Corporate Governance

The General Insurance industry in Australia is highly regulated with both government and industry bodies committed to the protection of the Australian consumer.

Institutions aimed at ensuring a robust and fair general insurance industry include the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, the Insurance Council of Australia and the Australian Financial Complaints Authority.

Consumers in Australia also receive further protection from the Government’s Financial Claims Scheme.

Regulators

APRA

ASIC

ICA

AFCA

FCS

The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA)

APRA is the Commonwealth Agency that provides prudential regulation for deposit taking institutions, life and general insurance companies and superannuation funds.

APRA is also responsible for ensuring financial institutions will be able to honour their commitments when they fall due. It promotes the safety and soundness of deposit-taking institutions, life and general insurance companies, and larger superannuation funds.

Auto & General is authorised by APRA as an Australian insurance company.

Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC)

ASIC is the Commonwealth Agency that enforces and regulates company and financial services laws to protect consumers, investors and creditors.

An independent Australian government body, ASIC has regulated financial markets, securities, futures and corporations since January 1991. From 1998 they became responsible for consumer protection in superannuation, insurance, deposit taking and from 2002, credit.

Auto & General holds an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) issued by ASIC that allows it to deal in and provide advice on general insurance products.

Insurance Council of Australia (ICA)

The ICA is the representative body of the general insurance industry in Australia. ICA members represent about 95 per cent of total premium income written by private sector general insurers. Insurance Council members, both insurers and reinsurers, are a significant part of the financial services system.

Insurance Council members provide insurance products ranging from those usually purchased by individuals (such as home and contents insurance, travel insurance, motor vehicle insurance) to those purchased by small businesses and larger organisations (such as product and public liability insurance, professional indemnity insurance, commercial property, and directors and officers insurance).

Members of the ICA are also signatories to the General Insurance Code of Practice.

Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA)

AFCA independently resolves disputes between financial services providers (like insurers) and their clients. Its decisions are binding; in other words, we must accept them, even if they’re not in our favour.

AFCA dispute resolution services are available to Auto & General customers free of charge.

Financial Claims Scheme (FCS)

The FCS provides protection to certain claimants who make valid claims under ‘protected policies’ in a situation where the insurer is insolvent.

A person entitled to claim under this policy may be entitled to payment under the FCS in the unlikely event that we become insolvent. However, access to the FCS is subject to eligibility criteria.

You can obtain information about the FCS from the APRA website at www.apra.gov.au and the APRA hotline on 1300 55 88 49.