Zurich research reveals financial literacy gender gap
15 July 2019
There is a significant gender gap around knowledge of life insurance and possession of policies, according to Zurich...
Life Insurance
Freedom chief to leave as wind-down continues
15 July 2019
“Freedom would like to recognise the significant contribution Sean has made in navigating Freedom through what has been a complex and difficult process,” the company said...
MLC slashes approval times
15 July 2019
MLC Life Insurance has halved its underwriting approval times through adoption of UnderwriteMe’s technology...
AFA appoints partnerships executive
15 July 2019
The Association of Financial Advisers has appointed Rob Coulter as GM Partnerships...
Advisers urged to stick with ‘world-class’ CFP
08 July 2019
The Financial Planning Association is urging advisers not to abandon its highest professional qualification in light of new education standards...
Count set for revenue plunge as legacy streams dry up
08 July 2019
Count Financial is expected to suffer a 60% decline in revenue due to the ban on grandfathered commissions in two years, according to its new owner CountPlus...
Hayne fallout, low rates hamper premium growth
08 July 2019
Life insurance premium in Australia declined 6% last year, hit by the fallout from the Hayne royal commission, Swiss Re says in its latest Sigma report...
KPMG recruits ex-AMP exec
08 July 2019
KPMG has appointed Pauline Blight-Johnston as Life Insurance Leader in its actuarial and financial risk practice...
TAL event examines customer relationships
08 July 2019
TAL hosted life insurance partners at an event examining ways to strengthen relationships with customers through improved health initiatives...
APRA releases life claims, disputes data
01 July 2019
Individual advised death cover has a 96% admittance rate compared with 88% for non-advised cover, according to the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority’s life insurance claims and disputes data for last year...
Centrepoint takes strides towards new pricing model
01 July 2019
Centrepoint Alliance has persuaded 200 of its 226 adviser businesses to adopt a new pricing model before grandfathered life insurance commissions are removed in two years...
ASIC bans adviser over dodgy coverage advice
01 July 2019
A Queensland adviser has been banned for five years for pushing clients into more expensive life insurance policies than they needed...
Suncorp faces class action over advice fees
01 July 2019
A class action has been filed against Suncorp’s superannuation trustees over conflicted advice fees charged to super customers over the past six years...
Planners bend under post-Hayne compliance burden
01 July 2019
About 70% of financial planners cite the compliance burden as the leading challenge facing their profession after last year’s royal commission on financial sector misconduct, an Investment Trends survey has found...
AFA and MetLife fund women’s grant program
01 July 2019
MetLife and the Association of Financial Advisers are launching a grant program for female financial advisers to advance their careers...
Industry profit plummets
24 June 2019
The life insurance industry made a total net profit of $924 million last year, a sharp drop from $2.38 billion in 2017, according to Australian Prudential Regulation Authority institution-level statistics...
Wealth managers stall action on inactive super accounts
24 June 2019
Some wealth managers drawing fees from superannuation life insurance policies on inactive accounts are disputing regulatory guidance from the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority that such accounts need to be either confirmed or cancelled by members...
MetLife fills new senior customer role
24 June 2019
MetLife Australia has created a new Chief Customer and Marketing Officer position, promoting chief distribution officer Chesne Stafford to the role...
AFA books keynote speakers
24 June 2019
Former foreign minister Julie Bishop and Thailand cave rescuer Richard Harris will headline the Association of Financial Advisers’ annual conference in August...
Zurich develops wellness app
24 June 2019
Zurich has launched a wellness app to reward life insurance customers who improve and maintain physical and mental wellbeing...