Important information for Catch Home Insurance policyholders insured through Auto & General

 

Home & Contents insurance sold by Catch Insurance was underwritten by Auto & General Insurance until 19 July 2021 and our partnership with the insurance provider has now ended.

Existing Catch Insurance policyholders who hold a Catch Home and/or Contents Insurance policy
issued by Auto & General will continue to be administered until further notice.

 

Updating your existing Policy

It’s important to keep your details up to date so that we can give you the right coverage. Without the most current information, we may reduce or refuse to pay a claim.

You can do this by calling 1300 858 747 Monday to Friday, 8am-10.30pm and Saturday 8am-5pm
(AEST).

 

Needing to make a claim

You can make a claim by calling our claims team 24/7 on 1800 611 422. Always refer to the Product
Disclosure Statement for full details of the cover available.

 

Policy Details

Your Product Disclosure Statement forms part of the insurer’s agreement with you. It’s important
you understand exactly what you’ll be covered for, so you can make the best decision about your
Home insurance. You can access these important documents through the following links.

 

How to Make a Complaint

 

We want to resolve any complaint or dispute you have as quickly as possible. The following steps are part of Auto & General’s complaint and dispute resolution process.

 

1. Contact us

The best place to start is to make contact with our customer service teams:

 

 

2. Our team will help you

Our team will always try to resolve your complaint immediately and will provide you with a unique reference number.

 

We will acknowledge your complaint within 24 hours of receiving it (or as soon as practicable).

 

If we are unable to resolve your complaint to your satisfaction within 5 business days, we will escalate it to our Customer Disputes Resolution Team for review.

 

Our Customer Disputes Resolution Team will work with you to try and resolve your complaint. We will make a decision within 30 calendar days from the date you make the complaint, however if we know you are experiencing financial hardship, we will give you our decision within 21 calendar days.

 

We will keep you informed every 10 business days of our progress.

 

We will always give you a written response to your complaint when it is in relation to:

 

  • A request from you for a written response
  • A declined claim
  • The value of a claim
  • Financial hardship, and
  • Any other complaint we have not been able to resolve with you within 5 business days

 

 

3. If we can’t agree, you can seek an independent review

Our aim is to resolve complaints within 30days. If we are unable to finalise your complaint within this time, we will let you know the reason for the delay in writing
within the 30 calendar days and provide the contact details for the external dispute
resolution scheme run by the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA).

If you are dissatisfied with our final decision you can also contact AFCA directly.

 

 

 

AFCA independently resolves disputesbetween financial service providers (like
insurers) and their clients. You have 2 years from when we make a decision on your
complaint to take your complaint to AFCA

 

Accessibility:

 

We want it to be easy for you to contact us. If you need assistance to make a complaint, please see our accessibility support information below.

 

For further information, please see the complaints policy.

 

General Industry Code of Practice

 

Auto & General Insurance Company is a signatory to the General Code of Insurance Practice 2020, which sets out guidelines
and standards for insurers. Among other things, the code requires us to have in place a process for fairly and effectively resolving any complaints and disputes between us and you. Please visit codeofpractice.com.au for further information.

FAQs

Do you need Accessibility Support?

We want it to be easy for you to contact us to make a complaint. If you need assistance, please see below:

The National Relay Service

The National Relay Service (NRS) ensures Auto & General Insurance is accessible to customers who have a hearing or speech impairment.

To access an Auto & General Insurance telephone number (1300 858 747 for Customer Service or 1300 885 996 for Claims):

  • TTY (Text Telephone) users – phone 13 36 77 then provide the Auto & General Insurance phone number.
  • Speak and Listen (speech-to-speech relay) users – phone 1300 555 727 then provide the Auto & General
    Insurance phone number.
  • Internet relay users – visit the National Relay Service website, and provide the Auto & General
    Insurance phone number.

 

If English is not your first language

Auto & General Insurance use the Translations and Interpreting Service (TIS National).

If you need an interpreter to support you on the call, let us know when you contact us and we will arrange a qualified interpreter to assist free of charge.

Will I have to pay two excess fees if I make a claim for loss or damage to my home & contents?

No – you will only be required to pay the higher of the two excesses you have selected. This only applies to Basic or Fixed excesses.

Will my home repairs be guaranteed on my approved claim?

Yes, we are committed to ensuring you receive high quality authorised repairs, including workmanship and materials

Do I need to list contents on my policy?

You can choose to list the following on your Catch Home & Contents Insurance policy:

  • Contents you want to insure for more than our item limits (for select items only)
  • Personal effects you want to insure when you take them away with you from your home (e.g.: cameras, jewellery, bicycles, and musical instruments)

You can list your contents when you receive a quote and purchase a policy. Alternatively, if you’ve already bought one, you can add them by contacting us on 1800 036 608.

I have changed security on my property - do I need to let you know?

Yes – the security in your property is very important to us, as it may affect how much cover we can offer you.

I am commencing renovation on my property - do I need to let you know?

Yes – you must advise us so that we can appropriately advise you on your cover during renovations.

Are my home & contents covered for flood?

Yes – if you decide to take cover for ‘Flood’ as an optional cover. This covers your home and contents against loss or damage caused by flooding rivers, creeks and other bodies of water.

Does Home & Contents Insurance cover damage caused by insects, including termites?

No – Catch Home & Contents Insurance does not cover damage caused by insects.

How can my Insurer assist me if I am experiencing vulnerability?

Our insurance partner, Auto & General may be able to assist you.

  • If you are experiencing domestic or family violence and wish to seek assistance with respect to your policy from the Insurer, please click here for the Insurer’s Family Violence Policy.
  • If you wish to speak to a consultant about your situation, please call 1800 724 678. Please note our consultants may be able to make any changes required to your policy information and provide you with useful information which may assist you with your situation.
  • Your Insurer may also provide you access to several professional organisations who offer support beyond insurance. Please click here for more information.
Do you subscribe to an industry code?

Our insurance is underwritten by Auto & General Insurance Company Limited (Auto & General) who is a member of the Insurance Council of Australia and a signatory to the General Insurance Code of Practice (the Code). By signing up to the Code, they promise to act in an open, honest and fair manner in all their dealings with customers.

Auto & General and Catch Insurance are committed to helping our customers better understand their rights when buying insurance, making claims, resolving a complaint, or experiencing financial hardship.

General insurers’ compliance with the code is monitored and enforced by an independent body called the Code Governance Committee (CGC). Customers can report suspected breaches to the CGC, which then investigates and, if necessary, agrees with the insurer on corrective measures within set timeframes. Any failure to correct a breach can lead to CGC sanctions, which are binding on insurers.
A copy of the code can be accessed by visiting http://codeofpractice.com.au/

Home Insurance – How much cover to I need?

When purchasing home insurance, it’s up to you to determine the total sum insured, to cover you for replacing your home and/or contents if they were destroyed by an insured event.

To help with this, our insurance issuer Auto & General Insurance Company has made available replacement value calculators, that can be used as a guide to estimate the replacement value of your home and contents.

These calculators can be found here.

Do you offer support for paying a home insurance excess?

When lodging a claim, we encourage you to tell us if you need support in paying your excess. Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible for Financial Hardship support. An overview of the steps to apply for financial hardship support provided by our insurance partner (Auto & General) are outlined here.