Thought leadership

0 CPD Points

Department of Health consultation on outlawing Private Health Insurance product phoenixing

The Institute supports policy objectives to ensure affordable access to private health insurance for consumers. The proposed changes could have unintended consequences and we encourage the Department to consider alternative approaches to improve market efficiency and product sustainability.

0 CPD Points

Treasury Consultation: Ban on genetic tests in life insurance draft legislation

The Institute reiterates its support for a legislated ban on the use of adverse genetic test results in life insurance underwriting. An effective ban will give the Australian community certainty and assurance on the way forward and support medical advances that can benefit society in many potentially profound ways.

0 CPD Points

Treasury Consultation: Guidance on best practice principles for superannuation retirement income solutions

The Institute broadly supports the best practice principles. We make a number of high-level recommendations so that the best practice principles can better help Australians access well-rounded retirement income solutions that meet their needs

0 CPD Points

Consultation: Retirement Reporting Framework

The Institute supports the primary intent of a Retirement Reporting Framework to create further data transparency by establishing new sector-wide retirement phase superannuation metrics.

0 CPD Points

Submission to APRA consultation on GI and LI non-confidentiality determination and statistical publications

The Actuaries Institute welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback on APRA's proposed updates to the insurance publication content, presentation and confidentiality determinations.

0 CPD Points

Submission to Productivity Commission: Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement Review

We welcome the release of the PC’s Interim Report. Mental health and its funding remain a pressing public policy issue for the Australian community. We share the PC’s fundamental concern that the system is fragmented and out of reach for many people.

1 CPD Point

Consultation: Capital Settings for Longevity Products

The Institute believes that many Australians retirees could enjoy higher standards of living if lifetime income products such as annuities played a larger role in the retirement system.

1 CPD Point

Submission to Treasury: Economic Reform Roundtable

The Institute has provided policy reform proposals to Treasury's Economic Roundtable consultation in the areas of climate adaptation and resilience investment, AI governance, quantum computing preparedness, tax reform, superannuation and financial advice and guidance, the health system and improved data management.

0 CPD Points

Treasury Consultation: Payday Super Exposure Draft Legislation - Further Comments

This supplementary submission suggests consequential amendments to the Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Regulations 2018 and comments further on ensuring appropriate treatment of accumulation members in defined benefit superannuation funds.

1 CPD Point

Submission to Productivity Commission - Investing in Cheaper, Cleaner Energy and the Net Zero Transformation

This submission details key barriers and enablers to improving the resilience and adaptation of Australia’s housing stock to climate change.

1 CPD Point

Response to APRA Governance Review Discussion Paper

The Institute supports APRA's objective to strengthen governance practices and encourages APRA to consider further guidance for successful implementation across diverse regulated entities in the financial sector.

1 CPD Point

Letter to the Hon. Chris Bowen MP – Policy considerations for the Government

The Institute wishes you and the Government continued success as you lead Australia through a period of significant transition to address climate change challenges and to seize emerging opportunities.

1 CPD Point

Letter to the Hon. Dr Daniel Mulino MP – Policy considerations for the Government

The Institute congratulates you on your appointment and wishes you and the Government continued success.

1 CPD Point

Letter to the Hon. Mark Butler MP – Policy considerations for the Government

The Institute wishes you and the Government continued success as you lead Australia’s health system through a period of significant change.

1 CPD Point

Letter to the Senator the Hon. Tim Ayres – Policy considerations for the Government

The Institute wishes you and the Government continued success as you guide Australia’s industries through technological and structural transformation to position our economy for future prosperity.

1 CPD Point

Letter to the Treasurer – Policy Considerations for the Government

The Institute wishes you and the Government continued success as you lead Australia through a period of significant structural change. We share our insights on three inter-related key areas for this Parliamentary term.

2 CPD Points

Reinsurance Explained: A Pillar of Strength for General Insurers

Explore how reinsurance supports affordability and resilience in Australia’s insurance market amid rising natural disaster costs and climate change.

2 CPD Points

Housing in Australia: Financial Journeys Through Affordability, Retirement and Climate Challenges

A paper presented to the joint conference hosted by ABS and RBA examining Australia's dual housing challenges and their impact.

2 CPD Points

Home Insurance Affordability and Home Loans at Risk

Analysing the drivers of rising affordability stress in Australia and potential implications for the home loan market.

2 CPD Points

Home Insurance Affordability Update

This Report explores the context of all natural perils and discovered that the proportion of “affordability stressed” households – those that spend more than one month’s worth of their gross annual income on home insurance – rose from 10 to 12 per cent. These households spend on average 8.8 weeks of their income on home insurance, which is more than seven times what the average household spends.

2 CPD Points

Funding Costs for Floods: Affordability, Availability and Public Policy Solutions

This Report examines riverine flood risk alone and outlines a package of short, medium, and long-term policy measures that should be considered by governments, insurers, and other stakeholders to reduce affordability stress for households who are also facing the highest risk.

