Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for your insurance policies?

The insurance policy PDS’s are on each insurance product page and they are all listed here, just click the link for the one you are interested in.

Travel insurance – read the Domestic Product Disclosure Statement and the International Product Disclosure Statement

Home and contents insurance – read the Product Disclosure Statement and home buildings or home contents Key Fact Sheets.

Landlord insurance – read the Product Disclosure Statement and landlord buildings or landlord contents Key Fact Sheets.

Car insurance – read the Product Disclosure Statement

Caravan and trailer insurance – read the Product Disclosure Statement

Boat insurance – read the Product Disclosure Statement

Am I safe paying online?

Please be assured that when you use your credit card to pay for any COTA policy your details are totally secure. We take security very seriously. We use security systems that will protect your most sensitive data.

Home and Contents

What do I do if I need to make a buildings and/or contents insurance claim?

Do what you reasonably can to prevent any further loss, damage or liability. Tell the police as soon as reasonably possible about any malicious damage, theft, attempted theft, burglary or loss of insured property. Contact the Claims Call Centre on 1300 651 777 and advise the Claims Consultant of what has happened: the Claims Consultant will help you through the home and contents insurance claims process. In order to be sure that you are covered under this policy you should always contact Allianz for approval before you incur expenses you wish to claim. If you do not, Allianz will pay for expenses incurred to the amount Allianz would have authorised had you asked Allianz first.

Am I covered for Flood?

Flood cover is an option on both Building and Contents in Home and Landlords policies. Please call us on 1300 1300 50 to find out whether you are eligible for Flood cover. For full details of terms, conditions, limits and exclusions of all our home insurance cover options, please refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement any supplementary PDS and Home Buildings or Home Contents Key Fact Sheets.

I have changed the security on my property – do I need to let you know?

If you are altering the security on your property you should inform us as it may change the conditions of your home insurance. This may affect your premium.

You must tell Allianz as soon as reasonably possible if, during the period of insurance you remove or stop using any security devices that were specifically required by us. If you don’t provide the information as soon as reasonably possible, Allianz may reduce or refuse a claim in whole or in part under the policy to the extent Allianz are prejudiced by the delay or non-disclosure.

You can also contact Allianz if you want to vary your policy during the period of insurance for any other reason, for example to increase your sums insured or to take out additional cover options that may be available.

When Allianz receive this information, Allianz may:

propose changes to the terms and conditions of your policy
charge you a higher premium
cancel your policy if there is a change and Allianz can’t reach an agreement with you on altered terms and conditions or premium; or Allianz are no longer prepared to insure you because there has been a material change to the risk
decide not to offer to renew your policy.

I’m about to install a new kitchen and renovate my bathroom – should I notify my insurer?

You should tell Allianz as soon as reasonably possible if during the period of insurance your building is in the course of construction or there are any alterations, additions, demolition, repairs to, or decorations of the buildings costing more than $75,000. If you don’t provide this information as soon as reasonably possible, Allianz may refuse or reduce a claim under the policy to the extent Allianz are prejudiced by the delay or the non-disclosure.

When Allianz receive this information, Allianz may:

propose changes to the terms and conditions of your policy
charge you a higher premium
cancel your policy if there is a change and Allianz can’t reach an agreement with you on altered terms and conditions or premium; or Allianz are no longer prepared to insure you because there has been a material change to the risk
decide not to offer to renew your policy.

It is also important that you increase your sum insured to take into account any extensions or renovations to make sure you are adequately covered in the event of a home insurance claim.

I have commenced using my home for business purposes – should I notify my insurer?

You must tell Allianz as soon as reasonably possible if, during the period of insurance you start using any part of your home building for business, trade or professional purposes (except for a home office).

If you don’t provide this information as soon as reasonably possible, Allianz may refuse or reduce a claim under the policy to the extent Allianz are prejudiced by the delay or the non-disclosure.

When Allianz receive this information, Allianz may:

propose changes to the terms and conditions of your policy
charge you a higher premium
cancel your policy if there is a change and Allianz can’t reach an agreement with you on altered terms and conditions.

What do I do if I rent my home out to tenants?

If you’re renting all of your home out to tenants, cover is not available under a Home and Contents Insurance policy. Cover is not available for these types of losses under our Home and Contents Insurance. If you rent out part of your home while you live at the same address, please contact us so Allianz can determine if you are eligible for this product.

How much will I be covered for?

It’s up to you to decide the sums insured, and the type and level of cover that you want to take out. People generally want enough insurance to cover the property’s estimated replacement value. If you don’t have enough cover, you could end up having to cover some of the costs yourself.

Remember, COTA Home and Contents Insurance will only pay up to the amount of your loss or the sum insured, whichever is the lesser – so you should also be careful not to over insure

What if I need help choosing the right amount of cover?

To help you estimate the replacement value of your buildings and/or contents, you can use our Home Buildings and/or Home Contents replacement calculators.

I run a business from home, can I get cover?

If you don’t provide this information as soon as reasonably possible, Allianz may refuse or reduce a claim under the policy to the extent Allianz are prejudiced by the delay or the non-disclosure.

When Allianz receive this information, Allianz may:

propose changes to the terms and conditions of your policy
charge you a higher premium
cancel your policy if there is a change and Allianz can’t reach an agreement with you on altered terms and conditions; or Allianz are no longer prepared to insure you because there has been a material change to the risk.

