Terms & Conditions

Terms of Business

Lowe Financial Group ACN 064 756 216 Authorised Representative No. 1 of G & G Personal Insurance Advisers Pty Ltd ACN 669752694 AFSL No. 559715 (we, us, our).

The following terms of business (Terms) apply to all Services provided by us to you and any of your related entities. By agreeing to proceed with our engagement, you agree to be bound by these Terms.

1. Our Services

We may provide you with the following Services during the course of our relationship:

a. providing you with financial product advice, which may include Personal Advice as described in our Consent to enter into an Ongoing Fee Arrangement (Consent to enter into an OFA) or as otherwise agreed with you;

b. arranging for a Service Provider to provide Services in connection with your Investments and financial affairs including providing you administrative support in respect of those services and arranging of your payment of fees and or settlement obligations to those Service Providers; and

c. arranging for the execution of transactions in relation to your Investments, including providing instructions to a relevant Service Provider on your behalf.

We can agree changes to our Services by describing the new Services to be provided in any future Consent to Renew an Ongoing Fee Arrangement (Consent to Renew) that you sign. We can also agree changes to Services at any time if we both agree.

Our Services are provided solely for your benefit and may not be relied upon by any other person.

2. Financial services

If we provide you with General Advice, you agree that:

a. that General Advice has been prepared without taking account of your objectives, financial situation or needs;

b. you should, before acting on the advice, consider the appropriateness of it, having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs; and

c. you should obtain and read all relevant information available in respect of any financial products referred to in the General Advice (including, if you are a Retail Client, a Product Disclosure Statement), before making any decision about whether to acquire a financial product that may be the subject of the General Advice.

If we provide you with Personal Advice, you agree that:

d. you have accurately and completely disclosed your investment objectives, financial situation and particular needs (your relevant personal circumstances) to us, in order to assist us to provide you with the Personal Advice;

e. you will promptly notify us of any change in your relevant personal circumstances;

f. if you do not give all the details in relation to your relevant personal circumstances, or fail to promptly notify us of changes in relation to your relevant personal circumstances then our advice could be based on incomplete and/or inaccurate information which could result in our Personal Advice not being appropriate for you.

If we provide ‘execution-only’ type services, these are provided on a ‘no advice’ basis. You are responsible for determining that any investment decision you make is appropriate to your investment objectives, financial situation and particular needs. We are not responsible for any ‘execution-only’ investment decisions and you will be fully responsible for your ‘execution-only’
instructions.

3. Providing us with information and signing documents

In order for us to provide the Services, we will require you to complete and sign documents from time to time. If you don’t, we may not be able to continue to provide the Services.

We also need to ensure that the information we have about you is up to date and accurate. Please notify us promptly if any information you have provided us is, or becomes, untrue, incomplete or inaccurate.

We will rely on the accuracy of all information provided by you, or by others on your behalf, without independently verifying all information so please let us know as soon as there is any change to the information you have provided. We will also rely on instructions provided by you, or any instructions which we reasonably believe to be provided by you.

From time to time we will also need you to complete and sign documents. We will need you to do so promptly, within the timeframe we request, so as to not delay our Services.

Any delay in providing information or documents we have requested may result in us not being able to provide the Services to you or to arrange for others to provide Services to you, or may impact the timing of our Services.

All working papers and other documents produced by us as part of providing the Services will remain our property. Any documentation that we produce for you or information we collect from you will be kept by us for a period of seven (7) years after which it may be destroyed.

You can request a copy of any documentation that we have produced at any time.

4. Joint clients

If we are providing Services to you jointly, we accept instructions both jointly and separately from you unless you tell us that all instructions must be given jointly.

5. Effect of death or incapacity

If you die or become incapacitated whilst you are our client, you authorise your legal personal representative or enduring power of attorney to ratify any actions we take between the date of your death or incapacitation and the date we receive evidence to our satisfaction of your death or incapacitation.

