Claims appeals internal disputes resolution process (IDR)

Not happy with a decision?

Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) strives to deliver quality service to its customers. If something goes wrong or does not meet your expectations, we want to hear about it and explore ways to rectify the problem quickly and efficiently. How well we handle complaints and disputes is as important as any other aspect of the service we give our customers, if not more so.

How to dispute a decision:

If you are unhappy about our decision on your TravelCare claim, the process outlined below is designed to assist you:

1. Your first course of action is to discuss your claim with the claims assessor you have been dealing with by email or telephone.
2. If you are not satisfied with this outcome, please then email the Claims Disputes Resolution Manager at info@scti.com.au. In your email please tell us specifically why you disagree with the decision made by the claims assessor, and provide any additional information you may have to support your dispute. We will acknowledge receipt of your dispute within 3 working days by email and review your claim with fresh eyes.   Provided we have all necessary information, we will advise within 15 business days the result of our review and give you reasons for our decision. If we need more time, we will agree on a reasonable alternative timeframe with you.
3. If we are not able to resolve your dispute to your satisfaction within 45 business days, you have the right to take your dispute to the Financial Ombudsman Service Limited (FOS), our External Dispute Resolution (EDR) scheme, even if we are still considering it (provided the dispute is within the scheme's Terms of Reference).
   
   FOS provide our ASIC-approved EDR programme. You can refer your dispute to FOS by either completing an online Dispute Form found on their website, www.fos.org.au or writing to them with details of your dispute.  You must lodge your dispute within 2 years of the date of our "Internal Disputes Resolution (IDR) Response". The FOS scheme provides an independent process that has the authority to make binding decisions on the insurers to resolve complaints and disputes.  Their address is:

 Financial Ombudsman Service Limited
 GPO Box 3
 Melbourne
 Victoria 3001

For more information or to access the FOS process please call 1300 78 08 08, fax (03) 9613 6399, email info@fos.org.au or visit their website www.fos.org.au.