The insurer revealed in July that it was restructuring the way advisers were paid.

Chief sales officer Kerry Boielle said the upfront commission paid would increase slightly but trail amounts would fall. Advisers would receive a set amount each year per life insured, rather than a percentage of premium.

Boielle said this week that, six months on, it was “pretty early days” for the new model but advisers had reacted pragmatically and understood why the change was made.

She said it was in their interests, too, that the health insurer was able to manage its costs.

“We’ve continued to see really good support from the advisers we deal with. They are the ones faced with delivering premium increases to clients each year so they know the long-term sustainability piece.”

She said the adviser channel had grown 20% year-on-year, despite the structure change, and had outperformed in 2019.

She said advisers who worked with Southern Cross tended to be those who were focused on customers rather than what they were paid.

“As a not-for-profit, that’s who we appeal to. It’s been a fairly well understood and well accepted change.”

She said Southern Cross was focused on working closely with advisers as they worked through all the changes happening in the industry.

It would take a proactive approach, she said, rather than waiting to see what happened. “We are highly committed to the channel, trying to get close to advisers, more than we have in the past. There is so much change and disruption going on, we want to partner and work with them.”