6. Client classification

If you satisfy the tests for being classified as a Wholesale Client under the Corporations Act, in consultation with you we may decide to treat you as a Wholesale Client.

7. Execution only services

Where we provide ‘execution-only’ type services, these services are provided on a ‘no advice’ basis. You are responsible for determining that any investment decision you make is appropriate to your investment objectives, financial situation and particular needs.

8. Fees

You agree to pay us the fees and charges described in our Engagement Letter, Consent to enter into an OFA or in any other document in which we agree our fees and charges on the due dates set out in those documents.

These fees only include amounts payable to us.

There may also be costs from investment managers or administration platforms. These include transactions costs such as share brokerage. Any costs will always be disclosed in our advice to you. Additionally, any once off transaction costs will always be disclosed when relevant to our recommendations.

We can vary our fees by describing the new fee in a Consent to Renew that you sign. We can also agree changes to fees at any time if we both agree.

If you don’t pay amounts due on time, we can charge you an additional amount for our Services equal to interest on the unpaid balances at a rate of 2% above the Westpac Banking Corporation’s indicator 180-day bank bill rate.

9. Set off

All of your payment under these Terms are absolute, free of any right by you to counterclaim or set off and are only satisfied once the payment has cleared.

If you fail to meet any settlement obligations which you have instructed us to incur, for which we have incurred liability on your behalf, you agree that we may sell on your behalf any of your Investments and apply the proceeds to reduce your liability to us or to a third party to whom you own an obligation in connection with the Services.

We may:

a. set off any amount payable to us, or any of our agents, by you against any amount payable by us or any of our agents to you; and

b. withhold any amount payable by us, or any of our agents, to you in satisfaction of any amount payable to us, or any of our agents, by you.

10. People you authorise to give us instructions

You may appoint one or more people as Authorised Persons to receive information about your financial affairs, or give us instructions on your behalf.

Where you appoint an Authorised Person:

a. we may act upon the instructions of any Authorised Person you have appointed at any time;

b. we may restrict an Authorised Person from providing instructions in relation to particular Services; and

c. we may provide information relating to your Investments in response to a request from an Authorised Person; without checking the authority of that Authorised Person to give such instructions or to request such information.

You can revoke an Authorised Person’s authority by telling us in writing.

11. Confidentiality and privacy

Except as provided for in these Terms and our Privacy Policy, we will keep all personal information provided by you including information concerning your financial affairs or Investments
confidential.

However, we are subject to statutory obligations, including reporting obligations, that might include confidential information.

Your personal information may be collected, stored, used or disclosed by us in accordance with our Privacy Policy, which is available at https://lowefinancial.com/privacy-policy/. or you may request a copy by sending an email to info@lowefinancial.com.

By agreeing to these Terms, you consent to the collection, storage, use and disclosure of your personal information in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

12. AI use

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools and technologies to help us deliver our services more efficiently, including for:

  • administrative support including generating file notes;
  • service improvement.

All information processed using AI tools remains subject to our confidentiality, privacy and security obligations. AI-generated outputs are reviewed by appropriately qualified personnel before being relied upon or provided to clients where professional judgment is required.

We do not rely solely on AI to make decisions that materially affect our clients without appropriate human oversight.

13. Limited power to complete documents, give instructions
and appoint service providers

By signing these Terms, you appoint us and each of our employees, officers, and authorised representatives separately as your attorney to:

a. prepare, sign and deliver any document to appoint or change a Service Provider after receiving your instructions to do so;

b. sign any document to give effect to the acquisition, disposal, holding, management or administration of your Investments in accordance with your instructions;

c. communicate, give instructions, or prepare, sign and deliver any document, authorise payments to or via Service Providers, or take any other action reasonably necessary to effect the acquisition, disposal, amendment, renewal or cancellation of Investments in accordance with your instructions; or

d. to give instructions to, enter into contracts or agreements with, another party on your behalf after receiving your instructions to do so.

