In this episode of My Risk Adviser, Trent is joined by Neha to unpack what the first quarter of the Professional Year really looks like.

Not the glossy version. The real one.

They cover:

• What the Professional Year actually is, and why it exists
• Why starting your PY later can sometimes be the smarter move
• What changes between Quarter 1, 2, and 3
• Presenting advice under supervision, then on your own
• The reality of client conversations, confidence, and learning on the job
• Passing the adviser exam, first go, and why timing matters

If you’re a student, associate, or thinking about becoming an adviser, this is one of those episodes that gives clarity, not hype.

And if you’re a practice owner thinking about taking on a PY candidate, there’s plenty in here for you too.

Give it a watch. It’s honest, practical, and very real.

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The advice shared on My Risk Adviser is general in nature and does not consider your individual circumstances. My Risk Adviser exists purely for educational purposes and should not be relied upon to make a financial decision.

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A cheap premium in year one can feel like a win. Until you look a few years down the track and realise the price has quietly crept up.

Durational discounting has changed how life insurance is priced, recommended and kept in force. Big upfront discounts make policies easy to sell, but they also build in a loyalty tax that hits clients who do the right thing and stick around.

Phil and Trent talk through why this has become normal practice, how it distorts stepped premiums, and the uncomfortable pressure it puts on advisers to rewrite policies just to stay competitive. It is an industry habit that sounds harmless, but it reshapes trust, sustainability and long-term value in ways we do not talk about enough.

If you work in risk advice, this one will feel very familiar.

Join the My Risk Adviser Facebook community for Australian advisers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/myriskadviser/

The advice shared on My Risk Adviser is general in nature and does not consider your individual circumstances. My Risk Adviser exists purely for educational purposes and should not be relied upon to make a financial decision.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of My Risk Adviser, Phil Thompson and Trent Bacon sit down with Gabi Varnier, National Underwriting Manager at PPS Mutual, to lift the lid on how underwriting decisions are really made. They explore why underwriting is not about saying no, but about finding a way to offer cover, and how experience, judgement and data all come together behind the scenes when complex cases are assessed.

The conversation goes deep on pre assessments, mental health disclosures, lifestyle risks and the importance of trust between advisers and underwriters. Gabi explains why better fact finding upfront leads to better outcomes, how strong adviser relationships lead to smoother assessments, and why underwriting is becoming more individualised rather than more restrictive. It is an honest look at the part of the advice process most clients never see, but that matters more than almost anything else.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.