Insurance Law Service

Booby trap in the fine print as industry cops warning

inslaw — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 00:28:42 +0000

Booby trap in the fine print as industry cops warning by Clancy Yeates Brisbane Times 3rd February 2011

Cyclone Yasi is set to highlight another obscure clause buried in insurance policies that allows insurers to avoid paying claims in full when a natural disaster strikes.

North Queensland residents were warned yesterday that sea levels could rise by as much as 1.6 metres when the cyclone hit the coast, causing dangerous waves and flooding some areas.

But several big insurers exclude cover for this type of event, known as a storm surge, from their insurance against cyclones. Read article.

Media Release – A Fair Go in Insurance

inslaw — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:32:02 +0000

Media Release 1st February 2011

Let’s call a flood a flood and give Australians a fair go in insurance

A twelve point plan released today by the country’s leading insurance law experts for households and consumers clearly sets out the current problems with insurance and their solutions, and puts the pressure on the Government to secure some real actions ahead of its meeting with the insurance industry today. Read media release. Read recommendations.

Insurance companies make the rules

inslaw — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 04:05:05 +0000

Insurance companies make the rules The Australian 1st February 2011

By Fiona Guthrie (Executive Director of the Australian Financial Counselling and Credit Reform Association)

What is it with the insurance industry? when the banks increased interest rates above the reserve bank cash rate a few months ago, the government response was savage.

The banking industry was public enemy No 1.. Wayne Swan called bankers greedy bastards, or words to that effect. The Senate announced an inquiry into banking competition and Swan released a wide-ranging reform package. Read article.

Insurance Law Service in the media

inslaw — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 01:33:34 +0000

It never rains but it pours by John Kavanagh Sydney Morning Herald 26th January 2011

The definition of ‘flood’ is likely to cause more pain for victims as they attempt to make insurance claims.

Lawyer Katherine Lane says disputes with insurers over flood claims have already started. Lane, who is the principal solicitor at the New South Wales Consumer Credit Legal Centre, says a colleague at Legal Aid Queensland is dealing with a case where homeowners in Toowoomba have filed a claim for storm damage (which is covered by their policy) but the insurer is saying the damage was caused by flood, which is not covered. Read article.

Flood Insurance Factsheet

inslaw — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 04:55:40 +0000

In response to the recent problems some insureds were having with their flood insurance claims, we’ve completed a factsheet where flood insurance is explained in plain and easy to understand language. Please click on the Factsheets section of our menu or click here for a direct link.

New Sample Letters

inslaw — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 07:24:25 +0000

We are progressively adding more insurance sample letters. Please click on the Sample Letters section of our menu for recent additions.

Unfair contract terms in insurance – tell us your story

admin — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 19:57:43 +0000

Recent changes to Consumer Law in Australia will impose restrictions on Unfair Terms in consumer contracts in every industry except insurance! If you have a story about an unfair term in an insurance contract, send us a brief e-mail to info@insurancelaw.org.au telling us what the term was and how it affected you. Help us convince the government that consumers of insurance should have the same rights as consumers in every other situation.

Please note: advice will not be given in response to an e-mail. If you need advice please call us on 1300 663 464.

New Multi-lingual Information

admin — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 19:57:11 +0000

The Insurance Law Service has two new multi-lingual publications: Car Insurance Matters and Home Insurance Matters, available in Chinese, Arabic, Vietnamese and English.

New-look CCLC website

admin — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 19:58:10 +0000

Consumer Credit Legal Centre has a new-look website: www.cclcnsw.org.au. All the old information is still here, we’ve just moved our insurance information to its own dedicated site to make it easier for you to find the information you need. Keep looking for regular updates as we overhaul our fact sheets and sample letters ready for the new credit laws due to commence on 1 July 2010.