Australia General Insurance Code of Practice (2020 Code as updated) gicop-p11-153-159-afca-third-party-complaints: Belong to the AFCA scheme, accept its binding decisions, and where complaints handling is outsourced require the third party to notify and handle complaints under the Code with the insurer liable for breaches and monitoring the handling

What does gicop-p11-153-159-afca-third-party-complaints require?

The insurer belongs to the AFCA external dispute resolution scheme, open to customers and third parties under the AFCA Rules; a customer may go to AFCA at any time and if the Complaint is unresolved 45 Calendar Days after receipt, AFCA may refer a Complaint back for the internal process, its decisions bind the insurer as its Rules provide, and where AFCA cannot assist the customer may seek legal advice or other dispute options. Where the insurer authorises a third party to receive and deal with Complaints, that party must notify the insurer of Complaints made to them and handle them under Part 11, any breach by them is a breach by the insurer, and the insurer monitors their handling and takes reasonable steps to ensure the Part 11 requirements are met.