The Insurance Council of Australia has issued a revised General Insurance Code of Practice.

General principles covered by the new Code of Practice include:

• All customer services (including product information, sales
  procedures, claims handling and the management of complaints or
  disputes) will be conducted in a fair, transparent and timely manner.
• If an error is made in assessing applications, deciding on
  claims or investigating complaints, the insurer will take immediate
  action to correct it.
• Customers will have access to any information that has been
  used to assess applications, claims or complaints and will have the
  opportunity to correct any mistakes or inaccuracies within this
  information.
• Insurers will make sure that not only its employees, but
  also its Authorised Representatives and Service Providers meet the
  standards in the Code.

Compliance with the code will be monitored by the independent Insurance
Ombudsman Service to which consumers will be encouraged to contact if
they feel their insurer has breached the code.