AIA has been named Best Insurer at Super Review’s Super Fund of the Year Awards following an assessment of claims management, market credentials, readiness for upcoming legislative and regulatory change, technology support and trustee services
The Heron judging panel pointed to the insurer’s 90 per cent success rate for claimants returning to work following an occupational rehabilitation program, which was well above industry average of 60 per cent.
Chief group insurance officer, Stephanie Phillips, said given 60 per cent of claims staff were allied health professionals and 17 were rehab consultants, outperformance was embedded into the team.
“All the staff are really trained to have those positive conversations,” she said.
The panel noted the insurer sought to make a difference in customers’ life, health and wellness through its strong focus on member engagement with life insurance and breadth of coverage.
Phillips said the goal was to create a wellness focus, which she said was important in terms of the vitality proposition.
“Rehabilitation is part of that … so it’s about saying, “there is hope, and rehab is part of that hope”. It’s part of saying ‘life’s not over, it’s just changed’ and having positive conversations around that.”
AIA’s detailed customer analytics, propensity modelling and claims experience reporting was also a driving factor behind the insurer’s category win.
The panel referred to the insurer’s ability to leverage its capabilities and assist trustees in their decision-making on insurance as a feature that placed them above fellow finalists Hannover, MetLife, MLC Life Insurance, OnePath and TAL.
The profit-to-member super fund’s MySuper default option has returned 9.85 per cent for the financial year 2024–25.
Colonial First State (CFS) has announced solid double-digit returns for its MySuper balanced and growth equivalent funds during the financial year.
The super fund’s Future Saver High Growth option delivered an 11.9 per cent return for the financial year 2024–25, on the back of a diversified portfolio and actively managed investment strategy.
HESTA has delivered a 10.18 per cent return for its MySuper Balanced Growth option in the 2024–25 financial year, marking the third consecutive year of returns above 9 per cent for the $80 billion industry fund’s default investment strategy.