An online survey of 200 risk advisers conducted by Beaton Research and Consulting found that 94.5 per cent of advisers are feeling “considerably more positive about the long-term viability of their practice” compared to December 2012.
But when it came to the regulatory environment, only 26.5 per cent of advisers said they were feeling positive – while just under half (49.5 per cent) indicated negative sentiment.
Zurich Life and Investments general manager, retail Philip Kewin said 2013 was seen as a “year of fatigue” by the industry – particularly when it came to FOFA, the federal election and interest rates.
“Advisers are feeling more positive than they have for quite some time, and will enter 2014 with more energy and more optimism about the future of our industry and their roles as professionals and as business owners,” said Mr Kewin.
There is a “strong sense” within the industry that the Coalition government will bring with it a degree of stability and certainty, he added.
The overall sentiment score for December 2013 was calculated as 5.04 out of seven, up from 4.89 in December 2012.
A range of measures increased over the year, including ‘consumer demand for advised life insurance’, sales volumes, likely sales volumes for the next quarter, and ‘the long-term viability of their practice’.
The long-term viability of advisers’ practices scored the highest rating at 6.27 (up six per cent from December 2012), while advisers’ opinion of the current regulatory environment scored the lowest rating at 3.5 (down two per cent).
