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.
Legal and regulatory update for the life and health insurance sector
5 Feb 2024 - The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) and Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) have jointly released a letter to all authorised deposit-taking institutions (ADIs) and their authorised non-operating holding companies (NOHCs) on the Financial Accountability Regime (FAR). https://www.apra.gov.au/news-and-publications/apra-and-asic-release-letter-on-financial-accountability-regime-far-adi
5 Feb 2024 - Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Hon Andrew Bayly November/December 2023 diary released with the following potential financial services sector related meeting noted:
1 Dec 2023 – MEET: CCCFA Stakeholders Meeting
1 Dec 2023 – MEET: CoFI Stakeholders meeting
1 Dec 2023 – MEET: Commerce Stakeholders Meeting
11 Dec 2023 – MEET: Financial Markets Authority (FMA Staff)
11 Dec 2023 – MEET: MinterEllison lawyers re CCCFA
14 Dec 2023 – MEET: Chair of Banking Ombudsman Scheme (Miriam Dean)
20 Dec 2023 – MEET: Financial Services Federation (Lyn McMorran and Katharine Mcgie)
6 Feb 2024 - The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) has published new entries to frequently asked questions on the Australian Accounting Standards Board 17 (AASB17) collections. https://www.apra.gov.au/news-and-publications/apra-publishes-aasb17-update-to-insurance-frequently-asked-questions
12 Feb 2024 - The Commerce Commission has published a statement of preliminary issues relating to an application from Payments NZ Limited (Payments NZ) seeking authorisation to work with API providers and third parties to develop arrangements that, according to Payments NZ, will facilitate a more well-utilised, secure and innovative open banking framework. https://comcom.govt.nz/news-and-media/media-releases/2024/statement-of-preliminary-issues-released-for-payments-nzs-application-seeking-authorisation-to-further-develop-its-open-banking-framework
12 Feb 2024 - Financial Services Council released its Life Insurance Industry Spotlight statistcs for the September 2023 quarter https://blog.fsc.org.nz/life-insurance-industry-spotlight-september-2023
14 Feb 2024 - The Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) (Improving Mental Health Outcomes) Amendment Bill was read a first time and referred to the Health Committee. https://bills.parliament.nz/v/6/955109f7-830e-4b94-2089-08dba9b9dfac?Tab=history
15 Feb 2024 - Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Hon Andrew Bayly November/December 2023 diary released with the following potential financial services sector related meeting noted:
16 Jan 2024 – ZOOM: Financial Markets Authority (Samantha Barrass & Edwin Metson)
23 Jan 2024 – MEET: Financial Advice NZ (Tony Dench & Heather Roy)
23 Jan 2024 – MEET: Fin Cap (Ruth Smithers)
23 Jan 2024 –MEET: CCCFA Round Table (MBIE Officials, Invited guests)
25 Jan 2024 – MEET: CEO Insurance Council (Tim Grafton)
26 Jan 2024 -MEET: Financial Markets Authority Board (FMA Board & Samantha Barrass)
30 Jan 2024 – MEET: Consumer NZ (Jon Duffy, Gemma Rasmussen, Aneleise Gawn)
30 Jan 2024 – MEET: Commerce and Consumer Affairs Officials (MBIE Officials)
31 Jan 2024 –SPEAK: Financial Services Council (Invited Guests)
31 Jan 2024 – MEET: Banking Ombudsman (Nicola Sladden)
31 Jan 2024 – MEET: Commerce Commission (MBIE & ComCom Officials)
31 Jan 2024 –MEET: Chair of Commerce Commission (John Small & Vanessa Horne)
Good Returns looks deeper at insurers following news of withdrawn benefit
Last week we wrote about Southern Cross refuting claims advisers weren’t informed about dropping a $60,000 a year benefit for non-surgical hospitalisations. Good Returns has followed up their earlier enquiries by approaching other insurers to find out their cover levels to see if Southern Cross’ citation of low rate of use was similar across other insurers.
While they were able to find out AIA has an equivalent $500,000 a year cover, nib maximum coverage up to $300,000 a year on Ultimate Health Max, Accuro Smartcare/Smartcare+ has cover up to $300,000 per year and Unimed Hospital Select Plus up to $65,000 per year they weren’t able to get specific claims amounts from any of the insurers aside from Partners Life.
Partners Life’s three largest categories of claim against this benefit last year were cancer, costing $12.4 million in payouts, digestive tract conditions, costing $9.1 million, and investigations and tests, costing $8 million, a stark contrast to Southern Cross’ 2019 review which found the now withdrawn benefit had paid an average of $414 per claim for 801 members and that most of the claims were for IV infusions or overnight accommodation associated with sleep studies.
Southern Cross’ head of customer strategy and experience, Nic Johnson, has previously said
“The majority of medical (or hospitalisation) claims at the time were already covered under existing benefits, such as the surgical procedures, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and diagnostic tests/imaging benefits”.
