Who will help consumers see the true value of life insurance?

Australia’s life insurance industry is facing significant headwinds, driven by regulatory reform, margin pressure and the evolving adviser landscape. The Life Insurance Framework (LIF) review, Protecting Your Super and Putting …

An Apple to pay keeps BNPL away

The Reserve Bank of Australia’s Payments System Board Annual Report 2019 has revealed that they are scheduled to review card payments regulation in 2020, which could lead to regulatory changes. …

Give financial planners a break and let them focus on the client

Financial planner bashing has become a national sport. The financial advice industry has battled consumer and media perceptions that advisers are a bunch of cowboys flogging products to line their …

The twilight of China’s population and the dawn of its retirement industry

Most of the developed world has enjoyed a population growth dividend lasting for five or six decades in preparation for dealing with an ageing population. But China has enjoyed only …

Bursting the filter bubble to escape a ‘weatherless world’

From its earliest days, digital technology has sought to help us sift through the information overload to discover relevance. While this promised to broaden our horizons it has in fact …

Who will help consumers see the true value of life insurance?

Australia’s life insurance industry is facing significant headwinds, driven by regulatory reform, margin pressure and the evolving adviser landscape. The Life Insurance Framework (LIF) review, Protecting Your Super and Putting …

Can the Royal Commission possibly meet “community expectations”?

The final report of the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry will have to be some kind of masterpiece to meet all of the …

Rethinking the risks and returns of misconduct

Like many Australians, I did a fair bit of travelling around the country over Christmas and New Year, which involved driving thousands of kilometres across NSW, Queensland and Tasmania. The …

Bugger married at first sight – the best TV in Australia is The Royal Commission

Bugger Married at First Sight, the best TV ever is watching the Royal Commission on the feed while you are working, or better yet, listening to it as you attack yet another data …

Start running your NFP like a business

If you’re running a business in Perth, chances are you’re doing it tough. Perth property prices have been falling due to a sharp slowdown in WA’s population growth; median rents …

How well are you speaking to your policyholders?

How well do you speak with your policyholders? It’s not enough to deliver a message. It should be written in a way your customers understand.   The Australian Competition and …

Tapping into the wellness industry

So much for the image of Aussies as enjoying a fit and healthy outdoors lifestyle. Figures from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare* (AIHW) reveal some worrying home truths. …

Life cover – do consumers know what they’re buying?

ASIC recently issued its review of the life insurance industry following several well-publicised cases of poor handling of claims. While the report has attracted considerable attention, one important aspect has …

Self-regulation: too little too late?

The new Life Insurance Code of Practice is hot off the press from the FSC. But will it resonate with consumers after an extended bout of bad publicity? According to …