Life Insurance and The Royal Commission

Why NobleOak stands apart in Direct Insurance

The last few days of the Royal Commission, with the focus now on Life Insurers, have been gut wrenching as we’ve heard so much about poor behaviours and selling practices from some of Australia’s well known Direct Life Insurers.

These behaviours include:

• Aggressive outbound selling and breach of anti-hawking provisions
• Unscrupulous sales agents  selling to vulnerable customers
• Major incentives to sales teams to sell and retain customers
• Poor value products being sold to customers

There is more to come to light on these behaviours, and over the next couple of days we will also hear about:

1. Issues regarding group insurance
2. Claims handling and surveillance process concerns (general observations from evidence gathered), and
3. Mental Health related consumer concerns both at claim and also application time

As NobleOak was previously a business partner of one of the Direct Life Insurers already named as being involved in these poor practices, we feel particularly saddened on hearing about these behaviours. While we haven’t worked with this business partner for over 18 months, we know these issues will be quickly addressed. Inevitably we are also reflecting on this previous relationship.

NobleOak – Different model

Within this current turmoil of the Royal Commission, it is important that our clients understand that NobleOak employees work at all times with the strongest possible business focus on Integrity and with the customer at the centre of everything we do.

We do NOT engage in outbound calling or use aggressive sales techniques. We have never breached any anti hawking provisions and never will.

We only offer high quality fully underwritten products that our customers can rely on and we proudly stand by the Industry-recognised awards which we have won.

We continually train and engage with our staff to ensure our business processes are simple and also that we keep our clients well informed every step along the way. We will always treat our customers with respect and we firmly believe in the products we offer.

We live by the mantra of genuinely putting our clients first and foremost.

Our primary aim at NobleOak and our reason for being, is to deliver Life Insurance protection to Australians the way it should be done.

We are always working on getting better at this every day and the Royal Commission only strengthens our resolve to do so.

We are proud of the NobleOak ethos. It reflects our friendly society DNA.

Important industry

Life Insurance continues to be so important to Australians. Across our full Life Insurance industry, the total claims paid during 2016 were in excess of $9 billion (source – The Risk Store). This grew significantly from $7 billion which was paid in 2015.

Future

The future remains very bright for Life Insurance in Australia and NobleOak remains determined to maintain and deliver our fully underwritten and award winning products directly to all Australians.

Providing Life Insurance direct to clients provides them with a very valuable option and NobleOak is unique.  The outcomes from the Royal Commission will ensure our customers have greater confidence in the Life Insurance industry in Australia, which has been tarnished by these revelations of unscrupulous behaviour.

This can’t come soon enough.