Banking costs highest in retail finance

If trail commission payments are any guide, mortgage brokers speak for only 23 per cent of home loans, a pretty low market share for this noisy banking industry participant.

Research by Rice Warner put trail commission payments to brokers at A$281 million in 2013. It put upfront brokerage payments at $437 million.

It assumed these commissions were 0.60 per cent up front and the 20 basis point trail, on the initial loan value.

The average person paid $688 in mortgage fees last year, Rice Warner said.

The figures were included in Rice Warner's first Ongoing Fees in Financial Services report.

Rice Warner said that "every year Australians pay ongoing fees of $3.4 billion to financial advisors and brokers for a broad range of everyday household financial services,"

The consultancy did not measure other retail banking fees, a field covered by the RBA.

Life insurance took $404, non-super investments $546 and retail super $170.