Suncorp weighs options as life profits improve
19 February 2018
Suncorp has yet to decide on the future of its life insurance business, which reported a sharp rise in net profit for the six months to December 31…
Life Insurance
AustralianSuper cuts premiums, joins code
19 February 2018
AustralianSuper is reducing average premiums on various life insurance covers by up to 20% from May, meaning fund members will pay $100 million less for group policies…
Challenger annuity sales edge up
19 February 2018
Challenger says first-half annuity sales grew 4.3% to $2.3 billion after the previous corresponding period was lifted by changes to the age pension taper rate…
Centrepoint fills CEO position
19 February 2018
Angus Benbow has been appointed CEO of Centrepoint Alliance, replacing Soula Cargakis, who was interim CEO after John de Zwart departed last November…
ASIC website spells out professional standards reforms
19 February 2018
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission website now features a section keeping financial advisers abreast of incoming professional standards requirements and other related information…
CFP numbers rise to global record
19 February 2018
The number of Certified Financial Planners has risen 3.2% worldwide, the Financial Planning Association says…
JVs the way forward for advisers: Bombora
19 February 2018
Joint ventures and other alliances are the future of the advice industry, according to dealer group Bombora…
Educational council chief steps down
19 February 2018
Mark Brimble has resigned as Chairman of the Financial Planning and Educational Council following the Financial Adviser Standards and Ethics Authority’s decision to adopt the council’s framework and course approval list…
AIA backs chronic pain education program
19 February 2018
AIA Australia has formed a partnership with Pain Revolution, a community program that helps chronic pain sufferers…
AMP reports earnings recovery
12 February 2018
AMP’s life insurance business enjoyed a dramatic turnaround last year, with operating earnings up to $110 million following a $415 million loss in 2016…
ClearView refunds $1.5 million after ASIC slams telesales
12 February 2018
ClearView has stopped selling life insurance products direct and will refund $1.5 million to 16,000 customers after an investigation identified unfair sales practices…
Cancer researchers near testing breakthrough
12 February 2018
A simple blood test has been developed that can check for eight common cancer types should cost below $500 when it is made available, according to life reinsurer…
SCT urges empathy around TPD claims
12 February 2018
Deduction of group life insurance premiums accounted for the second-highest number of complaints to the Superannuation Complaints Tribunal in the three months to December 31…
Practices fined, banned for ‘flouting law’
12 February 2018
A Melbourne-based financial planning business that charged advice fees to superannuation while claiming life insurance commissions has been fined $7.1 million…
Rice Warner flags protection gap
12 February 2018
The life insurance gap remains significant among the working-age population, according to actuary Rice Warner’s latest analysis using updated census data…
Ex-Suncorp exec fills Freedom COO role
12 February 2018
Freedom Insurance Group has appointed Craig Orton to the newly created role of COO…
‘Role-model advisers’ seeking to enhance education
12 February 2018
Advisers are signing up for education courses as higher qualification requirements loom, according to Mentor Education Principal Mark Sinclair…
Hewison drops commissions for life policies
05 February 2018
Hewison Private Wealth says it will not use a commission-based model for policies sold in its expansion into the life insurance arena, distancing it from financial advisory scandals that have hit groups such as the major banks…
MBS joint venture targets accounting clients
05 February 2018
MBS Insurance has formed a joint venture with accounting group HLB Mann Judd Sydney to provide income protection to the latter’s individual, self-managed superannuation fund and business clients…
Code committee names new chairman
05 February 2018
Anne Brown has been appointed Chairman of the Life Code Compliance Committee, replacing David Weisbrot…