Any power granted to us under this clause is only to be exercised in connection with the performance of the Services and the administration and management of your Investments in accordance with your instructions.

You acknowledge that anything done on your behalf within the authority of this clause will be treated as if you have done it personally.

You can revoke this authority at any time by telling us in writing.

We will not be responsible for any Loss incurred as a result of any delay or omission in the exercise of the authority under this clause, except where the Loss is caused by our fraud, negligence or dishonesty.

14. Limits on what we are responsible for

To the extent permitted by law and except where caused by our negligence, fraud or dishonesty, we will not be responsible for any Loss incurred by you as a result of:

a. us acting on your instructions or the instructions of an Authorised Person;

b. our failure to act (or refuse to act) on your instructions or the instructions of an Authorised Person, regardless of whether there were any errors in your instructions;

c. anything lawfully done by us, in accordance with these Terms;

d. any event or circumstance which we cannot reasonably control, including failure or problems involving the relevant stock exchange or market operator or failure of electronic or mechanical equipment or communication lines;

e. any delay or interruption in passing on and executing your instructions;

f. any failure or delay by a Service Provider; or

g. our reliance on a document, email or message that we had no reason to believe was not authentic or delays caused by our further investigation of the authenticity of the instructions.

You acknowledge that your Investments are subject to risks of loss because of market, currency, economic, political, business and other events. We do not promise, represent, or guarantee that our advice to you, or the provision of the Services by us or a Service Provider, will achieve a particular rate of return for your Investments.

15. Renewing the Ongoing Fee Agreement

Where you are a Retail Client, we are required by law to ask you to renew any ongoing fee arrangement we have with you each year which we will do by giving you a Consent to Renew.

For the purposes of determining the timeframe for renewing any ongoing fee arrangement each year, the reference day will be the date specified as the reference day in the Consent to enter into an OFA. This means that we will need to obtain your completed Consent to Renew (and renewed consent to deduct fees where applicable), within the period starting 60 days before the reference day and ending 150 days after the reference day. We can vary the reference day for future periods in the Consent to Renew.

16. Stopping our engagement

Our engagement can be stopped by either you or us giving written notice, without impacting our ability to recover all accrued Fees which are due and payable in respect of the period up to and including the termination date.

The law may prohibit us from providing reasons for terminating our engagement.

17. Communicating electronically

We may give you documents (including all disclosure documents we are required to give you) electronically, including via hyperlinks or USBs. If at any stage you wish to receive these documents in hard copy rather than electronically please let us know. We may also ask you to sign documents, including the Consent to enter into an OFA, electronically. You can let us know if you do not want to sign documents in this way.

18. Changing these terms

Except where we need to change these Terms to correct any obvious error or to reflect any change in law, we may change these Terms from time to time by making the updated Terms available on our website and notifying you by email at least 30 days before the changes take effect.

The changes will only apply to you if you continue to use our Services after the changes take effect. If you do not agree to the changes, you may terminate our engagement or negotiate new terms.

19. Governing law

These Terms and our other agreements with you are governed by the laws of the State of Victoria.

20. Meaning of words

In these Terms, the following words have the meaning set out below:

Authorised Person means a person appointed and authorised by you under these Terms.

Corporations Act means the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth).

Fee/Fees has the meaning given to it in clause Section 8, “Fees”.

General Advice has the meaning given to that term pursuant to section 766B(4) of the Corporations Act.

GST has the meaning given to that term pursuant to section 195-1 of A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 (Cth).

Investment means any financial product covered by our Australian Financial Services Licence.

Loss means any claim, action, demand, proceeding, judgment, damage, loss, liability (whether direct or indirect, in tort or contract or breach of statutory duty or otherwise), cost, charge, expense, outgoing, payment, fine, penalty loss or damages (including without limitation consequential loss or damage of any nature whatsoever).

Ongoing Fee Arrangement means the agreement between you and us that sets out the specific details of services we will provide to you and the fees we will charge you, including these Terms and the Consent to enter into an OFA .

