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Australia’s persistent life underinsurance gap

  • On 24/06/2015
What is the state of Australia’s life underinsurance gap? Rice Warner pioneered the measurement of underinsurance in Australia for the main life insurance coverages – namely life, total and permanent disability (TPD) and income protection benefits. In 2015 we see some closing of the gap, thanks to mandatory superannuation and improved group life insurance policies. […]
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Superannuation myths unbundled

  • On 11/06/2015
Several pervasive myths are obscuring a clear picture of sensible reform in superannuation in Australia today. These myths have created a monumental ball of string that should be unbundled. Once sorted, we should kill off the myths. Otherwise, as Michael Rice observes, Australia will be set up for poor retirement outcomes and superannuation policy driven […]
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Double digit growth drives Australia’s $14 billion risk insurance sector

  • On 27/05/2015
Will strong growth continue? Australia’s risk insurance sector has yielded the recent benefit of two consecutive years of strong, double digit growth, and a combined spike in premium rates. With a market now nudging $14 billion (as measured by annual premium income) all eyes are on the long-term future for the sector. Rice Warner’s annual […]
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Budget 2015 does little to quell age pension uncertainty

  • On 13/05/2015
The lead up to last night’s federal Budget carried industry expectations of a government delivering a far-sighted pension policy barricade against the turbulence of short-termism. However, hopes for a comprehensive package to stabilise Australia’s pension system were not met. What we got instead was a small step in the right direction. Michael Rice was in […]
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How short-termism cruelled a sustainable superannuation taxation policy

  • On 29/04/2015
Fiscal balance sheets looked very different in 2007 when former Treasurer Peter Costello introduced tax-free super to the nation in July that year. The Budget was in surplus, allowing the then Howard government the latitude to hand back taxes (and win voter favour). Soon afterwards, the GFC hit and Australia began a spiral of ever […]
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