Invest
Misleading travel insurance claims fly Allianz into trouble
The corporate regulator has revealed that it is taking Allianz Australia’s insurance arm to court for the misleading sale of travel insurance through Expedia websites.
Misleading travel insurance claims fly Allianz into trouble
The corporate regulator has revealed that it is taking Allianz Australia’s insurance arm to court for the misleading sale of travel insurance through Expedia websites.
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has commenced civil penalty proceedings in the Federal Court against Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd and its related party AWP Australia Pty Ltd.
AWP is responsible for the development and sale of the travel insurance products as issued by Allianz, with both organisations, Allianz and AWP, owned by the same parent company, Allianz SE.
ASIC argues the insurance companies breached the Corporations Act and the ASIC Act by engaging in misleading and deceptive conduct and not fulfilling general licence obligations.
According to ASIC, between February 2015 and September 2018, Allianz failed to correctly disclose the basis upon which premiums were calculated in product disclosure statements made available on three of Expedia’s websites.
Allianz and AWP are also alleged to have allowed the sale of insurance to customers who were ineligible to make claims under the policies, and allowed the Expedia websites to misuse a quote from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade “about the importance of purchasing travel insurance”.
The regulator is seeking declarations of wrongdoing as well as monetary penalties against both Allianz and AWP.
About the author
About the author
Insurance
Insurers ramp up concerns over greenwashing amid stricter ESG standards
A recent global study has shed light on the growing apprehensions within the insurance industry regarding greenwashing, as environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria become more rigorous. Read more
Insurance
Ortec Finance study highlights insurers' readiness to tackle increased investment risks amidst growing concerns
A new study conducted by Ortec Finance, a premier provider of risk and return management solutions for the financial sector, indicates a notable shift in the risk-taking attitude among insurers ...Read more
Insurance
Climate disasters leave 1 in 25 properties uninsurable by 2030
Climate change-induced disasters and mounting risks of dangerous weather will make one in 25 Australian properties “effectively uninsurable” by 2030, according to a damning new report from Australia’s ...Read more
Insurance
Insurers running for cover from accusation of “failing consumers”
As insurance providers have recently been inundated with a large volume of claims for damages from yet another set of so-called “once-in-a-hundred-years” floods, the embattled sector is now coming ...Read more
Insurance
Class action over add-on insurance commences in court
Allianz has been accused of engaging in misleading or deceptive conduct. Read more
Insurance
Saving money on insurance means asking the right questions
There are plenty of must-do’s and missteps that those looking to buy home and contents insurance need to stay on top of. Read more
Insurance
CBA pleads guilty to criminal charges for mis-selling consumer credit insurance
Commonwealth Bank (CBA) has pleaded guilty to 30 criminal charges of making false or misleading representations to 165 customers when selling consumer credit insurance (CCI). Read more
Insurance
Insurers celebrate short-term gains but warn of long-term effects
Life insurers are breathing a sigh of relief as Australia’s longest lockdowns come to an end. Read more
Insurance
Insurers ramp up concerns over greenwashing amid stricter ESG standards
A recent global study has shed light on the growing apprehensions within the insurance industry regarding greenwashing, as environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria become more rigorous. Read more
Insurance
Ortec Finance study highlights insurers' readiness to tackle increased investment risks amidst growing concerns
A new study conducted by Ortec Finance, a premier provider of risk and return management solutions for the financial sector, indicates a notable shift in the risk-taking attitude among insurers ...Read more
Insurance
Climate disasters leave 1 in 25 properties uninsurable by 2030
Climate change-induced disasters and mounting risks of dangerous weather will make one in 25 Australian properties “effectively uninsurable” by 2030, according to a damning new report from Australia’s ...Read more
Insurance
Insurers running for cover from accusation of “failing consumers”
As insurance providers have recently been inundated with a large volume of claims for damages from yet another set of so-called “once-in-a-hundred-years” floods, the embattled sector is now coming ...Read more
Insurance
Class action over add-on insurance commences in court
Allianz has been accused of engaging in misleading or deceptive conduct. Read more
Insurance
Saving money on insurance means asking the right questions
There are plenty of must-do’s and missteps that those looking to buy home and contents insurance need to stay on top of. Read more
Insurance
CBA pleads guilty to criminal charges for mis-selling consumer credit insurance
Commonwealth Bank (CBA) has pleaded guilty to 30 criminal charges of making false or misleading representations to 165 customers when selling consumer credit insurance (CCI). Read more
Insurance
Insurers celebrate short-term gains but warn of long-term effects
Life insurers are breathing a sigh of relief as Australia’s longest lockdowns come to an end. Read more