FSC welcomes FMA report on life insurance sales practices

FSC Executive Director, Owen Gill, says the report is providing a basis for discussion – between the FSC and the FMA, and insurers – on initiatives that are intended to address the FMA’s concerns.

“The FMA produced this report to focus on sales practices, including instances of ‘churn’ in the New Zealand life insurance market.

“The report covers only sales through authorised financial advisors and registered financial advisors.

“‘Churn’ occurs where consumers are sold replacement policies that are to the consumers’ material and direct disadvantage relative to the existing cover that they have. 

“The FSC believes churning of policies in this way is unacceptable.”

“More broadly, the FMA’s report, and the discussions alongside it, have allowed the insurers, and bodies like the FSC, to focus on what consumers should know, and understand, in buying life cover, and other initiatives that could be taken," Gill says.