AIA names strategic partnerships head
05 July 2021
AIA Australia has appointed Harumi Hancox as Head of Strategic Partnerships, with responsibility for the insurer’s Master Trust Clients...
Life Insurance
Make advice fees, life premium tax deductible: ClearView MD
28 June 2021
Advice reforms introduced in recent years have added to the compliance cost burden facing advisers, contributing to the higher price that consumers must prepare to pay if they want professional guidance, a parliamentary hearing heard last week...
Bill for adviser disciplinary body introduced in Parliament
28 June 2021
The Federal Government has pushed ahead with a Hayne royal commission recommendation to create a single disciplinary body for financial advisers, introducing a Bill for the proposed measure in Parliament last week...
Westpac customer who breached disclosure duty loses case
28 June 2021
A decision by Westpac Life Insurance Services to avoid an income protection policy held by a customer who did not disclose his medical history of alcohol abuse and depression has been upheld by the Australian Financial Complaints Authority...
Hobart adviser banned for four years
28 June 2021
Financial adviser Hannah Jennings has been banned by the industry regulator from providing financial services for four years...
Australian Wealth Solutions switches to licensee
28 June 2021
Australian Wealth Solutions this month began operations under the licence of ASVW Financial Services, a Melbourne-headquartered boutique adviser licensee group...
NZ regulator concerned social media influencers may be offering financial advice
28 June 2021
New Zealand’s Financial Markets Authority has cautioned social media influencers and bloggers against giving financial advice to their followers, warning such actions may place them in breach of laws that took effect in March...
Advisers push back against 'shonky' criticism
21 June 2021
The Association of Financial Advisers has called for an end to the “persecution” of the profession, in response to the latest criticism levelled against it by Labor Senator Jenny McAllister...
Government moves to address fee disclosure obligations concern
21 June 2021
The Federal Government has announced a relief measure for financial advisers to meet their ongoing fee disclosure obligations...
ASIC releases ongoing fee arrangements guidance
21 June 2021
The corporate regulator has released an information sheet on ongoing fee arrangements to provide greater clarity to financial advisers and advice licensees on their obligations when providing personal advice to retail clients...
Planned insurance review of job exclusions fails to allay protection fears
21 June 2021
Financial Services Minister Jane Hume has announced Treasury will carry out a review of occupational exclusions in default insurance offered by MySuper products...
APRA releases data on individual insurer performance
21 June 2021
The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority has released its bi-annual statistics of the individual performance of life insurers operating in Australia...
MetLife wins big at ALUCA excellence awards event
21 June 2021
The Australasian Life Underwriting and Claims Association has named the winners of its annual excellence awards, with MetLife Australia coming out top in five out of the 11 categories...
QBE exec appointed as MLC claims chief
21 June 2021
MLC Life Insurance has announced Andrew Beevors will join the business on August 16 as Chief Claims Officer, reporting directly to CEO Rodney Cook...
Code compliance committee gets new chairman
21 June 2021
University of New England Deputy Chancellor Jan McClelland has been appointed Chairman of the Life Code Compliance Committee...
Scor Global Life Australia names former Zurich exec as Chairman
21 June 2021
Scor Global Life Australia has appointed Gavin Pearce as Chairman, taking over from Peter MacKenzie, who is retiring having served in the role since the board’s inception in 2011.
Synchron offers Bunnings voucher for vaccinated advisers, employees
21 June 2021
Synchron advisers and employees who have taken up the COVID-19 vaccine will get a $100 Bunnings gift voucher, the adviser group says...
FSC names new board members
21 June 2021
The Financial Services Council has appointed Sean West and Justin Delaney as board members...
Consumers seek more protection in wake of COVID: survey
07 June 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked a shift in consumers’ views on insurance protection, with many attaching greater importance to getting adequate cover, a Swiss Re survey has found...
Slater and Gordon flags insurance concerns over 'stapling' reform
07 June 2021
Plaintiff law firm Slater and Gordon is the latest to voice concerns over an impending change to the superannuation scheme that will lead to Australians holding just one default account...