Chatswood serves the life and health insurance sector in New Zealand with market intelligence, data, and bespoke consulting services. Some of these are provided in conjunction with Quality Product Research Limited - a subsidiary that brings you Quotemonster.
We believe that good decisions are more likely to occur when we have good information about the market environment in which we operate. Intuitive leaps and creative decisions are always required, of course, but the more they are based on a firm foundation of observation, the better they tend to be.
AMP settles with Australian financial advisers for A$100 million
AMP has settled a legal dispute with hundreds of Australian financial advisers affected by unilateral changes to buyer-of-last-resort (BOLR) terms.
AMP has settled a legal dispute with hundreds of Australian financial advisers affected by unilateral changes to buyer-of-last-resort (BOLR) terms. After a long-running legal dispute AMP has settled, with no admission of liability, for A$100 million.
In August 2019 AMP made unilateral changes to adviser contracts that meant BOLR multiples were cut by almost 40%, from 4 times recurring revenue to 2.5 times (excluding grandfathered commissions).
In July an Australian Federal Court decision found AMP erred in altering the buyer-of-last-resort terms for two advice businesses operating under its brand. Justice Moshinsky ruled in favour of the two Australian advisory firms who bought suit, awarding Equity Financial Planners A$813,000 and Wealthstone A$115,000 and opening AMP up to 120 or more similar claims. AMP lodged an appeal in October but opted to settle following a mediation process in November.
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Advicemonster users can access business insurance!
Our latest update to Advicemonster adds business insurance.
Advicemonster Business Insurance beta now includes quoting, research, and needs analysis functions business for lump sum covers (Life, Trauma and TPD).
This means you can now produce a Business Statement of Advice (SOA) supported with pricing and research (on lump sum products only). If you or others in your organisation would like training on how to produce a business statement of advice (SOA) using Advicemonster, please email your request to aneel.ravji@qpresearch.co.nz
The next products on our radar are Key Person, Rural Cover and Business Expenses, and they are coming soon - so keep an eye out for more information on this. Also, if you’re an expert on these products and would like to provide us with some insight, please reach out to us on researcher@qpresearch.co.nz
Legal and regulatory update for the life and health insurance sector
27 Nov 2023 - APRA embarked on a multi-year pilot study with a selection of banks to gain insights into the status of data risk management. They have outlined their findings and highlight multiple areas where all APRA-regulated entities can improve their data management practices. https://www.apra.gov.au/news-and-publications/quality-data-as-an-asset-for-boards-management-and-business
28 Nov 2023 - The Financial Markets Authority (FMA) has cancelled Foundation Advice Limited (FAL)’s Financial Advice Provider (FAP) licence. FAL was an Auckland-based FAP offering advice on life and health insurance as well as KiwiSaver. The High Court put FAL into liquidation on 26 October 2023 following an application filed by the Inland Revenue Department. https://www.fma.govt.nz/news/all-releases/media-releases/fma-cancels-foundation-advice-limiteds-licence/
28 Nov 2023 - ASIC has issued guidance to financial advisers and Australian financial services (AFS) licensees about the new requirement for financial advisers to be registered. From 1 February 2024, financial advisers who provide personal advice to retail clients on relevant financial products must be registered with ASIC. https://asic.gov.au/about-asic/news-centre/news-items/asic-releases-guidance-on-the-registration-of-financial-advisers/
28 Nov 2023 - The FMA has agreed in principle to grant a class exemption for five years for each Climate Reporting Entity (CRE) which is in liquidation, receivership or voluntary administration from the duties in Part 7A of the FMC Act, comprising:
full relief for a CRE which is in liquidation (solvent or insolvent) and for managers that are CREs in respect of a registered scheme (or fund within a scheme) that is in wind-up.
deferral relief for up to two years for CREs in receivership or voluntary administration.
The effect of full relief is that the climate reporting duties are cancelled. The effect of deferral relief is that climate reporting duties are deferred but must still be complied with at a later date.
