Okay. Good morning, everybody. It's now 10:00 A.M. So, I'm Geoff Black, Chairman of ClearView Wealth Limited. I would like to welcome you to the 2023 Annual General Meeting. Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea, and community. We pay our respects to elders, past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders peoples today. If we experience any technical issues today, we will communicate with registered participants on how they access the meeting again. As a quorum is present, I will now declare the meeting and the poll open. I would like to introduce our directors who have joined us today: ClearView's Managing Director, Nadine Gooderick, Gary Burg, Edward Fabrizio, and Jennifer Lyon.
Unfortunately, Michael Alscher and Nathanial Thomson are unable to join us today. I would also like to welcome Judilyn Beaumont, our General Counsel and Company Secretary, other members of the executive leadership team, and Louise Burns from EY, our auditors. Voting at today's meeting will be conducted in person and via the online platform managed by Computershare. Returning Officer, Paul Latinsky, is with us today. For those attending virtually and entitled to vote at today's meeting, please log in to the Online Voting Portal as provided in the Notice of Meeting and Online Voting Guide. Voting on all resolutions today will be conducted by way of a poll. To allow everybody attending, attending our meeting virtually with enough time to vote, I advise that online voting is now open on all resolutions.
If you are eligible to vote at this meeting, please select the Vote icon, and this will bring up a list of resolutions and voting options. To cast your vote, simply select one of the options. There is no need to hit a Submit or Enter button, as the vote is automatically recorded. You will receive a vote confirmation on your screen. You can cast and change your vote on all resolutions up until the time I declare voting closed. I welcome your questions and advise that Judilyn Beaumont, our Company Secretary, will monitor the Q&A function on the webinar. We will attend to questions after all resolutions have been read out. Online attendees can submit questions at any time. Please note that while you can submit questions at any time, I will not address them until later in the meeting.
To submit a question, please select the Q&A icon and type your question in the text box. Once finished, please hit the Send button. To ask a verbal question, please follow the instructions written below the broadcast window. Questions may be moderated or combined if there are multiple questions on the same topic. When asking your questions in person, please wait until you have the microphone before asking your question so that online attendees can also hear. Please identify yourself as a shareholder or visitor, or, if applicable, who you represent, and also advise which item of business your question relates to. I will then determine whether the question is appropriate for me as Chairman, the auditor, or Nadine as Managing Director, to answer.
The notice of this meeting was given to shareholders in accordance with the Corporations Act, and I therefore take the Notice of Meeting and the Resolutions as read. The agenda for today's meeting is set out on the slide shown on the screen. I will deliver my address before handing over to Nadine. I will then answer. I will then address the items of business, after which I will answer any questions. Once again, on behalf of the board, welcome to ClearView's 2023 Annual General Meeting . It's great to see a few familiar faces as well as a number of new shareholders. A lot has happened at ClearView since the AGM last year, and I'm delighted to report that it's generally been very positive, despite the uncertainty created by the geopolitical environment and tensions relating to Ukraine, the Middle East, and the U.S.
Thankfully, to date, Australia has managed to avoid direct impacts, and despite higher inflation and increasing interest rates, employment retention continues to be resilient. However, it is increasingly likely that inflation and interest rates will be higher for longer, and we need to manage the business accordingly. Notwithstanding, the long-term factors, including population growth, household wealth, and high debt levels, are expected to help us in sustained premium growth. Pleasingly, ClearView has seen a material increase in business over year. Our lapse experience continues to be within expectation, and we have experienced no noticeable increase in claims. This has continued to be the case in the first three months of FY 2024. For ClearView, an increased awareness of heightened risk in an environment of continued strong employment encourages consumers to seek and retain life insurance cover. Importantly, for customers, benefits are also indexed to inflation.
ClearView continues to monitor and work closely with customers and their advisors to ensure that they maintain their cover even in difficult times. Over the past three years, the business has undertaken a major transformation across every aspect of the organization, including technology, organization structure, people capability, customer service, product, risk management, financial reporting, and culture. Our focus on service has continued, and we have a clear strategy to enhance support to customers and advisors as we deliver further benefits from our transformation program. Importantly, we have been laser-focused on executing on strategy and creating a culture of accountability to ensure we achieve the benefits we expect to be derived from this program. While we have more to deliver on our transformation program, I'm delighted to say we are now seeing the benefits of our effort, and the board and I are really excited about the future of ClearView.
