moneyblog

Unhappy Valley - The Recruitment Trap for Advisers

Russell Hutchinson — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:44:00 +1300

I've spoken with so many advisers that have tried 'incremental' recruitment, because it is seemingly low risk - who have subsequently been baffled by the poor results. It's a well known phenomenon, and it's because you simply cannot change from...

Sovereign and The Warehouse

Russell Hutchinson — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:34:05 +1300

So, some advisers are upset with Sovereign for offering their product through the Warehouse, which the Warehouse is discounting.(refer to this piece by Benn Bathgate, over at Goodreturns). Sovereign is defending the decision saying simply - anyone can do it,...

Cavalcade of Risk 149

Russell Hutchinson — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:43:17 +1300

The folks at The Notwithstandingblog have run the recent Cavalcade, which they have used a great format for. Here is a sample: Which of the following behaviours of financial advisors correlates with the lowest risk of defrauding investors? a) Claiming...

Introducing Kerry Wood

Kelly Pulham — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:16:26 +1300

Kerry Wood is now working with us to offer sales leadership consulting. Kerry has successfully built large sales teams at Quicken and at Fletcher Healthy Homes and is now ready to help advisers that want to move beyond the 'Sorcerer...

Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (CFT)

Russell Hutchinson — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:21:00 +1300

If this all seems rather distant and unecessary, then ponder this story, which alleges that New Zealand companies have been implicated in the export of arms from North Korea. Goodness knows where they were going or what they were going...

The Evolution of Social Media Law

Kelly Pulham — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:44:32 +1300

The Risk Management Monitor has this: "We’ve spent a lot of time — both on this blog and in our magazine — trying to better educate risk managers about the risks of social media. The long and the short of...

Out of date...when it was written

Russell Hutchinson — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:28:00 +1300

Heh. The Statistics Department has this page as an introduction to the insurance industry, and it includes such gems as: "The life insurance market is dominated by AMP, National Mutual, Colonial Mutual, and by New Zealand Insurance Life,..." To be...

Bringing the Orphan Client in from the Cold

Russell Hutchinson — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 09:42:07 +1300

This article at LifeHealthPro offers a series of good suggestions for financial advisers that receive 'orphan policyholders' or which purchase books of business and need to think of ways to engage with clients that have no personal relationship with the...

What Makes A Difference In Underwriting?

Russell Hutchinson — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:25:53 +1300

There is a fashion for high non-medical limits in New Zealand. I've had two underwriters in the last couple of months tell me that reinsurers say that our non-medical triggers for additional tests are high compared to other countries, although...

The Insurance Guaranty Association System: A Safety Net for Policyholders

Kelly Pulham — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:27:22 +1300

The state-based insurance guaranty association system provides a safety net to provide benefits, subject to statutory restrictions, to policyholders of impaired and failed insurance companies. This article describes how it works. Read full article here.

Financial Bloggers Workshop

Russell Hutchinson — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 09:27:00 +1300

I am by no means the last word on the subject, but I am happy to share with any current or budding blogger in the financial services space, and the risk space in particular, what I have learned over five...

Half of all Britons are Injured by their Biscuits

Russell Hutchinson — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 05:45:35 +1300

Danger lurks everywhere, including in the humble biscuit for morning tea: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/6153518/Crumbs-half-of-Britons-injured-by-their-biscuits-on-coffee-break-survey-reveals.html Goodness know how the poms would cope if they stepped up to the deadly meat pie beloved of so many kiwis.

Choice in Healthcare - what happens when funding is up someone else...

Russell Hutchinson — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 08:39:00 +1300

I think this is an important story about choice in healthcare. Take 2 minutes to read it - if only to feel grateful that it isn't you facing this situation. Whoever is paying the bills ends up making a decision...

So, Gareth...

Russell Hutchinson — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:53:40 +1300

...sure, let's be fair, it's the flavour of untruth we have all told. At a delicate point in negotiations, perhaps, and governed by a confidentiality agreement, almost certainly, a pesky journalist comes along and asks you if the rumours are...

SOPA / PIPA Protests

Russell Hutchinson — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:51:30 +1300

As a producer of intellectual property I am all for it's protection. I am not happy about SOPA / PIPA as these tools are very heavy handed, hard to operate, and the costs of the consequences are likely to be...

Selling Through Employers

Russell Hutchinson — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:09:00 +1300

My last piece on goodreturns is all about selling through employers.

Ten Best Business Insurance Commercials

Russell Hutchinson — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:27:48 +1300

The folks at business insurance quotes have selected these gems of advertisements for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy.

Attitudes to Risk, Quality, and Compliance

Russell Hutchinson — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 09:07:00 +1300

During a good discussion about how to approach the cultural aspects of compliance we had a look at the models which show how staff attitudes affect risk and compliance. The process runs something like this: Leadership and staff attitudes, which...

Compliance Confusion

Russell Hutchinson — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:22:55 +1300

It seems you need some quite advanced legal training to be able to tell whether an adviser has actually given you any advice and done it within the law. My colleague here, Alan Rafe, has recently sorted out some car...

Quotemonster 700

Russell Hutchinson — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:31:50 +1300

www.quotemonster.co.nz passed 700 users today. Go and check it out - our product research is coming to that site soon.