insuranceNEWS.com.au - All newsGeneral insurance and financial services news from Australia and around the worldhttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/en-auExperts, advocates demand rapid response on affordabilityhttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/daily/experts-advocates-demand-rapid-response-on-affordabilityhttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/daily/experts-advocates-demand-rapid-response-on-affordability<p>The federal government should set up a forum in the next six months to drive a national housing resilience program tackling insurance affordability, a cross-sector coalition says...</p>Thu, 30 Apr 2026 06:25:37 GMTListed group takes stake in trades specialist Vizhttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/daily/listed-group-takes-stake-in-trades-specialist-vizhttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/daily/listed-group-takes-stake-in-trades-specialist-viz<p>Tradie search platform hipages Group has acquired a majority stake in Viz Insurance from Insurtech Gateway Australia for $1.4 million...</p>Thu, 30 Apr 2026 06:25:24 GMTAPRA tells insurers to improve oversight of AI dangershttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/daily/apra-tells-insurers-to-improve-oversight-of-ai-dangershttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/daily/apra-tells-insurers-to-improve-oversight-of-ai-dangers<p>Insurers&rsquo; risk management and resilience practices have fallen behind the pace, scale and complexity of their AI adoption, the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority warns...</p>Thu, 30 Apr 2026 06:24:36 GMTHomeowners win claim dispute after pipe nightmarehttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/daily/homeowners-win-claim-dispute-after-pipe-nightmarehttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/daily/homeowners-win-claim-dispute-after-pipe-nightmare<p>A couple have won a payout of more than $150,000 after a dispute with Allianz over damage to their townhouse caused by a burst hot water pipe...</p>Thu, 30 Apr 2026 06:23:06 GMTCastle offers zero-commission optionhttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/the-broker/castle-offers-zero-commission-optionhttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/the-broker/castle-offers-zero-commission-option<p>National intermediated home and contents agency Castle Insurance says it has fast-tracked the rollout of &ldquo;net commissions&rdquo;, as brokers increasingly switch to fee-only models to avoid new compliance demands...</p>Thu, 30 Apr 2026 02:02:11 GMTExpert cops a spray as AFCA rules on rural rowhttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/the-broker/expert-cops-a-spray-as-afca-rules-on-rural-rowhttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/the-broker/expert-cops-a-spray-as-afca-rules-on-rural-row<p>An insurer has been ordered to reverse its wear and tear decision on a damaged crop sprayer after its expert&rsquo;s report was labelled &ldquo;speculative at best&rdquo;...</p>Thu, 30 Apr 2026 02:01:43 GMTBroker Q&A: recession ‘hard to avoid’ as Middle East uncertainty persistshttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/the-broker/broker-q-and-a-recession-hard-to-avoid-as-middle-east-uncertainty-persistshttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/the-broker/broker-q-and-a-recession-hard-to-avoid-as-middle-east-uncertainty-persists<p>National Credit Insurance Group MD Kirk Cheesman says insolvencies are on the rise, and trade credit providers are growing wary of a slowing economy&rsquo;s effects on businesses...</p>Thu, 30 Apr 2026 01:58:32 GMTBizCover welcomes early interest in AI apphttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/the-broker/biz-cover-welcomes-early-interest-in-ai-apphttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/the-broker/biz-cover-welcomes-early-interest-in-ai-app<p>SME specialist BizCover has hailed an &ldquo;encouraging&rdquo; start for its ChatGPT-powered app, launched about four weeks ago...</p>Thu, 30 Apr 2026 01:58:16 GMTFormer Tower finance chief joins PIChttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/the-broker/former-tower-finance-chief-joins-pichttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/the-broker/former-tower-finance-chief-joins-pic<p>Jeremy Fergusson has been appointed CFO at New Zealand&rsquo;s PIC Insurance Brokers...</p>Thu, 30 Apr 2026 01:58:05 GMTCHU covers growing cyber threat to strata ownershttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/the-broker/chu-covers-growing-cyber-threat-to-strata-ownershttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/the-broker/chu-covers-growing-cyber-threat-to-strata-owners<p>CHU Underwriting Agencies has added cyber to the list of standard covers in its residential strata product, providing up to $50,000 for a single loss...