Fidelity Life launch a range of product enhancements
Fidelity Life launch six product enhancements to the market in response to adviser feedback.
Fidelity Life launch six product enhancements to the market in response to adviser feedback.
· Monthly mortgage repayment - cover benefit percentages have increased from 110% to 115% of mortgage repayments and 40% to 45% of income.
· Special events and Future insurability – new triggers have been added to Special events as reasons for optional cover increases such as buying investment property, land, holiday home, co-signing a child’s mortgage or supporting a child with fulltime tertiary study. In addition, some exclusions for Special events and Future insurability (i.e., for customers with loadings or special terms) have been removed to give a wider range of customers access to these benefits.
· Key person new to business and Key person for farmers - monthly cover limits have increased from $4,000 to $6,500 for Key person new to business, and from $5,000 to $9,000 for Key person for farmers covers.
· Repatriation benefit – now available on applicable life covers, the newly added benefit is on top of the life cover sum insured and is accessible to repatriate a body home from or to New Zealand.
· Stand-down period commencement - the stand-down period for specified trauma conditions have been adjusted for new covers to start on the date of a completed application submission, not on underwriting.
· Increased sum insured limits for children – new limits for children now stand at $250,000 for both Life cover and Trauma cover - standalone.
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AIA extend One Month’s Premium Free offer to 30 November 2023
Apple Watch Benefit is back in the AIA Vitality app as an option for AIA Vitality members to earn
From 9 November 2023, AIA have made some adjustments to loadings for BMI
Asteron Life and AIA awarded at the ANZIIF NZ Insurance Industry Awards
The Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (ANZIIF) held the 11th New Zealand Insurance Industry Awards on 22 November. Asteron Life were awarded the Life Insurance Company of the Year award. AIA were recognised as winners of the Excellence in Workplace Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) and Excellence in Environmental, Social and Governance Change categories.
The Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (ANZIIF) held the 11th New Zealand Insurance Industry Awards on 22 November.
Asteron Life were awarded the Life Insurance Company of the Year award. It is the fourth time they have won this award, having also won it in 2013, 2014 and 2021. Judges were impressed by Asteron Life’s Voice of Customer program, which provides insights into the customer experience; their high customer satisfaction scores overall; their policy wordings being accredited with the WriteMark standard; and attention to helping customers with affordable levels of cover. In particular the judging panel praised the variety of customer and people initiatives Asteron Life have implemented, ranging from Connected Care to Kids Cover to a Professional Supervision Programme.
AIA were recognised as winners of the Excellence in Workplace Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) and for Excellence in Environmental, Social and Governance Change. At AIA all leaders are expected to take responsibility for DE&I measures in recruitment, development, remuneration and the overall workplace environment. AIA recently achieved the Accessibility Tick and implemented a Menopause Tookit initiative. AIA has a five-pillar ESG strategy that incorporates sustainable operations, investment, health and wellbeing, people and culture and effective governance. They have committed to being net zero by 2050 and have already put in place many actions to work towards that goal, including new buildings aligning with green standards. They are committed to ethical investment and have a co-created employee wellbeing strategy in place.
