MetLife is proud to have adopted the Life Insurance Code of Practice – an industry code introduced in 2017 and now governed by the Council of Australian Life Insurers (CALI). The Code ensures a consistently high level of product and service standards for all Australians.
Code Objectives
The Code has been voluntarily developed by the life insurance industry with the objectives of:
- Promoting high standards of service to consumers;
- Providing a benchmark of consistency within the life insurance industry;
- Establishing a framework of professional behaviour standards and responsibilities for life insurers.
Code Standards
Standards established in the Code cover aspects such as:
- The design of life insurance products;
- How life insurance is advertised and sold;
- Consumer rights to information;
- Timeframes which must be met when delivering life insurance services;
- Support for customers with special needs or in financial hardship; and
- Accessible and effective complaints and disputes handling practices.
Key Code Promises
- We will be honest, fair, respectful, transparent, timely, and where possible we will use plain language in our communications with you.
- We will monitor sales by our staff and our authorised representatives to ensure sales are appropriate.
- If we discover that an inappropriate sale has occurred, we will discuss a remedy with you, such as a refund or a replacement policy.
- We will provide additional support if you have difficulty with the process of buying insurance or making a claim.
- When you make a claim, we will explain the claim process to you and keep you informed about our progress in making a decision on your claim.
- We will make a decision on your claim within the timeframes defined in the Code, and if we cannot meet these timeframes you can access our complaints process.
- If we deny your claim, we will explain the reasons in writing and let you know the next steps if you disagree with our decision.
- We will restrict the use of investigators and surveillance, to ensure your legitimate right to privacy.
- The independent Code Compliance Committee will monitor our compliance with the Code.
- If we do not correct Code breaches, sanctions can be imposed on us.
An independent body will monitor life insurers’ compliance with the Code.
Code standards apply from 1 July 2017. For further information or to download a copy of the Code, please refer to the Life Code Compliance Committee or Council of Australian Life Insurers (CALI) website.