More languages...
| (03) 9269 0120Melbourne | 1800 677 402Rural areas |  Locate us |
Insurance & compensation complaints
Insurance can be bought to cover a range of circumstances – theft, unemployment, health, car accidents – and just about anything of value.
You should get quotes from a few insurance companies before deciding which one suits your needs best. Ask questions about what the company will pay if a claim is made, such as, will it pay for replacement of an item or only what the item was worth at the time of the claim.
If you have problems with your insurance company try to resolve them through the company's complaints or dispute resolution procedures first.
If you're unhappy with the outcome, the organisations listed below can help.
- The Insurance broking division of the Finance Ombudsman Service (FOS) (link below) provides free, independent dispute resolution services between consumers and general insurance companies.
You must first try to resolve the dispute with your insurance company. If you are still unhappy, contact FOS within three months of the insurance company's decision. - The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) (link below) deals with complaints about misconduct or illegal activity by companies and the financial services industry. This includes complaints about insurance companies, insurance brokers, superannuation funds and financial advisers.
Workers’ compensation complaints
All employers have to pay for employees to be insured against any injury they may suffer at work. An independent system called ‘WorkSafe’ decides if the injured person gets paid for their injury.
You only have 30 days to notify your employer after you find out that you have been injured at work
- The WorkSafe Advisory Service offers a detailed recorded information service that covers the most common questions about compensation. The service is available 24 hours a day. You can also speak to an advisor during business hours. The service can also help to resolve worker and employer concerns that could not be sorted out with the WorkSafe agent assigned to the workplace.
Call the advisory service on 03 9641 1555 or 1800 136 089. There is also information about workplace injury claims on the WorkSafe website (link below). - The Accident Compensation Conciliation Service (ACCS) (link below) is a dispute resolution service for Victorian workers, employers and insurers with workers’ compensation disputes. It is independent of the WorkSafe Victoria and all other parties to a dispute.
WorkSafe claimants who are unhappy with a decision of the insurer must make a request for ACCS conciliation within 60 days of receiving notice of the decision.
See the organisations’ websites for contact information and details about their complaints processes.
More information
Work & superannuation complaints
Related websites
Accident Compensation Conciliation Service (new window)
Australian Securities and Investments Commission (new window)
Financial Ombudsman Service (new window)
WorkSafe Victoria (new window)
How we can help
Victoria Legal Aid doesn’t give legal advice about insurance or compensation complaints, but our free Legal Information Service may be able to give you some information over the phone. We may also be able to refer you to another organisation that can help you. You can speak to a legal information officer in English or ask for an interpreter.
Phone (03) 9269 0120 or 1800 677 402 (country callers), Monday to Friday from 8.45 am to 5.15 pm.
To find out more about any of our legal services see What we do.
Who else can help?
The Consumer Action Law Centre (new window) gives free legal advice about consumer law problems, including insurance.
Job Watch provides legal assistance to Victorian workers. Job Watch can give you free, confidential telephone information and referrals about work rights, including workers’ compensation. See the Job Watch website (new window) for more information or call them on (03) 9662 1933 or 1800 331 617 (country callers).