Financial Rights provides consumer advice about insurance issues via the Insurance Law Service and our many self-help tools on the Financial Rights website. We also provide insights and guidance to industry, by participating in sector conferences and events. Our participation challenges industry to raise the bar, by offering insights on pain points caused by industry behaviour and practices.
Our Director of Advice, Erin Mulally, was part of a panel discussion at the Australian Insurance Law Association’s (AILA) 2026 Queensland Intensive in June on an issue close to our hearts – how the insurance industry can develop to build stronger, more meaningful connections with customers.
Remarkably for a panel consisting of consumer lawyers, underwriters and brokers there was a high degree of consensus on the role of insurers. The importance of making an effort to really understand the consumer claim – and to allow the claimant to speak to a live person – was agreed to be critically important.
The panel had a lively discussion on supporting people experiencing vulnerability. Financial Rights prioritises assisting people with insurance disputes who are experiencing vulnerability – be it financial distress, living with or caring for someone with a major health issue, experiencing family violence, or just trying to navigate life in the aftermath of a large-scale, extreme weather event. We know first hand that a one size fits all approach to helping clients experiencing vulnerability does not work. The right approaches and supports, tailored to the individual, will depend on the needs of that claimant.
The importance of ensuring clear communication – within the allowed timeframes – is critical to ensuring a consumer is treated fairly and kept engaged. The panel heard about the importance of keep a claimant up to date, even when the claim itself has not progressed. Consumers should receive explanations from their insurer as to why there are delays, particularly in the aftermath of a catastrophe.
In the weeks since the panel discussion, the Insurance Council of Australia has opened consultation process on its proposed revision of the General Insurance Code of Practice –the baseline for most insurer-consumer relationships. As Erin highlighted, Financial Rights supports mandating an obligation for insurers to take care with customers experiencing vulnerability and to carefully consider customers financial hardship requests.
Thank you to ALIA for the opportunity to share some of the insights from the Insurance Law Service, and to the other panel members for an engaging discussion - CEO of the Underwriting Agencies Council, Adriana Giometti, Head of Marketing for HDI Global and Gareth Carpenter, Chief Commercial Officer for Network Insurance House.
