FAQs

If you don’t withdraw your whole balance upon becoming eligible to do so, any balance remaining in your Profit-Share account(s) will continue to accrue investment returns. Additionally Profit-Share will accrue on any further premiums you pay.

If you have met the criteria for the release of your Profit-Share Account balance, then you can withdraw some or all of the balance by contacting Member Services on [email protected] and calling 1300 401 436.

If your Profit-Share Plan is a Non-Super Plan, we may request you to nominate the bank details for the account into which you wish your Profit-Share Account balance to be deposited. If your Profit-Share Plan is an SMSF-owned Plan, we may request you to provide the details of the bank account of your SMSF in which we can deposit your Profit-Share Account balance.

If your Profit-Share Plan is owed by PPS Mutual Super Fund, we will request you to submit details of a complying superannuation fund into which we can rollover your Profit-Share Account balance.
Releases usually take 15 business days but may take longer for releases into a complying superannuation fund.

You can withdraw some or all of your Profit-Share Account balance from the earliest of:

• you reaching age 65 (all of your balance can be withdrawn)
• 10 years elapsing from your first Profit-Share Plan commencing (5% of your balance can be withdrawn each year over the next 10 years)
• 20 years elapsing from your first Profit-Share Plan commencing (all of your balance can be withdrawn)
• you pass away, become terminally ill, or receive a full TPD or Trauma benefit payment resulting in all your cover terminating (all of your balance will be paid)
• all your covers expire (all of your balance will be paid)

For payments made during the year the balance of the Profit-Share Account will be adjusted by interim profit share rates (to reflect the operating profits and investment returns between the start of the most recent financial year and the date of death).

The balances of the Profit-Share Account are not guaranteed, and the assignments can be positive or negative in any future year, however the Profit-Share Account balances can never go negative i.e. less than zero.
Also, the Profit-Share Account will lapse if all the insurances on the life of the PPS Mutual Member lapse. At this point, only accessible balances (see question further below) will be paid out. The amount forfeited will be shared amongst the remaining Members as part of the next Profit-Share assignment.

Initially, they are being invested in short term and low risk assets (such as Term Deposits). As the Fund grows, a significant portion of the assets is likely to be invested in longer term assets (such as equities and property trusts) with the aim of achieving higher long-term growth.

There are two circumstances in which we “gross-up” the premiums paid in calculating the Profit-Share assignment:

• First, if you have had premiums waived during the year due to being disabled, then we will include the premiums waived in the premiums a profit-share is based on – our philosophy is not to penalise our Members’ profit share because they have been unfortunate enough to claim.
• Secondly, if you have sacrificed commission which results in a reduced premium for the client (this could be because you operate on a fee for service model) then we will assign profits based on the premium that would have been payable if full commission was paid. This ensures we treat those operating on a fee model and those on a commission model equitably. Also if you are simply receiving a reduced commission the client still gets the full profit-share assignment they would if full commission was paid.

We assign profits on premiums that relate to insurance within the financial year. This will include all premiums paid for monthly premium cases. For annual premiums, it is only the portion in relation to the current financial year that are included. The portion in relation to the next financial year will be included in the next Profit-Share assignment.

We cannot predict what future Profit-Shares will be. These will be based on a number of sources including operating margins, lapse experience and claims experience. The profit-share assignments can be positive or negative and the balance of the Profit-Share Accounts are not guaranteed, however the Profit-Share Account balances can never go negative.

A profit-share is calculated for each Financial Year (1 July to 30 June) based on a number of sources including operating margins, claims experience and investment returns. We expect to announce the profit-share rates and the amount assigned to each Profit-Share Account around 30 September each year.

The profit-share assigned to individual Profit-Share accounts will be based on the Premiums Paid in relation to that Financial Year and Balance of the Profit-Share Account.

The profit-share assignments can be positive or negative and the balance of the Profit-Share Accounts are not guaranteed, however the Profit-Share Account balances can never go negative.

