Show Notes
In this episode, Ben Donald, Managing Director at Austbrokers Life, shares his passion for the industry and how he's seen it evolve, especially post-Covid. Ben's journey from a humble start in a one-man band financial practice to mastering life insurance specialisation provides a unique perspective on the importance of this often-overlooked safety net.
Dive into the complexities of life insurance and discover why staying informed and updated could be crucial for your financial health.
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Zurich has knocked back TPD claims from three AFL players whose careers were ended by concussion, and the footy media is up in arms about it. We get why it looks bad. But these policies pay out on an activities of daily living definition, and it's hard to argue you can't read, write or communicate while you're studying an MBA at Oxford. Trent and Phil talk through what actually happened. The three TPD definitions and why AFL players only ever get the strictest one. Who set these policies up in the first place and why the premiums for anything better would be eye-watering. Zurich pulling concussion cover altogether from 1 May. The AFL's own $54 million injury fund. And James Brayshaw's claim that Zurich makes $10 billion in profit, which is out by quite a lot.
Every week, Phil and Trent dig into the My Risk Adviser Facebook group to pull out the most interesting questions and debates from real risk advisers dealing with real problems.
Zurich’s pricing changes are being framed as aggressive, but from an actuarial lens, they’re a response to worsening pool dynamics. Duration-based discounting pulls forward profitability, while lapse-supported pricing assumptions break down when persistency improves among higher-risk cohorts. The result is predictable. Loss ratios expand and repricing follows.
Most advisers aren’t short on CPD. They’re just not capturing what’s already happening.