</p>Thu, 30 Apr 2026 01:55:48 GMTSRG brings employee benefits offer to markethttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/the-broker/srg-brings-employee-benefits-offer-to-markethttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/the-broker/srg-brings-employee-benefits-offer-to-market<p>London-based underwriting agency and broking business Specialist Risk Group will offer its suite of employee benefits solutions in Australia...</p>Thu, 30 Apr 2026 01:55:39 GMTBott connects brokers to markets via Javlnhttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/the-broker/bott-connects-brokers-to-markets-via-javlnhttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/the-broker/bott-connects-brokers-to-markets-via-javln<p>Bott Insurance Group has migrated to the Javln software platform, enabling it to connect broker management and insurance marketplaces via the Unmand business automation system...</p>Thu, 30 Apr 2026 01:55:00 GMTOmbudsman ‘will never use AI’ for dispute rulingshttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/daily/ombudsman-will-never-use-ai-for-dispute-rulingshttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/daily/ombudsman-will-never-use-ai-for-dispute-rulings<p>The Australian Financial Complaints Authority has ruled out using artificial intelligence to make dispute decisions but is considering its potential for other efficiencies...</p>Wed, 29 Apr 2026 06:17:59 GMTEnvest recruits CTO to spearhead tech overhaulhttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/daily/envest-recruits-cto-to-spearhead-tech-overhaulhttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/daily/envest-recruits-cto-to-spearhead-tech-overhaul<p>Envest has hired Nadene Serman as group chief technology officer &ndash; a new executive position that reflects the &ldquo;growth and maturity" of the group&rsquo;s broking and underwriting businesses...</p>Wed, 29 Apr 2026 06:03:17 GMTGold standard: theft victim told to prove watch ownershiphttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/daily/gold-standard-theft-victim-told-to-prove-watch-ownershiphttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/daily/gold-standard-theft-victim-told-to-prove-watch-ownership<p>A traveller who was robbed of a $98,000 gold watch while in France will have to prove ownership of the timepiece after the financial services ombudsman backed his insurer&rsquo;s claim denial...</p>Wed, 29 Apr 2026 06:01:28 GMTINsight podcast: likely El Nino impact far from certainhttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/daily/insight-podcast-likely-el-nino-impact-far-from-certainhttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/daily/insight-podcast-likely-el-nino-impact-far-from-certain<p>The Bureau of Meteorology's latest long-range forecast and a pending El Nino are discussed in detail on the latest Insurance News podcast...</p>Wed, 29 Apr 2026 04:28:10 GMTCost-of-living crisis drives rise in ombudsman caseloadhttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/daily/cost-of-living-crisis-drives-rise-in-ombudsman-caseloadhttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/daily/cost-of-living-crisis-drives-rise-in-ombudsman-caseload<p>Household financial stress is contributing to record numbers of disputes, Australian Financial Complaints Authority chief ombudsman David Locke says...</p>Tue, 28 Apr 2026 06:28:44 GMTLockton demands court clampdown on three more Aviso hireshttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/daily/lockton-demands-court-clampdown-on-three-more-aviso-hireshttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/daily/lockton-demands-court-clampdown-on-three-more-aviso-hires<p>Lockton has launched legal action against more former employees who joined competing brokerage Aviso Specialty...</p>Tue, 28 Apr 2026 06:28:29 GMTNTI polishes up Ruby for annual truck rafflehttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/daily/nti-polishes-up-ruby-for-annual-truck-rafflehttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/daily/nti-polishes-up-ruby-for-annual-truck-raffle<p>NTI has restored a 1947 Chevrolet Maple Leaf truck for its annual raffle to support motor neurone disease research...</p>Tue, 28 Apr 2026 06:07:24 GMTPremium row not a sorry situation, AFCA findshttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/daily/premium-row-not-a-sorry-situation-afca-findshttps://www.insurancenews.com.au/daily/premium-row-not-a-sorry-situation-afca-finds<p>Auto &amp; General does not have to apologise to a former customer after more than doubling his home contents premium, the financial services ombudsman has ruled...</p>Tue, 28 Apr 2026 06:05:47 GMT