During FY 2023, ClearView saw a continuation of the momentum coming out of FY 2022 as we shifted our focus to growth. New business life premium was up 25% on FY 2022 at AUD 25.2 million. Gross premium was up 9% at AUD 325 million. Underlying NPAT for the life business was up 38% at AUD 40.4 million, at an underlying margin of 12.4%. The life new business premium volumes continue to demonstrate the strong support from advisors for ClearView ClearChoice as a sustainable product. This is further evidenced by our market share of new business, which increased to 9% during the year. The in-force growth was driven by a well-structured premium rate review and an unerring focus on customer retention.
Our investment in claims management capability is continuing to reap rewards as we gain produced experience profits, and we are beginning to see the operational efficiencies from our investment in technology. The first three months of FY 2024 has seen a continuation of the momentum, with new business sales up 67% on the same period last year at AUD 9.2 million. This momentum has the business on the right trajectory to achieve the 2026 objectives we disclosed to the market. To continue the strong growth outlook, we need a strong, disciplined approach to risk management and product management capability, and we've invested heavily in these areas over the past two years. We have also strengthened our cybersecurity capability through a combination of IT infrastructure investment and staff education and training.
Looking ahead, FY 2024 will bring the introduction of the new accounting standard, IFRS 17. The standard does not change the underlying economics of life insurance, but the increased granularity of reporting and change profit recognition features mean it is likely we will see more volatility in financial reporting. During the year, we announced our intention to exit direct management of wealth and to sell the mass managed investment business to investment management and technology company, Human Financial, for a consideration of AUD 1.3 million and the acquisition of 40% interest in Human Financial. ClearView and Human Financial have now entered into an agreement to vary the sale agreement, whereby ClearView will receive consideration of AUD 5 million and will no longer be acquiring a 40% interest in Human Financial as part of the transaction.
The decision was taken after considerable analysis and research, and we ultimately believe ClearView's future is best served focusing on life insurance. The exit is progressing, and we expect to finalize the process in FY 2024. It should be noted, the complexity of regulation, legal structures, and complex products has seen this process take a little longer than planned, but on completion, ClearView will be a much simpler and focused organization. Over the course of the past year, and notwithstanding the fact we announced the completion of our strategic review last November, we receive expressions of interest for the business from time to time. No offers have been received at indicative price ranges that reflect value, as perceived by the independent directors or our largest shareholder.
The board's view is that the current share price does not reflect full value of ClearView, particularly given the strong sales momentum, material profit growth over the past twelve months, and our financial 2026 targets recently disclosed. ClearView publishes its embedded value under a range of discount rates to assist shareholders in thinking about underlying value. The excellent financial result and strong capital position enabled the board to increase the dividend from AUD 0.02- AUD 0.03 per share this year. This was slightly above the midpoint of the target payout range of 40%-60% of underlying NPAT. This approach is consistent with the board position in seeking to pay dividends at sustainable levels, with consideration being given to an interim dividend. One of the most important actions the board undertook in FY 2023 was to appoint a new CEO, following Simon Swanson's notice of retirement.
This is one of the most critical decisions a board will make. I'm delighted at how Nadine's first 100 days has gone, as she has transitioned seamlessly into her role, bringing her own style and approach to the business. Nadine's focus on operational excellence, her vision for ClearView, and the speed at which she has communicated and commenced implementing her strategy, has positioned the company to succeed. I would like to thank Simon for the foundation he created over 12 years of leadership through a challenging period. Building ClearView to being a material player in the life insurance industry is a great achievement, of which Simon should be very proud. His supportive and dignified approach to the CEO transition is acknowledged and appreciated. During the year, we were saddened by the sudden death of Susie Young shortly after retiring from the board.
Susie served on the main board, a number of subsidiary boards, and chaired the Nomination and Remuneration Committee and Audit Committee. Her significant contribution across the business from both a strategic and governance perspective was valued by both fellow directors and executives. I would like to acknowledge that contribution and thank her for her services. The board continually reviews its capability and skills requirements, and I'm delighted that Eddie Fabrizio joined the board in June 2023. Eddie's deep life insurance knowledge, and actuarial skills and experience have already had a positive impact as chair of the Audit Committee, particularly as we implement the IFRS 17 accounting standard. I would also like to acknowledge the contribution of directors of the subsidiary companies, and in particular, the directors of ClearView Life Nominees, the trustee of the ClearView Superannuation Fund.
