Australia’s largest life insurer TAL, today confirmed its training and education initiative, the TAL Risk Academy (the Academy), is receiving record applications as more financial advisers seek ongoing high quality professional education.
Recently launched after 18 months in development, the Academy combines existing training courses with a number of new additions, resulting in a comprehensive range of programs for financial advisers at every stage of their career.
According to Niall McConville, TAL General Manager Retail Distribution, TAL created the Academy in response to requests from financial advisers looking to upgrade their skills, and as a way of supporting the provision of high quality advice – which TAL sees as central to the sustainability of the life insurance industry.
“A recent CoreData Risk Research study found that more than two thirds of advisers intend to embark on further professional development, so we knew there was a strong demand for this kind of high quality and targeted course,” he said.
The Academy offers three programs:
- – The Essential Program, aimed at new advisers and support staff and focused on the operational aspects of insurance and client management;
- – The Advice Program, offering more advanced client and insurance strategies, including the technical expertise necessary to implement them; and
- – The Masters Program*, designed to advance thinking and strategy.
Academy courses and materials were developed in-house by TAL and are accredited by the Association of Financial Advisers (AFA) with 34 points of continuous professional development (CPD) available.
“As Australia’s largest life insurer, TAL is cognisant of its responsibility to play a leadership role in the industry. We take our role as an industry leader seriously and have a long and proud history of partnering with financial advisers to provide consumers with invaluable life insurance products and service. Higher professional standards benefit everyone; advisers, their clients and the industry as a whole.
“The launch of TAL’s Risk Academy is just one way we will continue to support advisers to provide better life insurance advice and products to Australians, in order to deliver better consumer outcomes,” he said.
