Compliance
Privacy Statement & Policy
The importance of your Privacy
We recognise the importance of protecting the privacy and rights of individuals in relation to their personal information. This document is our privacy policy and it tells you how we collect and manage your personal information.
We are committed to complying with the obligations of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) in how we collect, hold, use and share your personal and sensitive information. Sensitive information may include information about your claims history, health history, memberships and criminal record.
By requesting insurance from us, renewing or using any of our products or services you consent to the collection, use, disclosure of your personal and sensitive information for the purposes set out in our privacy policy.
You do not have to provide us with your personal information, but if you do not do so we may not be able to provide you with our products or services.
By visiting our website, applying for, renewing or using any of our products or services or providing us with your information, you agree to your information being collected, held, used and disclosed as set out in this Privacy Policy.
The information we collect
We collect your personal and sensitive information in order to enable us to offer our products and services to our customers, assess your application for insurance, determine whether to issue a policy and if we do so on what terms and conditions, administer and manage our products and services, investigate and handle any claims.
The information we collect and hold generally includes your name, address, date of birth and contact details (such as your phone number, fax number and/or email address). However we may also collect and hold other information required to provide services or assistance to you, including your gender, employment, details of your previous insurances, sensitive information (such as health information and criminal records) and your claims history.
How we collect your information
We may collect your information in various ways, including via telephone, our website, hard copy forms or email, during conversations between you or your representatives and us or our representatives, when you make a claim or when we investigate a claim under your insurance policy. Whenever you choose to deal with us directly, we will where possible collect this information directly from you.
There may be occasions when we collect your information from someone else. This may include your broker or financial adviser, our authorised representatives, other insurers, reinsurers, cedants and cover holders, professional associations or bodies, employers, our distributors, agents or related entities, medical practitioners and rehabilitation providers, another party involved in a claim, investigators, family members, anyone you have authorised to deal with us on your behalf, and/or our legal advisers and from publicly available sources.
On all occasions, your information is collected, held, used and disclosed by us in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
We may also seek to collect information about someone else from you (for example, if you request a product or service jointly with another person). However, you must not provide us with information about another person unless you have clear consent from that person to do so and let them know about this Privacy Policy and where to find it.
How we use your information
We will only use your information for the purposes for which it was collected and any other related purpose as permitted or required by law. Such purposes include but are not limited to:
- responding to your enquiries;
- providing you with the assistance you requested of us, our products and services (for example, processing requests for quotes, applications for insurance, underwriting and pricing policies, issuing you with a policy, managing claims, processing payments, etc);
- maintaining/administering your account and policies and processing payments you have authorised;
- quality assurance and training purposes; and
- any other purposes identified at the time of collecting your information.
We will only use your sensitive information for the purposes for which it was initially collected, other related purposes as set out in this Policy or purposes to which you otherwise consent.
If you are not a customer or claimant (for example, if you are a medical practitioner, investigator, expert witness, claimant or other third party), your information will only be used for the specific purpose or claim for which it was provided to us, unless you have consented to other uses.
To whom we may disclose your information
We may share your information with other parties who provide services to us or on our behalf including:
- reinsurers, brokers, cedants and cover holders, actuaries or other underwriting organisations;
- credit providers
- claim investigators, lawyers, claims adjusters, professional advisors, medical practitioners and/or other health providers, repairers, third party claim managers;
- the Financial Ombudsman Service / Australian Financial Complaints Authority (which is an external dispute resolution scheme);
- our external IT service providers, infrastructure and other third party service providers;
- government bodies, regulators, law enforcement agencies and other parties as required by law.
We will only disclose your sensitive information for the purposes for which it was initially collected, purposes as set out in this Policy, other directly related purposes or purposes to which you otherwise consent.
A small number of these recipients may be located outside of Australia. This would only occur where the product provider / intermediary is based overseas for some of the purposes listed above. In all such cases we commit to making reasonable enquiries to ensure that these organisations comply with their local privacy legislation where such legislation is comparable to the Australian legislation and to comply with the key components of Australian Privacy legislation in cases where their local legislation is considered inadequate or non existent.
Security of your information
We take reasonable steps (including any measures required by law) to ensure your information is protected and secure. We may hold your information in either electronic or hard copy.
However, no data protection and security measures are completely secure. Despite all the measures we have put in place, we cannot guarantee the security of your information, particularly in relation to transmissions over the internet as the internet is inherently insecure.
Accordingly, any information which you transmit to us is transmitted at your own risk. You must take care to ensure you protect your information (for example, by protecting your usernames and passwords, policy details, etc) and you should notify us as soon as possible after you become aware of any security breaches.
Accuracy
We will ensure that your personal information is accurate, up to date and complete. However, we rely on you to advise us of any changes to your information or corrections required to the information we hold about you. Please let us know as soon as possible if there are any changes to your information or if you believe the information we hold about you is not accurate, complete or up-to-date.
Access
You have the right to seek access to your personal information and correct it at any time by contacting us. We will, on written request, provide you with access to the information we hold about you unless otherwise required or permitted by law. We will notify you of the basis for any denial to access your information.
Complaints about Privacy
If you would like to make a complaint about how we have handled your personal information you may contact us using the contact details below. Your complaint will be referred to our Privacy Officer who will investigate the issue and determine the steps we will undertake to resolve your complaint. Your complaint can be lodged over the phone, via email, or you may wish to make an appointment with our Privacy Officer at a convenient time and location. We will do all that is reasonable in the circumstances to address your complaint.
The Privacy Officer
EOS Underwriting Pty Ltd
Level 9/ 99 Queen Street,
Melbourne, VIC 3000.
