INSURANCE COMPANIES – AUSTRALIA

Satisfaction with household insurers improving

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 6-Dec-16

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that satisfaction among Australian household insurance policy holders was 80.7% in the year to October 2016, compared with 78.5% over the same period in 2013 and 74.3% in 2006. Nearly all of the largest household insurers improved their satisfaction ratings over the last three years, with 97.0% of policy holders being at least fairly likely to renew their insurance with their existing company. South Australia-based RAA leads in customer satisfaction among the 18 largest household insurers with 92.1% (up 6.8% since 2013), followed by APIA on 89.3% (up 4.0%) and RAC with 87.5% (up 4.7%). Only three of the 18 largest insurers showed declines in satisfaction over the last three years: Coles (down 2.8%), Westpac (down 2.5%) and QBE (down 1.9%).

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, RAA INSURANCE LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN PENSIONERS INSURANCE AGENCY PTY LTD, RAC INSURANCE PTY LTD, COLES INSURANCE, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, QBE INSURANCE GROUP LIMITED – ASX QBE, COMMINSURE, SUNCORP GROUP LIMITED – ASX SUN, NRMA LIFE LIMITED, RACV INSURANCE, BUDGET DIRECT INSURANCE AGENCY PTY LTD

Satisfaction with risk and life insurance declines

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 18-Nov-16

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that satisfaction among Australians aged 14+ with risk and life insurance policies was 67.5 per cent in the year to October 2016, compared with 69.3 per cent during the year to October 2015. The survey also shows that 96.8 per cent of policy holders would be at least "fairly likely" to renew their insurance with their existing company, but only 35.3 per cent would be "extremely likely" to do so. Asteron Life has the highest level of customer satisfaction among the 13 largest risk and life insurers, at 78.1 per cent, ahead of Insuranceline (73.8 per cent) and Allianz (73.2 per cent).

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, ASTERON LIFE LIMITED, INSURANCELINE HOLDINGS PTY LTD, ALLIANZ AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AMP LIFE LIMITED, AIA AUSTRALIA LIMITED, ONEPATH AUSTRALIA LIMITED, SUNCORP INSURANCE AND FINANCE, COMMINSURE, MLC LIMITED, ZURICH AUSTRALIA LIFE INSURANCE LIMITED, REAL INSURANCE

Suncorp insures itself against more storms

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Original article by Sally Rose
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 & 20 : 5-Aug-16

Suncorp Group has reported an 8.3 per cent decline in net profit for 2015-16, to $A1.04 billion. Michael Cameron, the CEO of the Australian-listed insurance group, stated on 4 August 2016 that Suncorp has increased its reinsurance protection by $A300 million because of the higher frequency of weather-related events. Shares in Suncorp rose 0.7 per cent to $A13.30.

CORPORATES
SUNCORP GROUP LIMITED – ASX SUN, MAPLE-BROWN ABBOTT LIMITED, JP MORGAN AUSTRALIA LIMITED, SUNCORP LIFE AND SUPERANNUATION LIMITED, ASTERON LIFE LIMITED, CONTANGO ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX ALL ORDINARIES INDEX

Which insurance companies have got customer satisfaction covered?

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 20-Jun-16

The Roy Morgan Customer Satisfaction Awards include three insurance categories – General Insurer, Private Health Insurer and Risk & Life Insurer. Insurers are not among the Customer Satisfaction Awards’ highest-scoring categories. When measured for their industry-wide satisfaction average over the last 12 months, General Insurers come in at 19th (with an overall average of 81 per cent), Private Health Insurers are at 25th (75 per cent), and Risk & Life Insurers are at 28th (69 per cent).

