Financial hardship

If you're in a situation where you wish to maintain your insurance cover but are struggling with premium payments, please contact our Customer Service team at 1300 553 764. Our team is ready to guide you through available options that may make your insurance payments more manageable.

We might be able to assist by:

• Providing access to certain features of your cover to help with affordability
• Helping you make adjustments to your current policy or switch to a different policy type
• Exploring what payment options are available to lower your premium

To support your application for financial hardship, you may need to submit relevant documentation to support your hardship application.

All policies include a grace period or a period of extended cover in case you miss a premium payment. Typically, your insurance protection remains active for up to 60 days after a missed payment, though this can vary based on the specific conditions of your individual policy.

It's important to remember that certain options may not be available to every customer, especially when your insurance policy is within your superannuation fund.

We recognise that you might be anxious when making a claim, particularly when you're facing urgent financial needs. Our dedicated claims managers are here to guide you through the process and assist you in several ways, including:

• Helping you understand what's expected from you during the claim process
• Assisting you in filling out the necessary claim forms
• Guiding you on gathering the required information for your claim. We could also collect this information on your behalf, with your consent, to speed up the process.

In the event that you require immediate access to benefits for a condition covered by your policy, we will review your request promptly. Documentation supporting the urgency may be requested for verification purposes.

What happens after you file a claim?

Within 5 business days of receiving all the required evidence, we aim to inform you of the support we can provide. This may include:

• Fast-tracking the assessment and decision on your claim, and/or
• Providing an advance on your claim payment

Should you be unhappy with the outcome or the way your claim was handled, you have the option to file a complaint.

For those with cover under a group policy as part of their superannuation, we will guide you on who to contact regarding any urgent need for benefits. Please be aware that access to benefits under group policies may have certain limitations. We urge you to get in touch with us as early as possible for any help you might need with your claim.

If you're experiencing financial difficulties and need help and support. Beyond reaching out to us, the following organisations can offer additional support and guidance:

National Debt Helpline provides a non-profit service with free, impartial, and confidential financial counselling to assist individuals in managing their debt.

Lifeline offers round-the-clock crisis assistance and suicide prevention services. You can contact them at 13 11 14.

Beyond Blue offers various support programs aimed at addressing depression, suicide, anxiety, and other mental health-related issues.

Moneysmart, an initiative by ASIC, offers practical advice and online tools to help you enhance your financial well-being.

1800RESPECT is a free service available 24/7, providing support for those affected by domestic, family, or sexual violence. Reach them at 1800 737 732.

Life Insurance Code of Practice

You can read the Code of Practice or find out more about it on the Council of Australian Life Insurers (CALI) website. Access to superannuation benefits is limited by law. If your policy is held through a superannuation fund, you should contact the trustee directly as they may have other means of assisting you with financial hardship.