3 CPD Points

Home Insurance Affordability and Socioeconomic Equity in a Changing Climate

The Actuaries Institute has released its latest Green Paper, Home insurance affordability and socioeconomic equity in a changing climate. This paper launches the Australian Actuaries Home Insurance Affordability (AAHIA) Index, which measures how many days of income it takes a household to pay a home insurance premium - and showcases how actuaries use data for good, and their expertise on climate change issues.

2 CPD Points

When Sydney Becomes an Inland Sea, We'll Need the Pool

The underlying cause of potential flood losses, inappropriate development, needs to be addressed as a priority. Government needs to mitigate the risk of flood through measures such as revising current building codes, building or improving dams and levees, re-location of high risk properties, and renovations to existing buildings and infrastructure. Every dollar spent in mitigation can save many dollars in future loss payments.

1 CPD Point

Group Insurance in Superannuation Public Policy Statement

This Statement highlights key public policy positions of the Institute on group insurance in superannuation, promoting stronger governance, simpler products and fairer outcomes for Australians.

2 CPD Points

Life Insurance Sustainability Guide

A framework for managing life insurance products for the long-term alignment of all system participants.

2 CPD Points

Disability Insurance in Australia: Findings and Recommended Actions

The Disability Insurance Taskforce has released its final Paper, Updated Findings and Recommended Actions. This Paper offers key recommendations to promote sustainability across disability insurance and align with meeting APRA's sustainability expectations for IDII and beyond.

3 CPD Points

Individual Disability Income Insurance Sustainability Guide

This Sustainability Guide (Guide) has been developed by the Actuaries Institute Disability Insurance Taskforce (the Taskforce) to support actuaries in their various professional roles, other insurance professionals, boards, management, regulators, and other interested parties with the aim of creating or enhancing practices to promote sustainability in the retail Individual Disability Income Insurance (IDII) market, in line with APRA’s expectations and sustainability measures. The range of professional roles in which actuaries work includes in pricing and valuation teams, as Appointed Actuaries, in risk management functions, as executive leaders and board members. This Guide is intended to help actuaries and any other readers to consider critical aspects of product design, operational practices, pricing uncertainty, risk management and risk appetite. It provides clarity about important practices that may lead to poor sustainability. Actuaries and other readers should consider using this Guide to help continually improve their frameworks, policies and day to day practices to mitigate risks and improve long term IDII sustainability for consumers and insurers.

3 CPD Points

Findings and Recommended Actions for Individual Disability Income Insurance

The Disability Insurance Taskforce (the Taskforce) set up by the Actuaries Institute has conducted a comprehensive review of issues with Individual Disability Income Insurance (IDII) in Australia. This document is largely an update of the report (the Original Document A) which was issued in September 2020 for consultation with interested parties. This document contains an overview of the feedback received through the consultation process, the response of the Taskforce to that feedback and the final recommendations from the Taskforce. The work was done to support actuaries in their various professional roles, other insurance professionals, boards, management, regulators, and other interested parties, with the aim of creating or enhancing practices to promote sustainability in the retail Individual Disability Income Insurance (IDII) market, in line with APRA’s expectations and sustainability measures. The range of professional roles in which actuaries work includes in pricing and valuation teams, as Appointed Actuaries, in risk management functions, as executive leaders and board members.

3 CPD Points

Impact of COVID-19 on Mortality and Morbidity in 2020

With a full year fof mortality experience since the beginning of the pandemic, what does it tell us about deaths worldwide and in Australia? And how might future morbidity and mortality be impacted?

3 CPD Points

Product Sustainability Working Group: Retail Advised Lump Sum Product Sustainability Final Report

0 CPD Points

Disability Income An International Comparison

3 CPD Points

The Future of Life Insurance

The Actuaries Institute has today released the fifth paper in its thought leadership series *The Dialogue - leading the conversation. Ilan Leas discusses the future of the Australian life insurance industry and sets out a range of ideas for government and industry that suggest how life insurance could adapt to meet increasingly demanding consumer needs and expectations of the future.

3 CPD Points

Genetics – A Testing Time for Insurers?

The Actuaries Institute has today released the second paper in its thought leadership series The Dialogue - leading the conversation. Written by two senior actuaries, Alan Doble and Jessica Chen, Genetics - a testing time for Insurers? considers the implications of genetic testing on life insurance.

3 CPD Points

Adviser Retirement Methodology Survey Results

The Actuaries Institute Retirement Incomes Working Group (RIWG) arranged a survey of financial planners as part of its research program into the methodologies adopted by advisers in providing financial advice, particularly in a retirement incomes context. The objectives of the Institute are firstly, to understand the industry and current advice processes, and secondly, if possible to contribute constructively to the development of tools and processes which may be of assistance to planners and their clients.

3 CPD Points

Developing The Risk Appetite Framework Of A Life Insurance Business

It is important for businesses to have a well-articulated Risk Appetite Framework to ensure they have considered the risks associated with their business plans, and have the resources to mitigate these risks should they arise.

2 CPD Points

Financial Advice Reform and Help, Guidance and Advice

A Discussion Paper proposing a principles-based framework to make financial support more accessible and trustworthy for all Australians.

0 CPD Points

Australia’s Retirement Income System Public Policy Statement

Australia's retirement income system is sound but has scope for improvement. This Public Policy Statement highlights the Actuaries Institute's positions on pensions, superannuation, and voluntary savings to enhance retiree outcomes.

