Important question
Strategi‘s Head of Risk and Compliance says every adviser planning to remain in the industry should ask themselves some important questions so they understand their legal status as a financial adviser.
He also says changes to the advice process need to be recognised, understood and prepared for.
Cigna
Cigna is offering multi-benefit discounts on selected products that provide premium discounts of up to 7% when clients buy at least $200,000 of life cover and one or more additional qualifying benefits.
SME Market
The SME market should be on the radar of financial advisers as 20% of small business owners who buy life insurance direct would likely use a financial adviser if they knew one, says Asteron Life
Research completed by the firm reveals that cultivating referrals and strong word of mouth is the best path to attract new customers, with half of its survey’s respondents saying they would ask a friend, colleague, or family member for a recommendation of an adviser.
Social Media
Lifestyle content shared by financial advisers on social media rates the highest among their followers, according to a study that challenges the traditional marketing narrative.
Tara Clark, founder of a Vancouver-based social media agency, recommends advisers use LinkedIn to increase engagement with clients, build brand awareness, and generate leads.
She says advisers should create a content calendar based on your audience’s needs and wants.
Strong Reminder
Treating clients fairly and ensuring they understand what’s being signed were among the key take-aways of a presentation by the Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman
Karen Stevens heads-up the organisation that provides dispute resolution services for consumers with complaints about their financial services provider.
She says fairness is in the eye of the beholder and that the new regulatory regime is more about demonstrating and showing that you comply than it has been previously.
Review
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand will relaunch its review of the Insurance (Prudential Supervision) Act in October. The review began in 2017, was due to resume in March, but was delayed because of Covid-19.
The bank’s Deputy Governor and General Manager of Financial Stability Geoff Bascand made the announcement during a speech to the Insurance Council in Wellington on Monday 14 September. He said a policy paper outlining the resumption of the review will be published in early October.