Pearce maintains his faith in twin-peak regulation
30 March 2009
Shadow Corporate Law Minister Chris Pearce has suggested a parliamentary inquiry is unlikely to find the local financial services sector is in need of reform and has credited...
Life Insurance
ASIC spells end of Storm
23 March 2009
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has applied to put collapsed financial planning group Storm Financial into liquidation...
Australia on brink of recession
23 March 2009
Australia is well on the way to a recession, with a leading index of economic activity falling to its lowest level in almost 20 years...
Axa Asia Pacific raises $660 million
23 March 2009
Axa Asia Pacific plans to raise up to $660 million in capital following the trend of fellow insurers AMP, Suncorp and IAG...
Tower wins battle over NZ insurance sales
16 March 2009
NZ insurer Tower has won the right to continue insuring ANZ National bank customers following a High Court decision...
We’re on top of genetic issues, say life insurers
16 March 2009
Life insurers have hit back at a report which identifies them as the main players in genetic discrimination...
Financial advisory associations form government taskforces
16 March 2009
The nation’s peak financial services advisory bodies have formed taskforces to work with regulators and the Federal Government amid close scrutiny of the financial services sector...
FPA goes online to close talent gap
16 March 2009
To overcome the looming talent crisis as baby boomers look to retirement, the FPA is trying to break into the next generation of planners through the internet...
Industry roundtable scrutinises ratings agencies
09 March 2009
Financial services industry representatives have met to discuss how they can improve the quality of ratings handed out by credit ratings agencies...
Actuarial group sees place for two financial advice models
09 March 2009
Actuaries Rice Warner has clarified statements made by a client comparing fee-for-service financial advice offered by superannuation funds and commission-based financial planning...
Asia-Pacific helps stem Aviva losses
09 March 2009
Earnings from the buoyant Asia-Pacific market have helped stem losses for UK insurer Aviva, which has posted an annual loss of £885 million ($1.95 billion)...
Rise in corporate fraud set to pressure insurance premiums
02 March 2009
KPMG’s eighth biennial Fraud Survey reveals gambling is the most common motive for fraud, at 44% more than double the frequency of the previous 2006 survey...
It’s anti-scam week!
02 March 2009
Increased risk of scams due to the global financial crisis is being highlighted in National Consumer Fraud Week, which began today...
Asteron and Aviva share Platinum honour
02 March 2009
Life insurers Aviva and Asteron have been announced as the joint overall winners of the Association of Financial Advisers Platinum Life Company of the Year Award for 2008...
Baby boomers shelve retirement plans
02 March 2009
New international research shows almost half of the baby boomer generation (44%) say they will have to postpone their retirement due to the global financial crisis...
Billion-dollar six-month profit for life insurers
23 February 2009
Australian life insurers notched up a $1.058 billion after-tax net profit in the six months to September 30 2008, according to a new report by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority...
Financial planners shift towards life insurance
23 February 2009
Financial planners are moving into risk advice as investors become nervous about economic conditions, according to a survey by independent research agency Investment Trends...
… and take a beating from Storm
23 February 2009
The Storm Investors Consumer Action Group is deciding whether it will report financial planners who they allege have taken advantage of former Storm clients...
Nerves drive Axa insurance earnings higher in Asia Pacific
23 February 2009
Financial protection earnings in Australia climbed 52% to $104.6 million last year, from $68.6 million in 2007. Australian earnings rose 1% to $235.3 million...
AMP net profit down 41%
23 February 2009
AMP has reported a 41% drop in annual profit to $580 million from $985 million in 2007...