One of the key principles of mutuality is that profits are shared with Members. Like all insurers the premiums we receive are used to pay claims, set up reserves to pay future claims and to cover expenses. What remains is profit. For most life insurance companies these profits would be allocated to shareholders. With PPS Mutual, these profits are shared with Noble Oak and with our Members by way of a Profit-Share Account.

Professional Provident Society Mutual

PPS Mutual is unlike any other company in Australia. We exist solely for the benefit of our Members and PPS Mutual products are only offered to a defined group of professionals. We operate on a mutual model. This means when you take out insurance with us, you become not just a policyholder, but a Member of the company and you share in its ownership.

Our Professionals Choice Life, Trauma, Total & Permanent Disability, Income Protection and Business Insurance Cover insurance products, together with access to our Profit-Share Plan are only available to a defined list of 24 professional occupations. Therefore our insurance products have unique features which have been designed specifically for the professionals that we insure.

We’ve partnered with the world’s largest multi-disciplinary group of professionals, an Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) regulated insurer and one of the world’s largest reinsurers. These partnerships enable PPS Mutual Members to share in the profits generated by the insurance they buy.

PPS Mutual is based on a business model that has been hugely successful throughout the world and in South Africa since the 1940s – PPS South Africa is the country’s biggest Mutual.

Life
Pays a lump sum if you die or if you are terminally ill.

Total & Permanent Disability
Pays a lump sum if you are totally and permanently disabled.

Trauma
Pays a lump sum if you suffer a specified trauma condition such as cancer or a heart attack.

Income Protection
Pays a monthly benefit to help replace your income if you aren’t able to carry out all or part of your occupation due to illness or injury.

Business Expenses
Pays a monthly benefit to replace your fixed business expenses if you’re unable to carry out all or part of your occupation due to illness or injury.

PPS Mutual allows you to structure your insurance via Non-Super or Super.

The structure you choose will influence:

• Who will own your Plan
• The type of insurances and options you can apply for
• How your premiums can be paid; and
• The tax treatment applied to your premiums and benefits

Yes, you are covered under the benefits of your plan for any COVID-19 vaccine related adverse reactions. All claims will be considered subject to the usual requirements of meeting the terms and conditions of your plan benefits.

Non Super
A non-super plan is one that is owned by an individual who may or may not be different from the Life Insured, a company or a Trustee. Only one Life Insured is permitted on each Plan (except in cases where children are insured under the Child Insurance Option). If there is more than one Plan Owner, we will treat them as joint tenants.

The benefits under a non-super plan will be paid to either the Plan Owner or the beneficiaries who have been nominated under the Plan.

Superannuation
If you purchase your insurance through Super, the Plan Owner will be the Trustee of an approved Superannuation fund or SMSF of which you are a Member. Only one Life Insured is permitted on each plan. Not all Insurances or features and options can be applied for within a Super Plan, as detailed further in the PDS.

The benefits paid under a Super Plan will be paid to the trustee of the Super Fund who will then distribute them as per the governing rules of the relevant superannuation fund and superannuation law.

There may be a situation where we will pay a benefit to the superannuation fund however Superannuation law may prevent the release of the benefit by the fund.

By structuring insurance through Super you may be able to take advantage of a range of tax concessions generally not available with insurance outside super. These concessions can make it more affordable to insure through super. However as superannuation law is complex it is important that you receive advice from your financial adviser.

Unlike a company that is listed on a stock exchange, PPS Mutual belongs to its Members and operates under the ethos of mutuality. This means that it does not offer shares on any public stock exchange and answers only to the professional Members it serves. It is operated and maintained for the sole benefit of its professional Members. The unique business model of PPS Mutual offers “ownership” to Members who can exclusively share in the profits of the PPS Mutual products.

When you join PPS Mutual, you get exclusive access to a unique and tailor-made portfolio of insurance benefits as part of our Professionals Choice product – each one created to answer the specific protection needs of a defined group of Australia’s professionals.

And, uniquely in Australia, you also receive a share of the annual profit generated by the PPS Mutual product. After 10 years’ membership you can start to withdraw this money from your ‘Profit-Share Account’.

