We recognise that everyone’s situation and needs are different. Family and domestic violence takes many different forms, not just of physical violence. It can also include, but is not limited to:
- emotional abuse
- financial/economic abuse
- psychological abuse
- coercive control
- elder abuse
- sexual abuse
- threats of abuse
- damage to property and animals
This Policy outlines how we can help you if you’re affected by family and domestic violence and your situation affects your ability to access or control your insurance options.
About this Policy
We’re committed to supporting and treating all our customers with empathy, compassion and respect.
We may not always be able to identify someone affected by family and domestic violence, so please contact us on 1300 476 030 when it’s safe to do so. We may be able to direct you to additional support and services.
Our commitment to you
Your safety is our top priority.
If you’re affected by family and domestic violence, we will offer the following assistance:
| Communication options | We’ll explore safe, alternative ways to communicate with you, using your preferred method at a mutually suitable time and date and record the support you require. Your preferred method will be applied across all your policies with us. |
| Collecting information | You don’t have to repeatedly disclose your family and domestic violence situation. Wherever possible, we’ll minimise the amount of information we request from you. We understand you may not have access to your personal information, records and documents, so we’ll consider alternative ways to validate your information and establish your identity (note, there are times when we are required by law to confirm your identity. This is a requirement under Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Rules Instrument 2007 (No.1)). |
| Extra support | If you prefer, we can direct our communications and documents to a nominated support person. They may be your financial counsellor, lawyer, community services or social worker, legal aid officer, family violence specialist or any other services.
If you require an interpreter, please call 13 14 50. |
| Financial hardship | If you’re also experiencing financial hardship, we’ll discuss our flexible support options to help you stay covered. In the event of a claim, we may be able to assist by prioritising your claim or making an advance payment where appropriate. |
| Privacy | We protect your right to privacy in line with our privacy policy. We’ll make sure any information relating to your situation is treated with care and sensitivity, ensuring it remains confidential (under the Privacy Act). |
| Referral | If you would like us to, we can also help you get in touch with an external family violence or financial hardship service, or other support services. |
| Beneficiary nominations | If you’re the policy owner, we’ll assist you if you need to change your beneficiary nomination(s). |
| Claims | We’ll do what we can to minimise the impact your situation has on your claim. We’ll be flexible and sensitive in our approach to your claim and provide you with additional support. This may include obtaining information on your behalf, minimising the information we request from you or prioritising your claim. |
| Product design | When designing or making changes to our products, services and processes, whether through upgrades or obligations, we’ll consider the potential impacts and implications our products, services, and processes may have on someone experiencing family and domestic violence. |
Our commitment to help our people help you
Our staff are trained to treat you with dignity, respect and compassion, no matter what you’re going through.
We make sure our staff receive regular role-appropriate training and reference documents to help them recognise signs of family and domestic violence and offer appropriate support (e.g. referral to any family and domestic violence support services). We’ll regularly review the training and reference documents to ensure they remain up to date.
We’re committed to increasing awareness and creating a supportive workplace, providing internal guidelines and services (appropriate debriefing and counselling) for staff who may be impacted directly by family and domestic violence or distressed after assisting a customer affected by family and domestic violence.
If you have a complaint about our organisation, related to our products, services, staff or the handling of a complaint, we’d like the opportunity to put it right.
We consider the impact of family and domestic violence and financial abuse when prioritising complaints to ensure timely and appropriate responses.
You can access information about the complaint management process online here.
Next review date
We’ll regularly monitor our Family and Domestic Violence Policy and review this Policy at least every three years from the date of publication or earlier if there are changes to laws, regulations or guides that would necessitate it being reviewed earlier.