one reinsurer
19 May 2014
Asia-Pacific life insurers should be looking to broaden their access to the reinsurance market to expand their expertise, according to Willis Re Head of Life Reinsurance Nigel Sedgwick…
Zurich becomes a casualty of the group life business
12 May 2014
Zurich Financial Services is to pull out of the Australian group life insurance market…
Victoria ditches stamp duty life cover
12 May 2014
Victoria has become the first state to abolish stamp duty on life insurance contracts…
AMP warns there are no quick fixes
12 May 2014
AMP’s first-quarter insurance claims and policy lapses are in line with company expectations but shareholders have been warned there is no “quick fix” for the wealth management business…
QBE director Boyle joins TAL board
12 May 2014
QBE Deputy Chairman Duncan Boyle has been appointed a director of life insurer TAL…
Macquarie Life continues to grow
12 May 2014
Macquarie Life has increased its inforce life insurance book by 23%, although the group has released no specific trading figures in its financial-year report…
Challenger Life property fund takeover gets a tick
12 May 2014
An independent report on the takeover by Challenger Life of the listed Challenger Diversified Property Group has been deemed “fair and reasonable”…
NZ life insurers oppose stress-test changes
12 May 2014
Life insurers have opposed a Reserve Bank of New Zealand proposal on the way reinsurance stress testing should be implemented…
Tax adviser proposals ‘will raise industry costs’
05 May 2014
Three industry bodies believe the new tax advice regime for advisers will add considerable compliance costs for financial services companies…
Choice raises concerns on general advice commissions
05 May 2014
Choice fears proposed amendments to conflicted remuneration rules in the Future of Financial Advice legislation will put consumers at risk…
FPA unveils Gwen Fletcher award
05 May 2014
Industry doyenne Gwen Fletcher will be remembered through an award for the best students in the Certified Financial Planner program…
Virgin Money fined for misleading life ads
05 May 2014
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has fined Virgin Money $30,600 for three instances of misleading advertising…
AFA seeks education champions
05 May 2014
The Association of Financial Advisers has opened nominations for its seventh Excellence in Education Award…