It’s an approach that’s already proved hugely successful. Some of the world’s biggest and most successful Insurance companies operate on a mutual model as does PPS in South Africa. And we believe it’s time Australia’s professionals were offered a similar chance to benefit from a radical reappraisal of how insurance – and insurance companies – can work.

When you and our other PPS Mutual Members pay your premiums, the money is used to pay claims, to cover our insurer’s expenses and to provide capital reserves for the future. Any surplus generates profits which are shared by PPS Mutual Members.

This profit is retained in a Profit-Share pool within the PPS Mutual Benefit Fund and allocated to your individual Profit-Share Account each year. This Profit-Share pool is invested by the fund and your share of investment returns are added to your Profit-Share Account.

The balances of the Profit-Share Account are not guaranteed and can be effected by, amongst other things, positive and negative investment performance and claims experience.

For most life insurance companies not operating under a mutual model, these profits would simply go to the shareholders of the life insurance company.

The amount of Profit-Share that is allocated to your Profit-Share Account is based on:

• The amount of premiums paid across your insurances under your Plan and
• The current balance of your total Profit-Share Account

The balance of all Profit-Share Accounts will be held in the insurer’s PPS Mutual Benefit Fund and will be invested by the Insurer in accordance with the investment strategy.

Profit-Share Plan holders can access the full amount of their Profit-Share Account from the earliest of:

• The Life Insured reaching age 65
• 20 years after their Profit-Share Plan commenced
• Death or Terminal Illness
• Full TPD or Trauma payment (if no other insurance Plans relating to the Life Insured would otherwise continue)
• Natural expiry of the term of cover of all Plans relating to the Life Insured (if we have restricted the term of these insurances)

Members can start to take withdrawals 10 years after the Profit-Share Plan commenced. They can take up to 5% of the balance of the Profit-Share Account each year. Any percentage amounts not taken carry forward to the following year.

In the event that all the core insurance plans on the same Life Insured as under the Profit-Share Plan are lapsed or cancelled, then the Profit-Share Plan owner is paid out the maximum amount that is available to withdraw.

Membership of PPS Mutual is strictly limited to a defined group of Australian professionals.

To join PPS Mutual you will need to be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident of Australia or a New Zealander with special category visa and be eligible to practise in one of the designated professions shown here or be a previous member of PPS in South Africa.

MEDICAL

Audiologist

An Audiology Australia Accredited Audiologist

Chinese Medicine Practitioner

Registered with the Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board of Australia

Chiropractor

Registered with the Chiropractic Board of Australia

Dentist, Dental Specialist

Registered with the Dental Board of Australia as a Dentist or Dental Specialist

Doctor, GP or Specialist

Registered with the Medical Practitioners Board in any Australian State or Territory

Medical Radiation Practitioner

Registered with the Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia

Occupational Therapist

Registered with the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia

Optometrist

General registration with the Optometry Board of Australia

Osteopath

Registered with the Osteopathy Board of Australia

Pharmacist

Registered with the Pharmacy Board of Australia

Podiatrist

Registered with the Podiatry Board of Australia

Psychologist

General registration with the Psychology Board of Australia

Physiotherapist

Registered with the Physiotherapists Registration Board

Speech Pathologist

A Certified Practising Member of Speech Pathology Australia

Veterinarian

Registered to practise with the Veterinary Registration Board in any Australian State or Territory

INDUSTRIAL

Architect

Registered with the Architects Board in any State or Territory of Australia

Engineer

Accredited as an Engineering Technologist or Professional Engineer of Engineers Australia, Board of Professional Engineers of Queensland or Professionals Australia or a Member / Fellow of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy

Quantity Surveyor

Member or Fellow of the Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors

Surveyors

Registered or licensed with the Surveyors Board in any Australian State or Territory

Town Planner

A Full Member or Registered Planner of the Planning Institute of Australia

COMMERCIAL & LEGAL

Accountant

Current or Prior Member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, CPA Australia or Institute of Public Accountants.

