The questions people actually ring us about.

An excess is the amount you contribute towards a claim. You pay it once the claim is accepted, usually by having it deducted from the settlement or paying it to the repairer. Choosing a higher excess lowers your premium, and choosing a lower one raises it. Some claims attract more than one excess, for example a basic excess plus an age excess on a motor claim.

Flood is included as standard on our home, contents and landlord policies, using the standard definition of flood set out in the Insurance Contracts Regulations. It is not sold back to you as an extra. On some properties well outside a flood zone you can choose to remove it for a lower premium, and if you do we will show you the exact reduction before you buy.

The Product Disclosure Statement sets out exactly what is covered, what is excluded, and the limits and excesses that apply. The Target Market Determination describes the kind of customer a product has been designed for. You should consider both before deciding whether a product is right for you. Both are linked from every product page and from our PDS and TMD library.

Yes. Every premium we quote is the total amount payable and includes GST, state stamp duty, and where it applies the NSW Emergency Services Levy or the Tasmanian Fire Service Contribution. Your certificate of insurance shows each component separately so you can see what the base premium is.

No. Compulsory Third Party injury insurance is a separate scheme and it works differently in every state and territory. In New South Wales it is a Green Slip you buy before registering. In Victoria it is the TAC charge collected with your rego. In Queensland, the ACT and South Australia it is paid with rego but you nominate the insurer. In Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory it is a single government scheme. Our motor page sets out which applies to you.

You have 21 days from the day your policy starts to change your mind. If you cancel within that period and have not made a claim, you get a full refund of the premium. After the cooling-off period you can still cancel at any time and we refund the unused portion.

Tell us first, on 1300 767 843 or at [email protected], and we will respond within 15 business days. If we have not resolved it to your satisfaction, or 30 calendar days have passed, you can take it to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority at no cost to you. AFCA is on 1800 931 678 or at afca.org.au. We are also bound by the General Insurance Code of Practice, which is monitored by the Code Governance Committee.

When the Insurance Council of Australia declares an insurance catastrophe, we prioritise claims in the affected postcodes, waive the requirement to obtain quotes before make safe work, and hold any policy cancellations for non-payment for 12 months. We will contact you rather than waiting for you to contact us.

The amount you contribute towards a claim. Australian insurers say excess. American ones say deductible. They mean the same thing, and if a site aimed at Australians says deductible, it was written somewhere else.

The maximum we will pay for a section of the policy. On a home building policy it should be the cost to rebuild, not the market value of the property, because the land does not burn down.

The emergency work done immediately after damage to stop it getting worse: tarping a roof, boarding a window, extracting water, isolating power. It happens before assessment and it never requires quotes.

The itemised list of everything needed to put the property back the way it was, prepared by the assessor. You get a copy, and you should read it before you accept a cash settlement.

Taking the amount we would have paid a repairer, in money, and managing the work yourself. It ends our obligation for that damage, so it only makes sense if the scope covers everything.

Compulsory Third Party injury insurance. It covers people, not property, and it works differently in every state. In New South Wales it is a Green Slip bought separately before rego. In Victoria it is the TAC charge on your rego notice.

A discount on motor premiums that builds with each claim-free year. An at-fault claim drops it one step at renewal unless you hold rating one for life, which locks it permanently.

A one page proof that a policy is active, showing the insured, the limits and the period. Landlords, councils and head contractors ask for one, and we issue it the same day.