Goals-based financial planning – Consider client’s social needs too
The traditional approach to investment focuses on outperforming a benchmark or maximising returns for a given level of risk, or minimising risk for a given level of return. Under this paradigm, investors are assumed to have no emotional biases and only care about optimising their returns. Clients however have specific real-life goals which are not […]
Santam’s ST Insurance Barometer – Risk increase cannot be addressed by merely hiking premiums
Although South Africans believe that insurance provides them with peace at mind, more than half polled in a recent study indicated that affordability was a key barrier to uninsured risks. These were just some of the key findings of the Santam Short-Term Insurance Barometer, South Africa’s first general insurance barometer. The survey specifically measured the […]
SA Motor Body Repair Association Awards – Santam takes top honours
The short-term insurer, Santam, has won the prestigious SA Motor Body Repairers’ Association (SAMBRA), Insurer of the Year award for the second consecutive year. The annual SAMBRA Awards honour top vehicle insurers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), as well as paint and equipment suppliers for their contribution to the sustainability of motor body repairers in […]
Fraud Awareness Week – Tips to prepare for the holiday season
This week marks International Fraud Awareness Week. Several institutions and companies have joined the initiative and are exercising global efforts to minimise the impact of fraud by promoting anti-fraud awareness and education. According to John Burcham, a Certified Compliance and Ethics Professional, it is also a good time to prepare your business for holiday scam […]
Business Writing Skills – Improve your professional image
One of the human traits that set us apart from other animals in general, is our ability to communicate with the use of a language. Humans use various languages which are constantly changing, especially as words are added, but also as the means by which we communicate change. Earlier writing skills are primitive today. Writing […]
Just Retirement survey insights – Dire need for consumer education
According to the “Just Retirement Insights 2019”, guaranteed income in retirement remains the number one preference of South African retirees. The study is a comprehensive review and commentary based on face-to-face interviews with over 520 pre-retirees and retirees. Some of the key findings are: ● 81% of respondents prefer a secure monthly income to cover […]
Financial planning refresher – Upskill and earn relevant CPD hours
Financial planning is not a set of fixed steps to ensure the desired outcome. It evolves over time, and unless you stay abreast of developments, you could end up not complying with your client’s modern-day needs of achieving a comfortable standard of living in retirement. Retirement planning, in many respects, depicts the very essence of […]
ASISA’s investment statistics – Interest bearing portfolios favoured over equities
“The local CIS industry held Assets under management of R2.4 trillion at the end of Sept 2019 across 1592 portfolios. For the past 3 years, investors have firmly favoured interest-bearing portfolios over equities and this trend continued into the 3rd quarter of this year.” This was the gist of ASISA’s statistics for the quarter and […]
Basic business budgeting skills – Learn and earn CPD hours
Financial management can sometimes be both complex and challenging. The Moonstone Business School of Excellence (MBSE) has designed a course that aims to introduce learners to business budgeting and cashflow budgeting. The course, aimed primarily at SMMEs, provides step-by-step guidance so that you are not operating on “a wing and a prayer”, and that you […]
Artificial Intelligence and Robotic Process Automation – Possible impact on insurance industry?
How is the adoption of technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotic Process Automation (RPA) optimising the future growth of the insurance industry? How is it performing against the industry’s regulatory challenges? “While RPA, AI and customer analytics present significant growth opportunities for the insurance sector, the benefits will only manifest if insurers identify […]