Actuary

Associate Actuary or Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of Australia

Barrister, Solicitor, Judge

Admitted to practice by the Supreme Court of an Australian State or

Territory

Chartered Financial Analyst Charterholders

Registered as a Chartered Financial Analyst Charterholder

You can only join PPS Mutual via one of our Accredited Advisers – an exclusive group of professional Advisers who are licenced to give advice under their own Australian Financial Services Licence or Licencee and fully comply with our strict accreditation rules for the PPS Mutual Professionals Choice product.

Every Accredited Adviser receives formal product training by PPS Mutual in order to ensure that they are fully equipped to give you all the advice and guidance you may need.

Before applying to join via your PPS Mutual Accredited Adviser, please remember that PPS Mutual Membership is reserved for the professionals who meet our eligibility criteria.

Find an Accredited Adviser

You can find a PPS Mutual Accredited Adviser by calling the Member Services Contact Centre on 1300 401 436.

Here are some of the things we are looking for in the Advisers we will offer Accredited Adviser status to:

• Established professional client base
• Strong industry experience (minimum of at least 5 years)
• Member of key industry associations
• No ASIC actions
• Client centric
• Robust practice infrastructure

If you would like to become a PPS Mutual Accredited Adviser please contact Brian Pillemer, our Director of Distribution on

T: 02 8292 2911

E: [email protected]

The PPS Mutual Professionals Choice product is promoted exclusively by PPS Mutual and Financial Advisers accredited by PPS Mutual. PPS Mutual is a specialist risk insurance business. PPS Mutual is a wholly owned subsidiary of PPS Mutual Holding.

PPS Mutual represents Members on certain life insurance matters. These include participating in a working group which recommends to NobleOak how any profit of the product is assigned by NobleOak to Plan owners each year, when the Profit-Share Pool should be used to support some of the insurance risk, and the investment strategy for the assets within the Benefit Fund which support Profit-Share Accounts.

Additionally, PPS Mutual provides services to NobleOak relating to product and business development, distribution support and underwriting of the business. NobleOak pays PPS Mutual fees for providing these services. These fees are limited to amounts necessary for PPS Mutual to recover its costs to maximise the profits relating to the product within NobleOak’s PPS Mutual Benefit Fund, which can be assigned to Profit-Share Accounts. PPS Mutual’s costs include royalty fees to the founding members of PPS Mutual Holding for the establishment of the business and providing the intellectual property.

NobleOak has appointed PPS South Africa to be the administrator of this product. All data will be stored in Australia.

PPS South Africa is a South African mutual financial services company which was formed in 1941 and is the largest mutual in South Africa. PPS South Africa is a specialist administrator of insurance products incorporating a Profit-Share Account. PPS South Africa is also a founding member of PPS Mutual Holding.

NobleOak is the insurer and issuer of this PPS Mutual Professionals Choice product. NobleOak is an Australian life insurer that was established in 1877.
NobleOak is regulated by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) and holds an Australian Financial Services Licence issued by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC). NobleOak is responsible for meeting the terms and conditions of your cover, including the payment of benefits.

NobleOak is a Friendly Society, and business will be written in the PPS Mutual Benefit Fund of NobleOak. The Benefit Fund structure helps facilitate the profit sharing concept included in this product.

Yes, you are covered by your insurance plan across all the benefits. There are no COVID-19 exclusions or restrictions in cover. Any COVID-19 related claim will be considered subject to the usual requirements of meeting the terms and conditions of your plan benefits.

Yes, you are covered under the benefits of your plan for any related adverse reactions to an ATAGI approved vaccine or vaccine trial under the National Immunisation Program. All claims will be considered subject to the usual requirements of meeting the terms and conditions of your plan benefits.

Yes, you are covered by your insurance plan across all the benefits. There are no exclusions or restrictions in cover. Any COVID-19 related claim will be considered subject to the usual requirements of meeting the terms and conditions of your plan benefits.