Cover-More Family Violence Policy

Last updated: May 2022

1. The Policy

Cover-More* is committed to taking extra care with customers who experience vulnerability for many reasons including cultural background, age, health conditions and family violence. We recognise that vulnerabilities can give rise to unique needs, and that these needs can change over time and in response to particular situations. You may experience vulnerability when you buy travel insurance, during the trip, at the time you make a claim under the travel insurance policy or after.

The Cover-More Family Violence Policy (hereinafter “the policy” or “this policy”) outlines Cover-More’s approach to taking extra care of customers affected by family violence in providing its services, including handling of complaints with sensitivity, dignity, respect and compassion. Cover-More follows the Australian General Insurance Code of Practice (GICOP) 2020 in formulating its framework for vulnerable customers including customers affected by family violence.

Cover-More’s key priorities in managing interactions with vulnerable customers include:

• fair and sensitive treatment, ensuring they are treated with dignity and respect;
• safety of the customer and their family;
• to help ensure Cover-More provides timely, consistent, and targeted assistance to customers affected by vulnerability.

Cover-More is also committed to ensuring:

• our employees well-being, through the provision of support to our employees who are dealing with sensitive cases; and
• minimising the risk of harm in interactions with customers.

2. What is Family Violence?

‘Family violence’ is defined as:

“violent, threatening or other behaviour by a person that coerces or controls a member of the person’s family… or causes the family member to be fearful”. 
Family Law Act 1975 (Cth), section 4AB

Family violence is not limited to physical instances of violence and may also include threatening, emotional, psychological, financial/economic and sexual abuse.

Cover-More staff will be alerted that you may be experiencing family violence if you:

• indicate the existence of an intervention order or equivalent;
• make requests to keep your personal and sensitive details confidential from a joint policy holder;
• indicate concerns about protecting your personal privacy, safety or security; or
• sound distressed over the phone.

3. How can we support you?

I. We do not require evidence 

Cover-More does not require evidence of an intervention order to trigger the requirements of this policy. If you self-identify yourself as being affected by family violence, we can support you in accordance with the policy without further evidence.

II. We assure confidentiality of your information

Once you inform us of your vulnerability from family violence:

• all information about you will be treated as sensitive information and kept confidential;
• personal information, including email and physical addresses and phone numbers will be kept secure and not shared with joint policy holders;
• customer files, (such as policy documents and claims information) will be flagged as affected by family violence and will be accessible only to identified authorised employees.

III. We will avoid you having to repeat your disclosure regarding vulnerability

We will avoid you having to repeat any disclosure regarding your vulnerability by:

• flagging all active policies, you may have with us with your disclosure;
• minimising the information that you have to provide and the number of times you have to disclose the same information, noting that you may not have access to your personal information, records and documentation;
• where possible, provide you with consistency in speaking to the same employee in all communications.

IV. We will be flexible and sensitive in our communications

Cover-More staff will discuss safe ways to communicate and record these communication methods on the policy notes; such as if it’s a good time to talk or if it’s safe to leave phone messages or if you prefer email contact over phone.

We can also take into consideration that your specific preferences in communicating with us for example, if you request to speak to a male/female employee whom you feel more comfortable in communicating with.

If you require, Cover-More staff can help you connect with a financial counsellor, lawyer, community services or social worker, legal aid officer or family violence specialist.

V. We will help you access required assistance and support

Cover-More staff can provide you with information for resource and referral services you may access for counselling and expert advice on vulnerabilities you are experiencing. We have also provided the contact details of resource and referral services in the next section for your reference.

VI. We can support you if family violence has led you to other vulnerabilities

We will be mindful you may be subject to other vulnerabilities as a result of being affected by family violence such as financial hardship or depression.

If you are experiencing any other vulnerability as a result of family violence, Cover-More staff will prioritise your claim, query or complaint in accordance with our vulnerable customer processes and help you access referral services, if you require.

VII. Employee identity and support

At Cover-More we care about the identity and wellness of our staff supporting our customers with vulnerabilities. We have processes in place to protect their identity from any perpetrator of family violence and provide them with required support in handling sensitive matters.

4. Resource and referral services

The following resource and referral services are available for vulnerable persons in Australia:

5. How to lodge a complaint?

If you are not happy with how Cover-More handled your vulnerability, insurance policy or claim, you can lodge a complaint.

You can indicate to Cover-More staff, if you wish to lodge a complaint and they will be help you escalate the matter to the Complaints team. Alternatively, you can write to us or ask to speak with a Team Leader or Complaints Officer.

If for any reason, you remain unsatisfied with Cover-More’s response to your complaint or there had been an undue delay in our response (exceeding 30 calendar days), you may contact the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA).

Cover-More

• Phone: 1300 72 88 22
• Email: [email protected]

AFCA

• Phone: 1800 931 678
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: afca.org.au

* Cover-More refers to businesses within the CoverMore Group of companies who provides services to customers in Australia. CoverMore acts as an agent of Zurich Australia Insurance Limited under a binder contractual arrangement, which authorises Cover-More to provide a range of services including issuing policies, product design and claims management services.