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If something goes wrong, we are here to help, with a team of claims specialists to support you throughout the process and get you back on track as soon as possible. As soon as you become aware of any loss, damage or liability please let us know about it. We will help advise and explain the next steps you should take. We may also arrange for an assessor to attend and inspect your property if required. You can submit a claim to us when it suits you 24/7 through our on-line claims lodgement. In the meantime, please see some frequently asked questions/answers as follows:

Claims FAQ

• What do I do to lodge a claim with SGUA?
  • It is up to you to prove that any loss or damage has occurred within the terms and conditions of your insurance policy. We encourage you to check your Policy (PDS), which fully explains what is and what is not covered.
  • In the event of a valid claim, the speediest way is to complete an appropriate claim form, as soon as possible after a defined event, and provide all relevant information in support of your claim, such as: photos; cause of damage reports; quotes, invoices; purchase receipts etc. We will consider your claim and let you know whether any further information is required.
  • You can lodge the claim online by completing the relevant Claim Form here and attaching all supporting documents (pdf), as requested.
  • Immediately advise the police of any malicious damage or act, theft, attempted theft, burglary, or Motor Vehicle Impact and give them a list of items damaged, stolen or lost. Claims of this kind will require a supporting police report. You will need the name of the station and officer you reported the incident to, the date it was reported, and a copy of the police report or log number of the call made to police.
  • For legal liability claims, if you receive notification of any claim made against you, you should promptly forward to us any demand, writ, summons or proceedings which you receive relating to any prosecution, inquest or legal action and all other information relevant to those matters where any liability under this policy may arise. You MUST NOT admit guilt or liability or offer to settle any claim without our prior consent.
  • If you require assistance relating to any of the above, please feel free to call us as soon as possible and our friendly staff will provide as much guidance as they can.
  • Alternatively, you may wish to contact your insurance broker if you purchased your policy through them.
• Should I carry out any repairs immediately after an insured event?
  • You have a legal duty to mitigate all losses. Do everything you reasonably can to prevent any further damage from occurring. In the event of severe storm or impact damage, contact the State Emergency Service or your local council to assist.
  • Do not authorise repairs outside of those which provide safety to your property and emergency services to your tenant.
  • In such cases it would be a good idea for photos to be taken, if possible, to support any claim made under the policy.
  • You must make your damaged property available for inspection by us if needed. In some instances, you may be required to deliver the property to us. We may keep any recovered or damaged item that we have agreed to replace for you.
  • You may be required to provide proof of your ownership, including the value of the items you are claiming for. It is always advisable to keep receipts, invoices, or contracts to support your loss.
  • We encourage you to contact our office and talk to our friendly staff as soon as possible after any insured event and will gladly guide you through any action that may be required.
• What happens after lodging a claim with SGUA?
  • After receiving notification of your claim form, we will allocate the claim to a specialised claims consultant who will acknowledge receipt, introduce themselves and assist you along the way until a final determination is made.
  • We will do this within timeframe requirements imposed by the General Insurance Code of Practice, unless otherwise agreed.
  • If we require further information to assess your claim, we will notify you within 10 business days of receiving your claim of any specific information needed to make a decision on your claim.
  • We will keep you informed of the progress of your claim at least every 20 business days or alternative time frames as mutually agreed.
  • We will respond to your routine requests for information within 10 business days.
  • When we have all the necessary information and completed all investigations that may be required to assess your claim, we will decide to accept or deny your claim and notify you of our decision within 10 business days.
  • If any of the above timelines are not practical due, for example, to the complex nature of your claim, we may agree alternative timeframes with you. If we cannot reach an agreement, you will be advised of our complaints handling procedures. Our complaints procedures are also available here where you can contact us.
• How long does the claims process take?
  • The life of a claim may run from within 10 days of receipt to 4 months, under normal circumstances.
  • Some complex circumstances, including those that may require the services of Assessors an/or Experts may take much longer.
  • It may take up to 12 months in times of catastrophic events due to remoteness, scarcity of resources and/or unavailability of trades.
  • In any event, upon receiving all necessary information/documentation in support of your claim, we will decide to accept or deny your claim and notify you of our decision within 10 business days.
  • We will keep you informed of the progress of your claim at least every 20 business days, or alternative time frames, as mutually agreed.
  • Ultimately, we will do our utmost to keep the duration of your claim to the minimum amount of time possible.
• When will an Assessor be appointed?
  • We will determine whether an appointment of an assessor is warranted. Our decision may be based on the severity of the loss/damage; whether the assessor could assist to speed up the claims process or we need to determine the cause of any loss/damage.
  • If necessary, we will appoint a loss assessor, loss adjuster or investigator within 10 business days of receiving your substantiated claim.
  • Further, we will notify you within 5 business days of appointing them.
• What if I don’t agree with the claim decision or settlement amount?
  • We take care to make decisions to accept, partially accept or deny claims and then pay the full extent of your legal entitlements under your contract of insurance with us.
  • If you do not agree with the claim decision, or settlement amount, please feel free to respond to us and explain the reasons why.
  • We will be more than happy to reconsider any further evidence you may be able to submit and respond within 10 business days after reviewing your claim.
  • We will either agree to an alternative settlement, if you are able to provide further substantiation, or clearly explain the reasons for our decision(s).
  • We will also provide you with our dispute resolution procedures where you are able to further escalate the matter and voice your disputes and/or complaints. Our complaint’s procedures are also available here where you can contact us.
• What if I am unhappy with the level of service?
  • We pride ourselves in providing excellent levels of service and all our staff are available to support you as much as possible.
  • We do, however, acknowledge that misunderstandings may occur from time to time. In such regretful cases, please feel free to speak to us and voice your concerns as we appreciate any feedback that we may be able to build our service upon. The claims manager and/or the head of claims may become involved to help resolve any situation.
  • At the very least we will provide you with our dispute resolution procedures where you are able to further escalate the matter and voice any unresolved disputes and/or complaints. Our complaint’s procedures are also available here where you can contact us.

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