ClearView's decision to exit Wealth has significantly increased their workload, and I would like to thank them for their efforts. I would like to thank my fellow directors for their contribution during the year, and for the significant additional work undertaken outside regular meetings. Also, to Nadine, the executive team, and all ClearView staff who have stepped up, your contribution is acknowledged and appreciated. As a final word, before handing over to Nadine, the business is in great shape and going from strength to strength. We have a sound strategy and a really strong, motivated team ready to execute their plan. Thank you. I will now hand over to Nadine to give the managing director's address.
Thanks, Geoff. Good morning, everyone. It's my pleasure to be here today at ClearView's AGM, my first as the group's managing director. Since stepping into the role on July 1, I have experienced many firsts. In July, I hosted my first leadership offsite, where I detailed ClearView's refreshed business plan and strategic priorities to around 50 of our key leaders. In August, I had the privilege of announcing ClearView's strong financial year 2023 result, a testament to the many talented and hardworking people inside this great organization. On that note, I'd like to acknowledge and welcome members of ClearView's executive leadership team and the board to today's AGM. I'd also like to thank you for your support, particularly over the last 6 months. It has made my transition to managing director seamless.
ClearView is now a business dedicated to protecting the wealth and lifestyles of Australians and their families by providing high quality, fit-for-purpose life insurance solutions. ClearView is a unique company for many reasons, including its collaborative, customer-centric culture. We understand that we have a critical role to play in helping Australians when they are at their most vulnerable, and we embrace this ethos in serving our customers every day. The group's transformation journey has led to a simplified business that is focused on becoming one of Australia's key life insurance companies, and driving improvements across the core life insurance functions as we strive towards our goal of providing life insurance to as many Australians as possible. Our commitment to this mission is reinforced in ClearView's refreshed three-year plan, which is built on the four pillars of protect, optimize, diversify, and explore.
We are focused on protecting and optimizing our existing position as a dynamic challenger in the life insurance market, while looking for opportunities to grow, extend our relationships, and diversify our revenue and risk. Longer term, we recognize that to achieve our financial year 26 targets, we must remain curious about our customers and business partners, and explore opportunities beyond our existing channels to help more Australians get the protection and peace of mind that they deserve. Despite the industry's broad sustainability challenges, ClearView has remained profitable year after year, most recently reporting a 41% increase in group underlying NPAT for the year to June 30, 2023. We punch above our weight in terms of new business market share, and since inception, the business has only ever had two managing directors. I am the second behind the group's founder, Simon Swanson.
It is now my job to lead this business into its next exciting phase of growth. With the backing of a supportive board and buoyed by improving market conditions, ClearView is strongly positioned to execute its refreshed strategy and capture opportunities arising from regulatory and structural change. We have made significant progress through the multi-year transformation program, which commenced in 2019, and proceeded through the COVID-19 years, and we continue to invest for the long term, including through the rollout of our new policy administration system. As part of that program, ClearView successfully launched its flagship product series, ClearView ClearChoice, and new underwriting rules engine. Over the past three years, we have strengthened our risk, compliance, and governance framework, and undertaken a number of corporate social responsibility initiatives.
Our environmental, social, and governance highlights for the year include offering our customers holistic rehabilitation support to empower them to return to life and work. We've also launched ClearView's Lifeline Australia Scholarship Program, which provides a number of employees with paid community service leave of up to 92 hours a year to volunteer with Lifeline, and we continue to support our employees in caring for their mental wellbeing. Already, the benefits of our investment in people, processes, and technology are starting to flow through as we increase scalability of our operations to future-proof the business. We continue to closely monitor this progress as we balance the pace of our growth with our ability to maintain service, to drive sustainable, profitable performance.
Looking ahead, we will leverage our data insights to ensure that we stay at the forefront of product development, underwriting, and claims management to maintain a stable, sustainable portfolio. As an industry and nation, we must do more to address the unmet advice and life insurance needs of Australians. We are hopeful that recommendations contained in the Quality of Advice Report will be implemented by the government and create opportunities for life insurers to better support financial advisors and our customers. Making it easier for product providers to answer common questions would enable advisors to focus on helping those with more complex needs, while fostering greater trust, transparency, and engagement between insurers and customers. To that end, ClearView is a proud member of the Council of Australian Life Insurers, CALI, which was recently established to advocate for national policy setting that expand access to life insurance protection.