Email: info@eosuw.com.au
Ph: + 61 3 9938 9294
Revision of our Privacy Policy
We reserve the right to revise this Privacy Policy or any part of it from time to time. Please review this policy periodically for changes. Any updated versions of this Privacy Policy will be posted on our website.
Your continued use of our websites, products or services, requesting our assistance, applying for or renewal of any of our products or services or the provision of further personal or sensitive information to us after this Privacy Policy has been revised, constitutes your acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy.
Complaints Handling
Complaints and Dispute Resolution Process Any inquiry or complaint relating to this insurance should be referred to Us in the first instance. We have a complaints handling and internal dispute resolution process to assist You.
Information about Our complaints handling procedures is available on request.
Code of Practice
The General Insurance Code of Practice
We are a signatory to the General Code of Practice and are committed to supporting its objectives. The Code aims to raise standards of practice and service in the general insurance industry.
If You would like further information about the Code please contact Us.
You can view the code at: www.codeofpractice.com.au.
Domestic & Financial Abuse Policy
Introduction
EOS Underwriting Pty Ltd (‘EOS’) is committed to the highest standards of compliance with the applicable Australian domestic and/or financial abuse laws and seek to follow best practice wherever possible. As an Australian Financial Services Licensee we have a legal obligation under Section 912 A of the Corporations Act to provide our services ”efficiently, honestly and fairly”. In addition we are committed to acting as a good corporate citizen with a focus on treating all of our clients in a similar fashion to the way that we would like to be treated.
As part of this commitment we have implemented this Domestic and Financial Abuse Policy. It is also noted that we have an obligation under the General Insurance Code of Practice (The Code) (General Insurance Code of Practice 2020) to have a Family Violence Policy and Procedure in place when we are acting as agent for an insurer, for example when we are acting under a binder.
In Australian law, ‘family violence’ is defined in the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) Section 4AB as violent, threatening or other behaviour by a person that coerces or controls a member of the person’s family or causes the family member to be fearful.
In most states and territories, the law recognises economic abuse as a form of family violence. Around Australia, laws are changing to reflect the broader issues confronting people who are experiencing family violence. Family violence means much more than physical violence. It includes emotional abuse, psychological abuse, sexual abuse, financial or economic abuse; and damage to property.
Policy Objective
At EOS we aim to deliver insurance products that benefit Australian businesses and individuals. However we acknowledge that some of our customers may be in vulnerable circumstances due to experiencing domestic and/or financial abuse. We aim to provide our affected customers with safe, supportive, flexible support and solutions wherever possible. Our domestic and financial abuse policy contains the following objectives:
- Making sure that safety is paramount for anyone affected by family violence;
- Early recognition of family violence;
- Training to improve Representatives’ responses to someone affected by family violence;
- Protecting private and confidential information of clients affected by family violence;
- Minimising the number of times a client affected by family violence needs to disclose information about family violence;
- Ensuring appropriate and sensitive claims handling processes for claimants affected by family violence;
- Ensuring collection arrangements are handled sensitively;
- Referring clients to access to Financial Hardship help;
- Informing clients and Representatives about information and assistance available to people experiencing family violence;
- Referring clients and Representatives to specialist services; and
- Supporting Representatives who are affected by family violence or experience vicarious trauma after serving affected clients.
How We Can Help
If you are affected by domestic and/or financial abuse we are committed to supporting you through your difficult time in accordance with the above objectives and more specifically:
Protecting your privacy
We understand that privacy and confidentiality are critical in any domestic and/or financial abuse situation. We will take care to protect your privacy in accordance with our Privacy Policy. This may include changing your personal or policy details, updating contact details, finding safe methods of communication, changing addresses for correspondence sent to you.
Claims
We will ensure our claims handling service providers are compliant with the Australian domestic and financial abuse laws and have an appropriate and sensitive claims handling process. Please note we do not have authority to handle claims on behalf of insurers. If you require details of who you should contact please contact EOS on (03) 9938 9294.
Accessing Assistance
There are a number of services available if you are experiencing domestic and/or financial abuse or violence. We have listed below some services which may be able to assist you.
Legal & Financial Support:
- National Debt Helpline – free confidential independent financial advice Ph 1800 007 007
- Legal Aid NSW – Ph 1300 888 259
- Legal Aid VIC – Ph 1300 792 387
- Legal Aid WA – Ph 1300 650 579
- Legal Aid QLD – Ph 1300 651 188
- Legal Aid Commission of TAS – Ph 1300 366 611
- Legal Services Commission of SA – Ph 1300 366 424
- Northern Territory Legal Aid Commission – Ph 1800 019 343
Counselling & Assistance:
- 1800 RESPECT – Ph 1800RESPECT telephone or online counselling, information on safety planning for anyone who is at risk of domestic violence or abuse.
- Lifeline – Ph 13 11 14 provides 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention.
- Relationships Australia – Ph 1300 364 277 provides support groups and counselling on relationships and for abused and abusive partners.
- Aboriginal Family Domestic Violence – Ph 1800 019 123 dedicated line for Aboriginal victims of crime who would like information on victim’s rights, how to access counselling and support financial assistance.
- Mensline Australia – Ph 1300 789 978 provides telephone and online support for men with family and relationship concerns.
- Child Protection Helpline – Ph 132 111.
- Kids Helpline – Ph 1800 551 800 telephone and online counselling for young people between the ages of 5 years and 25 years.
This policy applies only to our clients that meet the definition of “Retail Insurance” as defined in The Code.