At Acenda, we value our partnerships and are committed to working with and supporting your advisers.
We continuously focus on improving our business efficiency and processes. Our aim is to ensure your advisers can deliver the best possible experience for your clients.
Design and Distribution Obligations for complaints and significant dealings
About the changes
From 5 October 2021, product issuers and distributors across many financial product categories – including life insurance – are subject to a new Design and Distribution Obligations (DDO) regime.
The DDO regime ensures financial products are designed for and distributed to the right people. It imposes new and significant obligations on both product issuers and distributors.
As part of this change, we have developed several Target Market Determinations (TMDs) that define and describe the intended target market for our products. For more information and to see the full list of TMDs, please visit our Target Market Determination page.
To make sure we continue to meet our obligations under the regime, licensees may report on complaints or notify us of any significant dealings inconsistent with the TMD. This can be done through a webform query. See the table below for links to these forms.
Obligation
More details
Notify the issuer of any complaints received during a calendar quarter relating to product design
To set up a new licensee with Acenda, please email licensee.enquiries@mlcinsurance.com.au. On receiving your enquiry, we will send you the Application for Licensee Setup form and relevant documentation.
As part of our Due Diligence process, a member of our Retail Distribution Governance Team will then be in touch to discuss the details of the application (once received).
If operating under a general or hybrid structure, additional obligations will apply under the Design and Distribution Obligations (DDO), effective 5 October 2021. If this applies to your AFSL, you will be required to confirm your reasonable steps approach through our Reasonable Steps questionnaire, which we will email to you.
Advisers without an existing SB Adviser Code must register online.
To help with the processing of the online registration form, please ensure:
The Authorised Representative Certificate is uploaded with the form
The mobile phone number of advisers is provided to ensure they can access the Acenda Adviser Portal
Please note: It is Acenda policy that only advisers authorised in both life insurance products and superannuation can receive an Adviser code. Codes will not be provided if advisers are not authorised in both areas.
If the adviser has restrictions relating to SMSF, please confirm whether the licensee authorises them to provide insurance advice through SMSF.
What to include in the transfer email request if an adviser is changing licensee:
Adviser and licensee contact details
Adviser/practice code (SB Number)
Release letter
Appointment certificate
Attach a document listing the licensee authorised signatories
When advisers transfer between licensees and all clients are transferred, depending on the circumstances, their Adviser Code (SB number) remains the same. If a new code is required, please include in the email request as well and this can be done together with the transfer
If a book of business is being transferred to a new adviser, please advise if the original adviser has ceased and the code should be closed upon successful transfer.
If the licensee wishes to remove servicing adviser from a group of clients a letter from the licensee is required requesting removal of the adviser from all policies and to cease any remuneration going forward. Please note, if we are not advised of the new servicing adviser, policies will be classed as orphaned.
Please note: it is Acenda’s policy to check the authorisation of advisers when policies/clients/books of business are requesting to be transferred. We are unable to process requests if advisers are not suitably authorised.