ClearView played an important role in the formation of CALI, and members of our leadership team participate in various CALI committees and working groups. As Geoff mentioned, we're also progressing with the divestment of our wealth management business. The wealth management business consists of two parts: superannuation and managed investment, and significant progress has been made in working through both of these divestments. In accordance with our continuous disclosure obligations, we will provide an update on the wealth exit as soon as we are able. Before handing back to Geoff to complete the formalities and close the meeting, I'd like to touch on current performance. As previously mentioned, we have had a step change in new business flows for the last five months. Our lapse experience continues to be within expectation, and we continue to have stable claims.
I announced to the market two weeks ago that our new business for the first quarter is AUD 9.2 million, which is a 67% increase over the prior corresponding period. The team is focused on maintaining our service to customers and working together to ensure that our new clients have a great experience with ClearView. It's been a busy first quarter in the managing director role, and I'm very excited about where the business is heading. The team at ClearView is committed to working together to achieve our goals and continue to ensure that our customers are at the heart of all that we do every day. Thank you very much for your support. Thank you. I'm going to hand back to Geoff.
Thanks, Nadine. The first item of ordinary business is to receive and consider the Financial Statements, Directors' Report, and the Auditors' Report for the financial year ended June 30, 2023. There is no resolution; however, the item of business gives shareholders and their proxies the opportunity to ask questions and make comments on the Business, its Management, and Financial Statements . Shareholders and their proxies may also ask questions of our auditor in relation to the conduct of the audit, the preparation and content of the Auditor's Report, the accounting policies adopted by the company, and the independence of the auditor. As mentioned earlier, Louise Burns, representing our auditors, EY, is here today and will be available to answer questions.
The company's Financial Statements for the year ended 30 June 2023, the Directors' Repor t, and the Auditor's Report were distributed to shareholders and are also available on our website. A summary of the resolutions to be dealt with during today's meeting appears on the next slide. Resolution 1 is to consider and adopt the Remuneration Report for the year ended June 30, 2023. Shareholders are reminded that the poll is open, and you can vote at any time. Proxy votes are outlined on the screen, and I intend to vote all undirected proxies in favor of all resolutions. I will now hand over to Gary Burg, as the following resolutions relate to the re-election of directors, including myself.
Thank you, Geoff. Geoff Black and Jenny Lyon both retire and stand for re-election today. Eddie Fabrizio, who was appointed to fill a casual vacancy on June 28th, 2023 , also stands for election. Directors' details and experience are included in the Annual Report, Notice of Meeting , and on the ClearView website. Each of the directors, other than the directors standing for election, recommends the re-election of Geoff and Jenny and the election of Eddie. Resolution Two is to consider, and if thought fit, approve the election of Geoff Black, who retires as a director by rotation under the Constitution. Proxy votes are outlined on the screen. Yep. We got that there. Resolution Three is to consider, and if thought fit, approve the election of Jennifer Lyon, who retires as a director by rotation under the Constitution. Proxy votes are outlined on the screen. Yep.
Resolution Four is to consider, and if thought fit, approve the election of Edward Fabrizio, who was appointed to fill a casual vacancy on the of June 28th, 2023. Awesome. Proxy votes are outlined on the screen. I'll now hand back to the chairman.
Thanks, Gary. Resolution Five is to consider, and if thought fit, approve the granting of termination benefits to employee participants in the company's long-term variable remuneration plan, as set out in the Notice of Meeting and Explanatory Statement. Proxy votes are outlined on the screen. Resolution Six is to consider, and if thought fit, approve the ClearView Limited Rights Plan, including the maximum number of rights that may be issued for the purposes of Listing Rule 7.2, Exception 13, and for all other purposes. Proxy votes are outlined on the screen. Resolution Seven is to consider, and if thought fit, approve the appointment of Ernst & Young as the company's auditors. Proxy votes are outlined on the screen. That concludes the resolutions, and I will now take questions from attendees in the room and respond to any that have been submitted online.
Are there any questions from the floor or online? As there are no questions, I will give shareholders one final opportunity to cast their vote, as the poll will be closing shortly. That completes the items of business for today, and I advise that voting will now close on all resolutions. For those attendees in the room, please would you hand your completed voting paper to the Returning Officer? I will now close the meeting. We will announce the results of the poll to the ASX later today. Thank you for your attendance. The board appreciates you taking the time to participate in our hybrid AGM and hope you and your family and loved ones stay safe and well.