Personal Advice means has the meaning given to that term pursuant to section 766B (3) of the Corporations Act.

Retail Client has the meaning given to that term by section 761G of the Corporations Act.

Services means the services as outlined in clause Section 1, “Our Services”.

Service Provider means a service provider other than us (and agents acting on our behalf) who provides services in connection with your Investments from time to time, whether or not we have arranged such relationship with the Service Provider on your behalf.

Wholesale Client has the meaning given to that term by section 761G of the Corporations Act.

you, yours means the individual or entity described in our Engagement Letter or Consent to enter into an OFA.

Website Terms of Use

This website is owned and operated by Lowe Financial Group Pty Ltd ABN 40 064 756 216 Authorised Representative No. 246851 of G & G Personal Insurance Advisers Pty Ltd ABN 59 669 752 694 AFSL 559715 (we or us). By accessing and/or using this website and related services, you agree to these Terms of Use, which include our Privacy Policy (available at www.ggpia.com.au) (Terms). You should review our Privacy Policy and these Terms carefully and immediately cease using our website if you do not agree to these Terms. We may at any time vary these Terms by publishing the varied terms of use on this website.

Accuracy, completeness and timeliness of information

The information on our website is not comprehensive or is it intended to provide a summary of the subject matter covered. While we use all reasonable attempts to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information on our website, to the maximum extent permitted by law, we make no warranty regarding the information on this website. You should monitor any changes to the information contained on this website.

We may, from time to time and without notice, change or add to the website or the information or services described in it. However, we do not undertake to keep the website updated. We are not liable to you or anyone else if errors occur in the information on the website or if that information is not up-to-date.

Linked sites

Our website may contain links to websites operated by third parties. Those links are provided for convenience and may not remain current or may not be maintained. Unless expressly stated otherwise, we do not endorse and are not responsible for the content on those linked websites and have no control over or rights in those linked websites.

We will not be liable for any loss or damage from any cause (including negligence) to any system or website caused by or in connection with the use of or a link to our site, whether directly or indirectly. You must take your own precautions in relation to protecting your system or website from viruses or malfunction. You must also indemnify us from any claims which arises from other people linking this website from or through your system or website.

We cannot and do not guarantee that this website or any links from this website will be free from viruses, or that access to this website or any linked websites will be uninterrupted.

No Advice

Any information is intended to be for general information purposes only and is not intended to be relied upon for the purpose of making an investment decision. The site does not constitute an offer of any financial product or an invitation to buy or sell financial products including securities to any person. Investors should seek independent financial and taxation advice before making any investment decisions.

If you require further information or advice regarding the matters described on this website, please contact your financial adviser.

You should seek professional financial advice as to the implications of financial decisions whether investment decisions or otherwise.

Intellectual property rights

Unless otherwise indicated, we own or license from third parties all rights, title and interest (including copyright, designs, patents, trademarks and other intellectual property rights) in this website and in all of the material (including all text, graphics, logos, audio and software) made available on this website (Content).

Your use of this website and use of and access to any Content does not grant or transfer any rights, title or interest to you in relation to this website or the Content.

Use of this information or any reproduction of it is allowed for personal use only.

To the extent permitted by law, the Content contained on this website may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, or incorporated into any other document or material, without our express permission.

Warranties and disclaimers

To the maximum extent permitted by law, we make no warranties or representations about this website or the Content, including but not limited to warranties or representations that they will be complete, accurate or up-to-date, that access will be uninterrupted or error-free or free from viruses, or that this website will be secure.

We reserve the right to restrict, suspend or terminate without notice your access to this website, any Content, or any feature of this website at any time without notice and we will not be responsible for any loss, cost, damage or liability that may arise as a result.

Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, in no event shall we be liable for any direct and indirect loss, damage, or expense – irrespective of the manner in which it occurs – which may be suffered due to your use of our website and/or the information or materials contained on it (including without limitation, the Content), or as a result of the inaccessibility of this website and/or the fact that certain information or materials contained on it (including without limitation, the Content) are incorrect, incomplete or not up-to-date.

