INSURANCE

Online sales of life insurance grow to 349,000

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 22-Jan-18

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey shows that the proportion of Australians aged 18+ who buy life insurance online has grown from 4.6% in 2012 (168,000 policies) to 10.8% in 2017 (349,000). This represents growth of 108% in policies over the last five years. This growth rate is the highest of all channels used to obtain life insurance. The survey, which was conducted in the year to November, also shows that 24.7% of life insurance policies have been obtained by telephoning insurance companies directly, closely followed by using an employer (23.9%). However, the trend over the last five years shows that going direct by telephone is down from 26.0% to 24.7%. On the other hand, the proportion obtaining life insurance through employers has increased from 18.5% to 23.9% over the last five years.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Health premium rises tipped

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Original article by Sarah-Jane Tasker, Rachel Baxendale
The Australian – Page: 15 : 18-Jan-18

There is speculation that private health insurance premiums will rise by an average of four per cent in 2018. Macquarie Group analysts estimate that Medibank and NIB will increase their premiums by an average of 3.85 per cent and 3.8 per cent respectively. Macquarie has increased its share price targets for both insurers. Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt expects the lowest increase in health insurance premiums for 17 years. He will announce the premium increases in the next several weeks.

CORPORATES
MEDIBANK PRIVATE LIMITED – ASX MPL, NIB HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NHF, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH, AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION LIMITED

ANZ life sale could pave way for buybacks

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Original article by Alice Uribe, Joyce Moullakis, Sarah Thompson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 & 21 : 13-Dec-17

CEO Shayne Elliott concedes that the ANZ Bank’s earnings will be lower following recent asset sales, although he believes that refocusing the group is in the best interests of shareholders. ANZ shares closed 1.1 per cent higher at $A28.82 on 12 December after it announced the sale of its life insurance division to Zurich for $A2.85bn. ANZ had sold the OnePath business to IOOF Holdings earlier in 2017. Elliott has indicated that ANZ could potentially use the proceeds of the latest deal to finance a share buyback.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, ZURICH FINANCIAL SERVICES AUSTRALIA LIMITED, ZURICH INSURANCE COMPANY, ONEPATH AUSTRALIA LIMITED, IOOF HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX IFL, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, SHAW AND PARTNERS LIMITED

Satisfaction with private health insurers continues decline

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 11-Dec-17

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that satisfaction with Australia’s private health insurers declined to 71.0% in October 2017, down by 0.2% points for the month and 3.4% points below the same time in 2016. This level is now well down on the peak of 76.4% recorded in June 2015 and is the lowest satisfaction rating since 2010. The top fund was Teachers Health with 83.4% satisfaction, followed by TUH Health Fund (82.8%), Defence Health (82.8%), CBHS (82.1%) and Health Partners (80.9%). The only funds to show improvements in satisfaction over the last 12 months were TUH Health Fund (up 3.7% points) and Australian Unity (up 2.1% points). Less than half the members of the major health funds would be "highly likely" (with a score of 8 to 10 on a ten point scale) to recommend their fund to friends or colleagues.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, TEACHERS HEALTH FUND, TUH HEALTH FUND, DEFENCE HEALTH LIMITED, CBHS FRIENDLY SOCIETY LIMITED, HEALTH PARTNERS, AUSTRALIAN UNITY HEALTH LIMITED, MEDIBANK PRIVATE LIMITED – ASX MPL, BUPA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, THE HOSPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS FUND OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Insuranceline tops satisfaction among risk and life insurers

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 8-Dec-17

Insuranceline had the highest customer satisfaction rating among Australia’s 13 largest risk and life insurers in the year to October 2017, according to a Roy Morgan Single Source survey. Insuranceline’s satisfaction rating rose by 5.4% over the year, to 79.2%, which is well above the industry average of 66.2%. Insuranceline was followed by Allianz (75.2%), AIA Australia (73.2%) and Real Insurance (72.6%). The biggest improver during the year was AIA Australia (up 6.6% points), while major brands to show declines in satisfaction over the year were Asteron (down 12.2% points), Zurich (down 9.9% points) and Comminsure (down 4.2% points).

