Complaints & Dispute Resolution Process
Your Insurance Broker Pty Ltd
Complaints and disputes resolution process
Your Insurance Broker Pty Ltd (Your Insurance Broker) is committed to meeting and exceeding our clients’ expectations whenever possible and would like to know if your expectations have not been met.
What is a complaint: A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction relating to our products, services, staff, or our complaints handling process itself, where a response or resolution is explicitly or implicitly expected. Your complaint may also be in relation to an underwriter.
You are entitled to make a complaint about any aspect of your relationship with Your Insurance Broker or an underwriter including the conduct of agents and authorised representatives. We will attempt in good faith to resolve any complaint/dispute in a fair, transparent and timely manner.
Our complaints process complies with the General Insurance Code of Practice, the Insurance Brokers’ Code of Practice, and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission’s guidelines.
Financial Hardship
Your Insurance Broker and the underwriter will review any financial hardship application in accordance with Part 10 of the General Insurance Code of Practice and any other applicable guidelines.
Complaints Process
What to do if you have a complaint
Complaints should be referred by either email or mail to:
T: 1300 139 931
M: P O Box 1444, Caloundra 4551
To enable us to assist you with your complaint the following information may need to be provided:
- Name, address, email and telephone number of the policyholder;
- Policy number, claim number and product type;
- Name of the underwriter;
- An explanation of your complaint and details of what resolution you are seeking; and
- Any additional documentation that will assist us in addressing your complaint appropriately.
How we will initially handle your complaint
Stage 1 – Acknowledgement of Your Complaint
Your Insurance Broker will promptly acknowledge receipt of your complaint and provide information about our internal dispute resolution process and timeframes within one (1) business day. Complaints will be handled by a person with the appropriate authority, knowledge, and experience. This will not be the person whose decision or conduct is what your complaint is about. We will advise the name and contact details of the person responsible for handling your complaint.
If your complaint involves an underwriter, we will notify them of your complaint within one (1) business day.
We will keep you informed about the progress of your complaint at least every ten (10) business days, unless it is resolved earlier, or you agree to a different timeframe.
You have the right to lodge your complaint with the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) at any time. Full details about AFCA are provided at the end of this document.
Stage 2 – Internal Dispute Resolution
When considering your complaint, we will only ask for, and rely on, information that is relevant to our decision.
If it is identified that we have made a mistake when handling your complaint, then we will take action to correct the mistake.
We will make a decision about your complaint within thirty (30) calendar days. If we cannot make our decision within this timeframe, then before this deadline passes, we will tell you, in writing, the reasons for the delay, your right to take your complaint to AFCA, and your right to report alleged breaches of the Code to the Insurance Brokers Code Compliance Committee (IBCCC).
When we have made a final decision about your complaint, we will respond to you in writing. Our written response to you will include the reasons for our decision and inform you of your right to AFCA if you are not satisfied with our decision. We will provide you with timeframe in which you are able to lodge your complaint.
We will give you information that we relied on when making a decision about your complaint within ten (10) business days of you asking for that information. We will comply with the Principles of the Privacy Act 1988 when providing this information to you.
Stage 3 – External Dispute Resolution
We are part of an independent external dispute resolution scheme administered by the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA). The scheme is free of charge for customers and third parties as allowed under its rules.
You can take your complaint to AFCA at any time and if we do not resolve your complaint within thirty (30) calendar days after we first received your complaint.
Under AFCA’s rules, your complaint may be referred back to us if it has not gone through our complaints process. AFCA’s decisions are binding on us in the way set out in its rules. If AFCA tells you that under its rules it cannot assist you or consider your dispute, then you can seek independent legal advice. You can also access any other external dispute resolution or other options that may be available to you.
Contact details for AFCA
Australian Financial Complaints Authority
T: 1800 931 678
M: GPO Box 3, Melbourne 3001