Jurisdiction and governing law

Your use of the website and these Terms are governed by the law of Victoria and you submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts exercising jurisdiction in Victoria.

Miscellaneous

We can unilaterally vary these terms at any time. By accessing or continuing to access this website after we have varied the terms, you will be deemed to have accepted the varied terms. It is therefore important that you review these terms regularly.      

If any term is declared unlawful, void or unenforceable, that term will be deemed severable and will not affect the validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of these terms

Leanne Weston

Client Services Officer

We were delighted to welcome Leanne to our team in late 2023. With an impressive 16 years of experience at MLC under her belt, Leanne’s previous industry experience has facilitated a smooth transition into her role of Client Service Officer at Lowe Financial Group. Leanne excels in delivering friendly and helpful service to our clients. She works diligently alongside Fiona in the areas of New Business and administration, and together, they ensure the exceptional service we deliver to all our clients.

Jack Lowe

Client Services Officer

Following in the family footsteps, Jack joined the LFG team in November of 2022 following successful completion of his VCE studies. Jack has confidently found his place within our team, assisting in the advice preparation process by liaising with clients and insurers alike, ensuring that our files are complete and that they paint a picture of your circumstances accurately – a vital step in allowing LFG to provide you with the tailored and specialised advice we pride ourselves on. Jack is also undertaking a Bachelor of Business at Deakin University and has demonstrated his eagerness to continue to learn and develop.

Fiona Toulis

Client Services Officer

LFG enthusiastically welcomed Fiona to our team in 2023. Joining us as a Client Service Officer, Fiona brings a wealth of experience in customer service from both Australia and New Zealand, enabling her to deliver exceptional levels of service and support to our clients in both New Business and administrative functions. You are likely to hear Fiona’s friendly Kiwi accent if you call into our office, and she’s always willing to assist should you require any information or assistance regarding your risk insurance portfolio.

Sarah Lowe

Operations

Sarah represents the third generation of the Lowe family to join LFG. Upon commencement in the business during 2020, the peak of a global pandemic, Sarah dedicated her time and effort to the delivery of great customer service with her ever-sunny disposition. After graduating with a Bachelor of Business in 2021, Sarah has since used her prior studies and concentrated on overseeing LFG’s business operations, marketing, and social media, along with the training and development of our newest team members. Sarah continues to further her learning, as she is currently undertaking a Graduate Diploma in Financial Planning alongside Ged, demonstrating her commitment to the delivery of positive outcomes for our clients.

Grace O’Neill

Partner & Client Relationship Manager

Grace became part of the LFG team in 2019 and took great pride in becoming a partner in July 2024. Beginning her career providing customer service to our clients, Grace’s role transitioned as she began joining Ged in all client and referral partner meetings, whilst also assisting in the delivery of required outcomes for our clients and business. Grace’s dedication to the company and enthusiasm for the field prompted her to switch her studies from a Bachelor of Legal & Dispute Studies to a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Financial Planning. Additionally, Grace is undergoing her professional year and is enthusiastic about becoming a Risk Adviser once it concludes.

Gerard Lowe

Director

Meet Gerard (Ged) Lowe, a cornerstone of Lowe Financial Group (LFG) since 1988. From beginning work in the industry and business alongside his father, Peter Lowe, Ged has risen to become one of Australia’s leading Risk Insurance Advisers. His extensive knowledge, experience, and dedication to the industry, coupled with his strong relationships with top insurers, enable him to deliver unparalleled advice and tailored insurance solutions for our clients. Ged’s passion for risk insurance is evident in his active participation on advisory councils and his mentorship of the next generation of advisers. Ged continues to be passionate about his work and is currently furthering his education through a Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning at Deakin University to enhance his expertise and continue providing the highest level of service and advice to LFG clients.