More daily news:
Fidelity Life are holding three Adviser practice manager and admin summits across NZ in February
Fidelity Life are accepting registrations of interest for Adviser Edge 2024
Fidelity Life's last commission run for 2023 is 28 December
Southern Cross announce winners of the 2023 Southern Cross Health Insurance Wayfinder Awards
ASB launch two new Aggressive Funds
Pinnacle Life voted Most Trusted Online Life Insurance Company
Graeme Edwards takes on role of Lifetime Group director and chairman
FSC circulate submission template for feedback on FMA's approach to outcomes focused regulation
Legal and regulatory update for the life and health insurance sector
21 Nov 2023 - The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) has released its Quarterly Superannuation Performance publication and the Quarterly MySuper Statistics report for the September 2023 quarter. https://www.apra.gov.au/news-and-publications/apra-releases-superannuation-statistics-for-september-2023
21 Nov 2023 - The Financial Services Council has today released its initial report outlining the challenge to update the permitted operating model for defined benefit (DB) workplace savings schemes by enabling them to consolidate, thereby benefiting both members and employer sponsors through improved cost-effectiveness and simpler administration. https://blog.fsc.org.nz/media-release-21-november-2023
22 Nov 2023 - The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority has released its quarterly private health insurance (PHI) publication for the September 2023 quarter. https://www.apra.gov.au/news-and-publications/apra-releases-quarterly-private-health-insurance-statistics-for-september-5
22 Nov 2023 - The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) has released a response to consultation on its proposed amendments to three private health insurance (PHI) reporting standards, following amendments to PHI legislation. https://www.apra.gov.au/news-and-publications/apra-responds-to-consultation-on-amendments-to-private-health-insurance
23 Nov 2023 - The Privacy Commissioner has announced that his Office will be consulting on new rules specifically for biometrics. Biometrics are increasingly collected by facial recognition technology (FRT), retinal scans, and voice recognition. The exposure draft will be released early in 2024 and will be available for everyone to comment on. https://privacy.org.nz/publications/statements-media-releases/privacy-commissioner-to-consult-on-new-rules-for-biometrics/
24 Nov 2023 - FMA released its Audit Quality Monitoring Report for 2022/23 https://www.fma.govt.nz/library/reports-and-papers/audit-quality-review-report/
27 Nov 2023 - Medical Assurance Society (MAS) are to pay a $2.1 million penalty for making false and misleading representations to customers, following proceedings brought by the FMA. In September 2023, MAS admitted it breached section 22, one of the Fair Dealing provisions of the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013 (FMCA), by failing to correctly apply multi-policy discounts and no claims bonus discounts to some customers who were entitled to them, failing to correctly apply inflation adjustments on some customer policies, and miscalculating benefit payments. https://www.fma.govt.nz/news/all-releases/media-releases/medical-assurance-society-to-pay-2-1-million-penalty/
27 Nov 2023 - The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) has released for consultation a new cross-industry standard to centralise APRA's existing standards on definitions for authorised deposit-taking institutions and general, life and private health insurers. https://www.apra.gov.au/news-and-publications/apra-consults-on-new-cross-industry-standard-to-centralise-existing-standards
Te Whatu Ora to roll out 24/7 telehealth primary care service in rural areas
Te Whatu Ora are rolling out a new telehealth primary care service aimed at supporting rural health staff and improving access for patients living rurally.
Ka Ora Telecare, a partnership between Reach Aotearoa, Practice Plus and Emergency Consult, is partnering with general practices in rural areas to deliver the telehealth service. The aim is to support practices by creating extra capacity, including providing overnight support and taking on overflow patients during usual hours. The service should also help redirect patients from emergency departments outside of practice hours.
The service is subsidised by Te Whatu Ora, with free nurse consultations and co-payments for GP consultations.
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Financial advisers criticise FMA's withdrawn campaign
The Workforce Development Council puts together the working group involved in the NZCFS review
Southern Cross Health and Life insurance win gold at the Reader's Digest Quality Service Awards 2024
Suncorp New Zealand’s employees raise over $340,000 for charities
ANZ's economists lower their OCR forecast; no longer expect RBNZ to hike above 5.50% in February
RBNZ’s Household Expectations Survey finds kiwis expect inflation to fall slowly
Members vote to combine Accuro with Unimed
The Boards of Unimed and Accuro have announced that Accuro members have endorsed the proposal to transfer the Accuro insurance portfolio and operations to UniMed.
The Boards of Unimed and Accuro have announced that Accuro members have endorsed the proposal to transfer the Accuro insurance portfolio and operations to UniMed.
Members voted in favour at both Special General Meetings, with 92.8% and 96.1% voting in favour at the first and second meetings respectively.
