Meet our team: Dominique Autard

What was the career path that led you to your role today?    

I’ve been in life insurance for around 30 years, working across companies both in Australia and overseas. I learned the business on the job, moving through underwriting, governance and strategy.  

Early in my career, I focused on understanding risk, claims and member needs, which gave me a strong foundation. After a period of consulting and contracting, I joined TAL in 2019. What drew me to TAL was the opportunity to make a real difference for members by shaping the underwriting strategy and contributing to outcomes that matter. 

I oversee group underwriting and operations, balancing risk management with fairness and portfolio sustainability. For me, it’s about ensuring the business is sustainable while members feel supported and confident in their cover. 

How does TAL make underwriting decisions in a world of increasing awareness of mental health? 

Underwriting at TAL is both an art and a science. We use evidence-based guidelines, claims experience and portfolio data to make decisions that are fair and sustainable.  

With mental health and TPD claims on the rise, our approach is to assess severity rather than applying blanket exclusions. Mental health isn’t as easily measurable as physical conditions, so we look at the evidence, such as the member’s treatment history and risk factors, to make an appropriate underwriting decision. Our goal is to get it right the first time.  

While Mental health remains an important focus for TAL, the Life Code Compliance Committee (LCCC) recently released its Own Motion Inquiry (OMI) Report into Mental Health and Life Insurance Commitments. As a proud subscriber to the Life Code, TAL was one of six insurers to participate in the review and has engaged closely with the LCCC throughout the process. The report does not name any individual insurers with findings reflecting an aggregated industry view.  

Members can be confident their applications will be assessed fairly when applying for cover. Mental health disclosures are assessed in the context of each member’s circumstances, history and condition severity following evidence-based guidelines. TAL does not apply blanket mental health exclusions to any of our on-sale products. At the same time, the industry overall has opportunities to improve how metal health data is collected and used to support better outcomes. 

In addition, we're working together as a united product, pricing, claims management, underwriting, and partnership team—to strengthen our approach to TPD. Like many insurers, we're experiencing challenges with a growing volume of TPD claims, particularly for Mental Health. To address this, we're carefully considering measures and provisions that will help ensure we can continue providing affordable, reliable TPD cover to your members for years to come.  These changes reflect our commitment to balancing competitive premiums with sustainable coverage, protecting both your members' interests and the long-term viability of this important protection.

How is member behaviour shaping the underwriting process?  

Over the years, we have observed a distinct shift in member preferences, with a clear move away from paper applications toward digital channels. Despite offering members a choice of application methods, digital has become the dominant channel, with an average of over 90% of applications now being submitted digitally. This transition reflects broader consumer expectations for convenience and speed in today's digital-first environment. 

Members today are more informed and assertive. They research conditions, ask detailed questions and understand their rights. That means our communication has to be clear, sensitive and transparent. Addressing concerns early and explaining our decisions builds trust and reduces unnecessary complaints. 

To improve both accuracy and the member experience, we’ve refined our question sets, automated routine decisions and shifted from interrogation-style medical questions to more conversational interactions.  

These changes have also driven a significant increase in straight-through processing (STP) rates, which have grown from 37% in January 2023 to 52% in August 2025 across the portfolio. STP allows us to handle more cases automatically while ensuring efficiency, accuracy and a smoother experience for members. 

How is TAL using AI, machine learning and genetic information in underwriting? 

We’re rolling out our refreshed Underwriting QA Assistant (an AI and machine learning model) to review past decisions, identify inconsistencies and improve accuracy. My goal is to integrate AI into the front end so decisions are quality-checked before members see them. As I like to say, it’s “digital first, human when it matters.” That helps drive efficiency without losing the human judgment needed in sensitive cases. 

Regarding genetics, we don’t ask members directly about tests. We use family history to assess risk and adjust premiums if necessary, but we never penalise members for predispositions. Positive results can even improve outcomes, all while aligning with legislation and protecting member interests. 

What differentiates TAL in group insurance, and what initiatives excite you most? 

TAL’s scale and service set us apart. We have Australia’s largest group underwriting team and group portfolio, which lets us respond quickly and interact meaningfully with members. Digital solutions can be replicated, but the quality of human service is our differentiator. We also ensure our super fund partners’ brands are represented with care, while building trust through consistent and transparent interactions. 

Looking ahead, we’re focused on continuous improvement: reducing complaints, enhancing digital efficiency and making sure members feel heard, supported and confident in their cover. Positive experiences strengthen the relationship with their fund and encourage member retention.