ASIC to review PI
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) is set to review the professional indemnity insurance regime and how it is working in the financial planning space.
The regulator's review of the regime was announced by ASIC deputy chairman, Peter Kell, during a Money Management breakfast focused on the efficacy of the professional indemnity insurance regime and the operations of the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) on Thursday.
Kell told the breakfast that ASIC would be taking a closer look at PI in coming months in circumstances where it believed industry licensing standards were too low and needed to be raised.
He pointed out that the regulator had already indicated in its submission to the Financial Systems Inquiry that it believed an argument existed for the establishment of a last resort compensation and that professional indemnity insurance would then act to complement such a scheme.
The Financial Ombudsman Service chief ombudsman, Shane Tregellis had earlier told the breakfast that he believed that financial services product manufacturers should be required to contribute to the cost of such a last resort scheme, not just financial planning firms.
Recommended for you
AMP has agreed in principle to settle an advice and insurance class action that commenced in 2020 related to historic commission payment activity.
Financial advisers will have to pay around $10.4 million of the impending $47.3 million CSLR special levy but Treasury has expanded the remit to also include super fund trustees and other retail-facing sub-sectors.
While social media can have positive financial influence, the overwhelming risks signal a greater need for affordable advice as Australians continue to seek financial education on social media.
Fitzpatricks Advice Partners has released a guide on building a national advice firm with the argument that these firms are crucial to facilitating growth in the struggling profession.