Next a portfolio transfer application will be made to the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) for approval, which is likely to be completed early next year. If the RBNZ approves the application then the two brands will combine under the Unimed banner, making Unimed the third largest medical insurer in New Zealand with a membership of around 140,000 members.
More daily news:
Helena Harbrow talks about the benefits of Partners Life's EVINCE software
Shaun Baird announced as AIA's new Chief Financial Officer
Katrina Shanks writes how to get a better savings rate
Financial Advice NZ webinar 'Economic insights and what we should watch for in the future' 24 Jan
Financial Advice NZ Canterbury/Nelson Region Christmas Event 7 Dec
AIA campaign offers customers up to $100 in rewards
AIA has launched a new AIA Vitality campaign offering up to $100 in rewards to new and existing customers.
AIA has launched a new AIA Vitality campaign offering up to $100 in rewards to new and existing customers.
When customers add AIA Vitality to any new or existing eligible health, trauma, income protection or life insurance policy and activate their membership before 20 December 2023 they will receive a $50 Countdown or Airpoints Dollars™ reward. If they complete an AIA Vitality Health Check before 20 December 2023, they will receive another $50 countdown or Airpoints Dollars™ reward.
Existing AIA Vitality members who have already completed their AIA Vitality Health Check this year are entered into a separate draw to win 1 of 50 $100 Countdown vouchers or Airpoints Dollars.
More daily news:
FSC holding 'Outlook 2024 - Regulatory and Economic Update' 31 January
Fidelity Life's Head of Information Security awarded 'Champion of Change'
TAP say their system supports independent advisers
Pulled FMA campaign cost $16,000
Calls for New Zealand to have a centre for disease control
The World Health Organization has proclaimed loneliness to be a “pressing” global health threat
Legal and regulatory update for the life and health insurance sector
15 Nov 2023 - The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) has begun consulting on targeted changes to liquidity and capital requirements aimed at strengthening the banking sector’s resilience to future stress. https://www.apra.gov.au/news-and-publications/apra-proposes-targeted-changes-on-liquidity-and-capital-response-to-global
16 Nov 2023 - FSC publish 'Leading Lawyers Australia' webinar replay which covered a range of topics designed to give an insight into some of the key issues in the Australian regulatory landscape, comparable regimes and insights applicable to New Zealand financial organisations and our legislative change. https://blog.fsc.org.nz/fsc-connect-webinar-leading-lawyers-australia-2023?utm_content=271849010&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin&hss_channel=lcp-14426254
16 Nov 2023 - The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) has released a response to consultation on proposed minor amendments to the prudential framework for authorised deposit-taking institutions (ADIs) and general, life and private health insurers. https://www.apra.gov.au/news-and-publications/apra-releases-response-to-consultation-on-minor-amendments-to-prudential-0
16 Nov 2023 - ASIC Chair Joe Longo and the Australian Financial Security Authority (AFSA) Chief Executive Tim Beresford signed a refreshed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The agencies will continue to work together to pursue common interests and demonstrate their commitment to a whole-of-Australian Government approach to protecting and promoting confidence in the financial system. https://asic.gov.au/about-asic/news-centre/news-items/asic-chair-and-afsa-chief-executive-sign-refreshed-memorandum-of-understanding/
17 Nov 2023 - ASIC opened its consultation on the Australian Banking Association’s (ABA) proposed changes to its Banking Code of Practice (the Code). The Code contains a set of contractually enforceable standards that customers and small business can expect subscribing banks to uphold. The ABA plans to apply for ASIC approval of the revised Code.
This is the first time that ASIC has undertaken a public consultation before making a decision on approving the Code. https://asic.gov.au/about-asic/news-centre/find-a-media-release/2023-releases/23-306mr-asic-consults-on-aba-s-proposed-changes-to-the-banking-code/
20 Nov 2023 - Simone Constant and Alan Kirkland start their five-year terms as ASIC Commissioners today https://asic.gov.au/about-asic/news-centre/find-a-media-release/2023-releases/23-308-new-commissioners-commence-at-asic/