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, INSURANCELINE HOLDINGS PTY LTD, ALLIANZ AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AIA AUSTRALIA LIMITED, REAL INSURANCE, ASTERON LIFE LIMITED, ZURICH INSURANCE COMPANY, COMMINSURE, ONEPATH AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AMP LIMITED – ASX AMP, MLC LIMITED

Medibank fails to satisfy members

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Original article by Alice Uribe
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 24-Oct-17

Morgan Stanley’s latest survey of customer attitudes to health insurance policies has found that 48 per cent were likely to consider changing insurers over the next 12 months, up from 41 per cent. Medibank Private had the lowest percentage of customers who would recommend it to a friend, while 50 per cent of Medibank Private customers indicated they would be likely to "shop around" over the next year, up from 40 per cent.

CORPORATES
MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, MEDIBANK PRIVATE LIMITED – ASX MPL, AHM HEALTH INSURANCE, QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN, AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED MOTOR INSURERS LIMITED, SUNCORP GROUP LIMITED – ASX SUN, NIB HEALTH FUNDS LIMITED, HBF HEALTHFUNDS INCORPORATED, THE HOSPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS FUND OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH

Rise in insurer requests for full medical records

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Original article by Alice Uribe
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 16-Oct-17

The federal parliamentary joint committee on corporations and financial services is investigating the $A44 billion life insurance sector. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners has told the committee that its members are receiving increased requests for full patient records, while it believes strongly that such requests should not be allowed. MDA National believes that patients should be informed if an insurance company has made a request to access their records.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. JOINT COMMITTEE ON CORPORATIONS AND FINANCIAL SERVICES, THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN COLLEGE OF GENERAL PRACTITIONERS, MDA NATIONAL PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AIA AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Westpac ‘rips off clients’ with life insurance

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Original article by Anthony Klan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 13-Oct-17

Shine Lawyers is leading a class action against Westpac and its BankSA, St George and Bank of Melbourne subsidiaries. The legal action alleges that Westpac charges more for life insurance policies when taken out through a Westpac financial planner than through a non-Westpac planner. Janice Shaddler of Shine says the Westpac customers it is representing are feeling "incredibly let down" for having trusted their Westpac adviser to do the right thing by them. A spokesman for Westpac says it will investigate the allegations.

CORPORATES
WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, BANK OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA LIMITED, ST GEORGE BANK LIMITED, BANK OF MELBOURNE LIMITED, SHINE LAWYERS, SHINE CORPORATE LIMITED – ASX SHJ, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA

Low income earners hit hardest by fees

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Original article by Michael Roddan
The Australian – Page: 22 : 20-Sep-17

KPMG has released a report which shows that the average superannuation fund balance on retirement is 6.2 per cent lower for members who have a default life insurance policy. However, life insurance fees means the average super balance on retirement is 14 per cent lower in the case of women whose annual income is less than $A37,000. Default insurance accounted for about 50 per cent of the $A14bn worth of insurance benefits that were paid out in the three years to June 2016. The Insurance in Superannuation Working Group will release its draft code of practice on 20 September.

CORPORATES
KPMG AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, INSURANCE IN SUPERANNUATION WORKING GROUP, RICE WARNER ACTUARIES PTY LTD, RAINMAKER INFORMATION SERVICES PTY LTD, INDUSTRY SUPER AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION

Health insurers plan cheap policies for youth

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Original article by Andrew Tillett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 12-Sep-17

Private Healthcare Australia CEO Rachel David says the private health insurance sector struggles to attract younger members. She was commenting on a proposal that would see younger Australians offered premiums at a discounted rate, with the Federal Government having been briefed about the idea. David does not think that older policy holders would object to the idea, as having more younger members in the system helps to offset the higher cost of older members, who tend to make claims more often.

CORPORATES
PRIVATE HEALTHCARE AUSTRALIA, EVALUATE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY