You can use our letters to write to your creditors, insurers or Ombudsmen. We have several options covering different situations.
Add your own details to customise the letter. None of your data is stored, so your privacy is secure.
To send the letter, you can copy and paste into an email or Word document.
If you have any questions about how or when to use these letters or if you need legal advice or financial counselling before completing a letter, please call 1800 844 949.
Credit, Debt & Banking
- Letter Requesting Documents
- Before using this letter, read our fact sheet about Getting your Loan Documents
- Letter to Bank Cancelling Direct Debit Authority
- Before using this letter read our fact sheet about Direct Debits
- Letter to Business Cancelling a Direct Debit Authority
- Before using this letter read our fact sheet about Direct Debits
- Letter Dealing with Debt Collection
- Use this letter if you are having problems or feel harassed by a creditor or debt collector. Before using this letter, read our fact sheet Dealing with Debt Collection and read the ACCC/ASIC Debt Collection Guidelines.
- Statute barred debts: do not use this sample letter if you think your debt is statute barred.
- Letter to Debt Collector (Old Debts)
- You can use this letter if you are being chased for a very old NSW debt (more than 6 years old) and you do not believe you owe this debt, you have not made any payments for over 6 years or you have not confirmed the debt in writing for over 6 years.
- Before using this letter, read our fact sheet about the Recovery of Old Debts.
- This sample letter is for NSW debts where the 6 years limitations apply.
- Letter Requesting Hardship Variation on a Consumer Loan or Lease
- Before using this letter, read through our Financial Hardship fact sheet and read our Mortgage Stress fact sheet.
- Letter making Offer of Settlement – Where you agree you owe all or part of a debt
- You can use this letter if you want to offer a lump sum settlement or ask for a payment plan. Make sure that your settlement offer covers the entire dispute. This can vary depending on the circumstances. We strongly recommend you get legal advice before using this letter (call us on 1800 844 949).
Insurance
- Letter to the other driver’s Insurer Disputing Amount Claimed
- If you are not insured, read our fact sheet about having a Car Accident when Uninsured.
- If you are insured, get legal advice about whether to claim on your own insurance or deal with the other person’s insurer.
- Insurance Code Complaint
- You can complain to the committee that investigates breaches of the General Insurance Code of Practice. They generally will not step in to fix your problem. This letter is to bring your issue to the committee’s attention, so they are aware of what issues consumers face. You need to read our other resources for information about ways to resolve your claim.
- Letter to Your Insurer Raising a Dispute
- Before using this letter read our Insurance Complaints to AFCA fact sheet.
- You should use this letter if you are disputing a decision that your insurer has made about your claim, or when you don’t believe your claim is being handled properly.
- If the insurer does not respond in 30 days (or 45 for superannuation complaints) you can lodge a dispute with the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA).
- Letter to Insurer Requesting Release from Debt
- You should only use this letter if the following are true:
- You were at fault for the accident and you admit you owe money to the insurer.
- You cannot afford to pay anything to the insurer (if you can afford something, use the Offer to Pay Insurance Debt sample letter instead).
- You can prove that you are in financial hardship, and you have evidence to attach to this letter (if you have no evidence of your financial hardship, you should see a free financial counsellor. Call the National Debt Helpline on call 1800 007 007).
- You should only use this letter if the following are true:
- Letter to Insurer Requesting Documents
- Letter to Insurer Offering to Pay Insurance Debt
- You can use this letter if you want to offer an insurer less than they claim you owe, or if you want to offer to pay by instalments instead of a lump sum. Get legal advice first if you’re not sure if you were at fault, or where you stand.
- If you are not insured, read our fact sheet about having a Car Accident when Uninsured.
- If you are insured, get legal advice about whether to claim on your own insurance or deal with the other person’s insurer.
- Letter to Insurer – Can’t Pay Excess
- Before sending this letter read our Paying Insurance Excess fact sheet.
Other Letters to Download (not automatically generated)
- Letter of Demand
- You can use this letter if you are chasing the at-fault driver to pay for damage to your car
- Insurance Deducting Excess from Damages (other party can’t pay excess)
- You can use this letter if you want someone else’s insurer to pay for damage to your vehicle, but the at-fault person can’t afford the excess. Read our fact sheet about having a Car Accident when Uninsured.
- Insurance Letter Disputing Hire Car Costs
- You can use this letter if you are the at-fault driver and you are being chased to pay someone else’s hire car costs.
- If you are insured, get legal advice first.
- If you are not insured, read our fact sheet about having a Car Accident when Uninsured. You can also read our fact sheet about Courtesy Cars after a car accident.
- Letter to Financial Institution Complaining about a Direct Debit not being Cancelled
- Before sending this letter read our Direct Debits fact sheet.
- Letter to Financial Institution Complaining about a Direct Debit on a Credit Card not being Cancelled
- Before sending this letter read our Direct Debits fact sheet.
- Letter to Financial Institution Complaining about an Unauthorised Transaction
- You can use this letter if you don’t recognise a transaction on your account. Do not delay sending this letter. Read our fact sheet about Reversing Bank Transactions.
- If you believe that the transaction relates to a scam, read our fact sheet about Scams.
- Letter raising Responsible Lending complaint
- You can use this letter if you were given an unaffordable or unsuitable loan. Get legal advice first and read our fact sheet about Responsible Lending.
These letters have been produced with the financial assistance of the Law and Justice Foundation of NSW. The Foundation seeks to advance the fairness and equity of the justice system and to improve access to justice, especially for socially and economically disadvantaged people. http://www.lawfoundation.net.au
Disclaimer: any opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Law and Justice Foundation’s Board of Governors.