These benefits “more precisely defined coverage, and, to align with this approach, the non-surgical benefit was repositioned so that it more accurately reflected what members received.”
More daily news:
Southern Cross Health Society and ANZ awarded at the 2023 Red Hat innovation awards
AIA and Fidelity Life awarded Top Insurance Employers 2023
Partners Life has launched medical claims on the Fineos Platform
The ICNZ Scholarship is now open for submissions
AIA held its third annual NZ Peak Performance Summit
The New Zealand Underwriting Agencies Council’s (NZUAC) Expo is in October in Auckland
Legal and regulatory update for the life and health insurance sector
6 Sep 2023 - NZ Banking Association publish their regulatory radar for August 2023 https://www.nzba.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/August-2023-Banking-Sector-Regulatory-Radar.pdf
6 Sep 2023 - Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Hon Dr Duncan Webb, July 2023 diary released with the following potential financial services sector related meeting noted:
26 July 2023 – Meeting with Insurance Council (CE, President)
7 Sep 2023 - RBNZ publish a speech by Deputy Governor Christian Hawkesby "Towards good governance in the financial system" https://www.rbnz.govt.nz/hub/news/2023/09/towards-good-governance-in-the-financial-system
7 Sep 2023 - The Privacy Amendment Bill was introduced to Parliament this week. The amendment will increase transparency about the collection and use of personal information. https://privacy.org.nz/publications/statements-media-releases/proposed-change-to-privacy-act-will-enhance-transparency/
7 Sep 2023 - The Council of Financial Regulators (CoFR) has outlined how they are other members of CoFR's climate change community coordinate on climate-related initiatives within the regulators’ legislative and regulatory mandates. They have produced a diagram depicting the climate change-related work programmes of the respective CoFR agencies and their partners. https://www.cofr.govt.nz/priority-themes/climate-related-risks.html
Legal and regulatory update for the life and health insurance sector
17 Jul 2023 - The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) has finalised a new prudential standard aimed at ensuring banks, insurers and superannuation trustees can better manage operational risks and respond to business disruptions. https://www.apra.gov.au/news-and-publications/apra-finalises-new-prudential-standard-on-operational-risk
18 Jul 2023 - The FMA has released its scenario analysis information sheet to help climate reporting entities (CREs) meet their obligations under the Climate-Related Disclosures (CRD) regime. It sets out how the FMA will apply the CRD framework relating to scenario analysis; what the FMA will look for when determining compliance with those standards; and other considerations that may help CREs ensure they meet the disclosure requirements. https://www.fma.govt.nz/news/all-releases/media-releases/scenario-analysis-information-sheet-for-climate-related-disclosures-regime/
18 Jul 2023 -The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has written to the Insurance Council of Australia, the Council of Australian Life Insurers and the Financial Services Council about its review of over 100 Target Market Determinations (TMDs) for general and life insurance products.The letters outline ASIC’s findings based on a sample of general and life insurance products. ASIC considered that the products reviewed represent higher risk and/or potential for poor value to consumers. https://asic.gov.au/about-asic/news-centre/news-items/asic-review-of-insurance-target-market-determinations/
19 Jul 2023 - The Therapeutic Products Bill was read a third time and passed through under urgency https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/new-era-therapeutic-products-regulation
Legal and regulatory update for the life and health insurance sector
10 Jul 2023 - Minister of Finance, Hon Grant Robertson, June 2023 diary released with the following potential financial services sector related meeting noted:
• 8 June 2023 – Meeting with RBNZ Officials
• 12 June 2023 – Meetings with Treasury Officials
• 15 June 2023 – Meeting with Insurance Council of Australia, Insurance Industry representatives
• 15 June 2023 - Meeting with Swiss Re
• 19 June 2023 – Meetings with Treasury Officials
• 20 June 2023 - Meeting with ICNZ President Toni Ferrier, Insurance Councillor Tim Grafton
• 20 June 2023 – Meeting with Treasury Officials
• 26 June 2023 – Meetings with Treasury Officials
• 26 June 2023 - Meeting with Minister Edmonds, Bank CEs, ASB, ANZ, BNZ
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2023-07/Ministerial%20Diary%20June%202023.pdf
10 Jul 2023 - The FMA are considering using our exemption power to exempt certain CREs from the requirement to include a link to their climate statements in their annual report, with conditions, for a period of two years. Submissions close 7 August 2023. https://www.fma.govt.nz/business/focus-areas/consultation/climate-related-disclosures-timing-challenge/
10 Jul 2023 - The RBNZ is providing affected entities with an opportunity to review the amended banking prudential requirement (BPR) documents before finalising the framework for the proposed mutual capital instrument. Affected entities have until 31 July to provide any further feedback. https://www.rbnz.govt.nz/hub/news/2023/07/mutual-capital-instrument-rules-near-completion