1 CPD Point

Group Insurance in Superannuation Public Policy Statement

This Statement highlights key public policy positions of the Institute on group insurance in superannuation, promoting stronger governance, simpler products and fairer outcomes for Australians.

2 CPD Points

Complementing the Standard Risk Measure: Framing Super as an Investment for Retirement

A Discussion Paper introducing a new long-term investment risk measure for superannuation.

2 CPD Points

Housing in Australia: Financial Journeys Through Affordability, Retirement and Climate Challenges

A paper presented to the joint conference hosted by ABS and RBA examining Australia's dual housing challenges and their impact.

3 CPD Points

Superannuation Tax Reform: Sensible Changes for a Fairer System

In Superannuation Tax Reform: Sensible Changes for a Fairer System, actuaries Richard Dunn, Michael Rice, Jennifer Shaw and Alun Stevens set out their vision for meaningful tax reform that aims to make super simpler to invest, easier to spend and fairer with bequests.

2 CPD Points

More Than Just a Roof - Changing the Narrative on the Role of the Home

While more than 80% of people currently aged 65 to 74 live in their own home, many of these ‘asset rich cash poor’ retirees are living more frugally than they need to. In "More Than Just a Roof: Changing the Narrative on the Role of the Home", Andrew Boal argues that we should reconsider the role of the home as a fourth pillar of our retirement income system.

2 CPD Points

Retirement Matters

Australia currently has about four million retirees, with another 670,000 people intending to retire in the next five years. <i>Retirement Matters<\i>, a Dialogue Paper written by actuaries Andrew Gale and Stephen Huppert, argues that the time for Australia to reimagine retirement is now.

2 CPD Points

Uplifting Superannuation Risk-Based Capital Management

The Actuaries Institute has released its latest Research Paper, titled Uplifting Superannuation Risk-Based Capital Management. This Research Paper aims to assist superannuation trustees uplift their approach to risk-based capital management by providing a framework and practical examples.

3 CPD Points

A Framework to ‘Maximise’ Retirement Income

This Dialogue explores how superannuation trustees may need to approach any quantitative requirements and analysis in order to satisfy Australia’s new Retirement Income Covenant legislation from 1 July 2022. In particular, we focus on a cohort that represents ‘middle Australia’ when entering retirement.

3 CPD Points

Gender Inequality in Retirement Savings

3 CPD Points

Developing the Retirement Income Framework

This paper sets out considerations for the advice that we believe to be required by members, suggesting how it can be provided affordably, and the products that should be offered. Obstacles to the development of an appropriate framework include some reluctance to change, the risks that trustees will be blamed when some members are worse off, and the possibility of lack of take-up and being left with loss making products.

0 CPD Points

The Importance of Accurate Life Expectancy Calculations in Retirement Advice

3 CPD Points

Options for an Improved and Integrated System of Retirement

In this Report, the Actuaries Institute urges the Federal Government to give broad scope to its pending review of Australia’s retirement system, to better integrate the Age Pension, superannuation and aged care.

3 CPD Points

Exploring Retiree Mortality

As part of our thought-leadership series, the Institute has released a new research paper Exploring Retiree Mortality. The paper calls for the development of mortality tables for purchasers of annuities and other guaranteed income products. There is currently a shortage of such data because Australians have preferred to take products such as Account-Based Pensions, where there is no longevity protection.

3 CPD Points

Retirement Readiness - A Comparative Analysis of Australia, the United Kingdom & the United States

A recent survey — conducted jointly by the American Academy of Actuaries, the Actuaries Institute of Australia, and the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (U.K.) — uncovered some interesting findings about how residents in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia are (or are not) preparing for their retirement years.

2 CPD Points

Housing in Australia: Financial Journeys Through Affordability, Retirement and Climate Challenges

A paper presented to the joint conference hosted by ABS and RBA examining Australia's dual housing challenges and their impact.

1 CPD Point

Climate Change Public Policy Statement

This Statement highlights key public policy positions of the Institute relating to climate change.

2 CPD Points

Funding Costs for Floods: Affordability, Availability and Public Policy Solutions

This Report examines riverine flood risk alone and outlines a package of short, medium, and long-term policy measures that should be considered by governments, insurers, and other stakeholders to reduce affordability stress for households who are also facing the highest risk.

3 CPD Points

The Impact of Climate Change on Mortality and Retirement Incomes in Australia

In its latest Dialogue paper, authors Dr Ramona Meyricke, Senior Actuary at TAL, and Rafal Chomik, Senior Research Fellow at the Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research, discuss wide-ranging implications of climate change on mortality, superannuation contributions and retirement incomes.

3 CPD Points

When Sydney Becomes an Inland Sea, We’ll Need the Pool

The underlying cause of potential flood losses, inappropriate development, needs to be addressed as a priority. Government needs to mitigate the risk of flood through measures such as revising current building codes, building or improving dams and levees, re-location of high risk properties, and renovations to existing buildings and infrastructure. Every dollar spent in mitigation can save many dollars in future loss payments.