The Insurance Commission Page Most Financial Planning Websites Are Missing

04 October 2026·5 min read

Quick answer: Most financial planning websites now have a page explaining advice fees, but almost none explain insurance commissions — what they are, how they're calculated, and what the client isn't separately charged for as a result. That gap looks like something being hidden, even when nothing is. A short, plain page covering it builds trust precisely because so few competitors bother to write one. ✨

Fee transparency has had its moment in financial planning content — most practices now have a page breaking down advice fees, and plenty cover platform and investment fees too. But ask a client to explain how their adviser gets paid on a life insurance or income protection policy, and most would guess "I don't know, maybe nothing?" That's the gap. We don't love admin either 💖, but this is one of the few content gaps left where writing one honest page puts you ahead of almost everyone else in the room.

What most financial planning websites get wrong

The usual pattern is a thorough fees page that covers advice fees and sometimes platform fees, then total silence on insurance. Clients are left to either ask directly (awkward, and most won't) or assume the worst. The irony is that commission-based insurance remuneration is already heavily regulated and disclosed in the Statement of Advice anyway — so there's nothing left to protect by staying quiet on the website. The silence creates more suspicion than the actual commission structure would.

The insurance commission page structure:

Open with the plain-English answer: "When we recommend a life insurance, income protection, TPD or trauma policy, the insurer may pay us a commission as part of how the policy is priced. This is separate from any advice fee we charge you directly."
Explain what it means for the client's cost: whether commission replaces a separate advice fee for that piece of advice, reduces it, or sits alongside it.
Note where the detail actually lives: "The exact commission structure for your specific recommendation is disclosed in your Statement of Advice" — this keeps the page general and compliant rather than quoting figures that change by insurer and product.
Address the obvious question directly: "Does this affect which insurer we recommend?" with an honest answer about your process for comparing options regardless of commission.

Please note: general information, not financial advice — commission structures, disclosure requirements and what you can say publicly about remuneration are governed by current ASIC guidance and your AFSL's compliance requirements, so check both before publishing.

Sole practitioner, risk-heavy client base: A planner whose practice leans heavily on insurance advice for young families added a short commission page after a prospective client asked "so how do you actually get paid on the insurance side?" in a first meeting. She now links to the page before that question comes up, and says it's shortened several first-meeting conversations.

Multi-adviser practice with a fee-for-service model: A practice that prides itself on fee-for-service advice worried a commission page might look inconsistent with that positioning. Their solution was framing: insurance commission is industry-standard and disclosed, and the page simply explains it exists without suggesting it's their preferred remuneration model.

Practice specialising in pre-retirees: A practice with an older client base found insurance commission questions rarely came up directly from clients themselves, but came up often from adult children helping a parent review their affairs. The page became a resource they'd send before a three-way meeting.

How to write and place it

Draft the plain-English explanation first, then have your compliance process (or AFSL) check it before it goes live — this is one page you genuinely can't eyeball yourself.
Link it from your existing fees page, not as a standalone orphan page nobody finds.
Avoid quoting specific commission percentages on the public page; keep those in the Statement of Advice where they belong and can be tailored.
Revisit the wording whenever your AFSL's disclosure requirements or product panel changes.

💡 Transparency doesn't mean oversharing numbers. The goal of this page is to explain that commission exists and how it broadly works, not to publish exact percentages that vary by product and insurer — that detail belongs in the client-specific Statement of Advice, not a public web page.

Mistakes to avoid

Saying nothing at all. Silence on a topic clients can Google reads as evasive, even when the structure is standard and compliant.
Publishing specific percentages. These vary by product and change over time — a public page quoting a number will go out of date and may misstate a client's actual arrangement.
Writing it defensively. A page that reads like an apology invites more scrutiny than a calm, factual one.
Skipping compliance review. This is a genuinely regulated area — don't publish it without your AFSL's sign-off.

Frequently asked questions

Is insurance commission still allowed in Australia?

Commission structures for life insurance advice are permitted but regulated, with specific disclosure requirements — the detail depends on current legislation and your AFSL's policies, so this page should reflect your compliance team's current guidance, not a general assumption.

Does having a commission page make us look worse than fee-only competitors?

Not if it's framed honestly. A clear explanation of a standard, disclosed arrangement generally reads as more trustworthy than silence, even to clients who'd prefer fee-only advice elsewhere.

Do fee-for-service practices need this page too?

If you give any insurance advice at all, yes — even a practice that's largely fee-for-service may still receive insurance commission on risk products, and the page should reflect your actual arrangement.

Who should write the final wording?

Draft it yourself or with a copywriter, but have your AFSL or compliance function approve the final version before publishing — this isn't a page to run on instinct alone.

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Written by

Kate, founder of Chronically Online

I help Gold Coast and Brisbane businesses grow with branding, websites and marketing that actually works.

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