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, RACT INSURANCE PTY LTD, RAA INSURANCE LIMITED, SGIC INSURANCE LIMITED, SHANNONS, AUSTRALIAN PENSIONERS INSURANCE AGENCY PTY LTD, ST LUKE’S HEALTH INSURANCE, ALLIANZ AUSTRALIA LIMITED, SUNCORP GROUP LIMITED – ASX SUN

Volatile equities to keep insurers’ dividends low

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Original article by Michael Rodman
The Australian – Page: 31 : 7-Apr-16

Income from their investment portfolios generates a significant proportion of Australian-listed insurance companies’ earnings. Andrew Adams of Credit Suisse says financial market volatility during the March 2016 quarter will in turn put downward pressure on their dividend payouts. Insurance Australia Group is likely to be hardest hit by the market volatility. Adams has scaled back his 2015-16 profit forecast for the group from $A920m to $A830m.

CORPORATES
CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, INSURANCE AUSTRALIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX IAG, QBE INSURANCE GROUP LIMITED – ASX QBE, SUNCORP GROUP LIMITED – ASX SUN, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 ACCUMULATION INDEX

Besieged bank vows to improve process

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Original article by Michael Bennet
The Australian – Page: 7 : 11-Mar-16

The Commonwealth Bank has promised to thoroughly investigate recent allegations of unethical behaviour at its insurance business. Reports in the media outline allegations of doctors being under pressure to change their diagnoses of life insurance policyholders to match CommInsure’s commercial goals. Superannuation fund HESTA is reviewing its relationship with CommInsure.

CORPORATES
COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, COMMINSURE, HEALTH EMPLOYEES’ SUPERANNUATION TRUST AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Large rivals may spur nib M&A

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Original article by Tim Binsted
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 23-Feb-16

Australian-listed private health insurer NIB Holdings has posted a 2015-16 interim profit of $A43.4m, which is five per cent higher than previously. The group’s net premium revenue was up 10.5 per cent at $A781.3m, and gross margins rose from 13.4 per cent to 15.1 per cent. MD Mark Fitzgibbon says NIB would be open to acquisitions, particularly as Medibank Private and Bupa are becoming increasingly competitive.

CORPORATES
NIB HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NHF, MEDIBANK PRIVATE LIMITED – ASX MPL, BUPA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, ONEPATH AUSTRALIA LIMITED, SOUTHERN CROSS HEALTH LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH

Suncorp profit hit by natural disaster claims

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Original article by Ruth Liew
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 16 : 12-Feb-16

Australian-listed insurer Suncorp Group has reported a 2015-16 interim net profit of $A530m, which is 16 per cent lower than previously. The result was marred by factors such as lower returns from its investment portfolio and an increase in claims arising from natural disasters. The core general insurance division has booked a half-year profit of $A297m, while the banking arm’s profit was $A194m. Shareholders will receive an interim dividend of $A0.30 per share.

CORPORATES
SUNCORP GROUP LIMITED – ASX SUN, AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED MOTOR INSURERS LIMITED, GIO AUSTRALIA LIMITED, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, BKI INVESTMENT COMPANY LIMITED – ASX BKI, FIDELITY WORLDWIDE INVESTMENT, CLSA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, GPT GROUP – ASX GPT

Insurance jobs under threat from technology

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Original article by Ruth Liew
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 25 : 8-Dec-15

Suncorp Group executive Darren O’Connell notes that the growing use of automation in the insurance sector has resulted in the elimination of entry-level jobs in the underwriting industry. He says this will result in a dearth of underwriters with expertise across the industry as older staff retire and their skills and knowledge are lost. O’Connell argues in a research paper that technology can never completely replace people in the underwriting industry, and insurers should reconsider their recruitment procedures.

CORPORATES
SUNCORP GROUP LIMITED – ASX SUN, SWISS RE AUSTRALIA LIMITED, IBM CORPORATION

Health funds serve wish-lists to Ley

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Original article by Tim Binsted
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 4-Dec-15

Australian private health insurers must lodge submissions on the Federal Government’s review of the sector by 4 December 2015. Health insurers have proposed the introduction of a lifetime discount for people under the age of 30, in order to encourage a greater take-up rate among young people. Insurers are also concerned that the annual cost of medical devices and prostheses is significantly higher than it should be.

CORPORATES
BUPA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, MEDIBANK PRIVATE LIMITED – ASX MPL, NIB HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NHF, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH