To inquire and report on the insurance industry's response to the 2010/2011 extreme weather events around Australia, specifically examining:
- The claims processing arrangements:
a. Information - whether consumers were given accurate and useful information by insurers about their right to make a claim,
if they made a claim, the progress of that claim and their right to external dispute resolution.
b. Timeframes - The time taken to process claims by the insurance industry and whether these timeframes were reasonable (by event and region).
c. External parties - The engagement of third party experts and external consultants by the industry, including hydrologists and law firms, and the impact of these external parties on claims processing.
d. Internal Dispute Resolution - Whether industry IDR processes were effective and undertaken in a timely manner.
e. Code of Practice - The effectiveness of the insurance industry's Code of Practice.
- The conduct of external dispute resolution processes for claims arising from the 2010/2011 extreme weather events, including:
a. The effectiveness of dispute resolution within the Financial Ombudsman Service.
b. Barriers to participation in external dispute resolution for consumers.
c. The impact of free legal advice on people's access to external dispute resolution (including assistance
provided by Legal Aid services and community legal centres).
For further information, contact: Committee Secretary
House of Representatives Standing Committee on
Social Policy and Legal Affairs
PO Box 6021
Parliament House
CANBERRA ACT 2600
AUSTRALIA
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