Australia General Insurance Code of Practice (2020 Code as updated) gicop-p12-160-163-access-to-information: Comply with the Privacy Act, give free access within thirty calendar days to the information relied on in assessing an application, handling a claim or responding to a complaint, including expert reports and recordings, and refuse only on the stated grounds with reasons and complaint rights

What does gicop-p12-160-163-access-to-information require?

The insurer complies with the Australian Privacy Principles and any State or Territory requirements in collecting, storing, using, disclosing and destroying personal information. On request it gives, free of charge, access to the information it relied on in assessing an application for cover, handling a claim or responding to a Complaint, within 30 Calendar Days (or the 10 Business Days that paragraphs 82 and 151 set for claim and complaint information), including the documents relied on to deny a claim, copies of the product disclosure statement and policy, Service Supplier and External Expert reports relied on, and recordings or transcripts of interactions relied on. Access is refused only where a law such as the Privacy Act permits, where a claim is under or has been investigated and access would unreasonably affect the privacy of others or a government agency, or where access would prejudice the insurer in a Complaint or dispute about cover or the claim, and even then External Expert reports relied on must be provided; any refusal is not unreasonable and comes with reasons and the complaints process.