Which option do I need to cover my laptop, tablet, mobile phone or smart watch away from home?

You can cover laptops, tablets, mobile phones, smart watches and other wearable technology away from the home under the portable contents optional cover. These items must be specified on your policy as Listed portable contents to be covered under this option. Allianz will not cover cracked glass or screens where this is the only damage to the item.

Can I cover my bike and other sporting equipment away from home?

Yes you can cover these under the portable contents optional cover as Unlisted portable contents. However, these items will not be covered while they are being used.

How do I know if I have optional covers on my policy?

You can apply to add these options to your policy when you start or renew it (or during your period of insurance by contacting COTA Insurance on 1300 1300 50. If you’re not sure whether you have added these cover options, you can check your policy schedule.

Will I be covered if my drone is damaged or stolen within my home?

Drones and other remotely or autonomously piloted aircraft used for personal use are covered if lost or stolen within your property. They are not covered when in use, used for business or when they are not at the insured address.

Landlord

What do I do if I need to make a landlord insurance claim?

Do what you reasonably can to prevent any further loss, damage or liability. Tell the police as soon as reasonably possible about any malicious damage, theft, attempted theft, burglary or loss of insured property. Contact the Claims Call Centre on 1300 651 777 and advise the Claims Consultant of what has happened: the Claims Consultant will help you through the landlord insurance claims process.
In order to be sure that you are covered under this policy you should always contact Allianz for approval before you incur expenses you wish to claim. If you do not, Allianz will pay for expenses incurred to the amount Allianz would have authorised had you asked Allianz first.

Am I covered for Flood?

How do I know if I have optional covers on my policy?

You can apply to add these options to your policy when you start or renew it (or during your period of insurance by contacting COTA Insurance on 1300 1300 50). If you’re not sure whether you have added these cover options, you can check your policy schedule.

Who is Landlord insurance policy designed for?

This insurance policy has been designed for people who are renting their property out to tenants under a residential rental agreement. Contents owned by you (or for which you are legally responsible) and provide for the use of the tenants may also be covered under the policy.

This policy is not suitable for covering the building or contents of the home you live in. In this regard, Allianz offer a Home and Contents product that has been specifically designed for homeowners or renters. For more information on Home and Contents insurance, please visit the product page.

How should I determine the replacement value of my buildings?

The replacement value of your buildings is not the same as the market value – you do not need to include the value of the land when calculating the buildings replacement value.

Travel

What are COTA Insurance’s emergency contact details?

If you have an emergency, you can call our emergency assistance providers at nib at any time. Just dial either of the following two numbers 24 hours a day and our nib International Assistance team will help:

+61 3 8523 2800 or 1300 555 019 within Australia.

We even accept reverse call charges via the local operator, so you don’t have to worry.

Can I get a refund on my travel insurance if I return earlier than planned?

If you return to your home in Australia before the trip return date shown on your Certificate of Insurance, that’s when your cover ends. If you resume travelling, you must buy a new policy. No refund will be available for any unused days on the original policy.

Do you have a cooling-off period for my travel insurance policy?

If you aren’t satisfied with your policy purchase for any reason, you have a 21 day cooling-off period. This means you can cancel your policy within the first 21 days of purchase and receive a full refund, provided you haven’t started your journey and you’re not making any claims nor exercising any other right under the policy.

If you request to cancel outside the cooling-off period, we may, at our discretion, refund that part of your premium paid for the unused period of insurance.

When does my travel insurance cover start?

If you pay for your travel insurance online or over the phone by credit card before you depart on your trip, we’ll send you an immediate confirmation and Certificate of Insurance so you’re covered straight away. If you buy your policy after you have started travelling, policies are subject to a 72 hour waiting period.

Car

Can a family member enquire or make changes to my car insurance policy?

Unless they are listed on your car insurance policy, we are unable to provide any information nor can they action any requests on your behalf. Please contact our staff on 1300 1300 50 to discuss what is involved in providing them access to your car insurance policy.

Can someone with an international driving licence drive my car?

A driver with an overseas licence is covered on your policy so long as they abide by the laws and driving regulations of the state or territory which they will be driving in.
In Australia, laws and driving regulations differ from state to state. Some states require you to carry an International Licence with your current foreign licence. Other states request you carry your current foreign driver’s licence together with a formal translation of your licence into English.
In most Australian states and territories (the exception is the Northern Territory), you are able to drive on an overseas licence as long as it is current. You can only drive vehicles which your overseas licence authorises you to drive and you must drive according to any conditions on your overseas licence.
You do not have to advise us that a driver using your car is in possession of an overseas licence, however it is important to let us know about anybody that you know of who will drive your car and have them listed on your policy. This will assist with avoiding any unlisted driver excesses that may apply in the event of a claim and ensure that all drivers are covered by your policy. For full details of conditions and exclusions please refer to the relevant PDS.

Why does my car’s amount covered go down each year but my premium goes up?

Your insurance premium takes into account various factors, including, for example, the costs of fixing your car in the event of a claim. This cost will vary depending on whether the car must be replaced if it is a total loss or if it can be repaired. Whilst the value of most cars will decrease over time (lowering the replacement cost) these total loss claims occur much less frequently than accidental damage claims. Accidental damage claims require the car to be repaired and the cost of this usually increases each year in line with increases in the cost of parts, paint and labour. Therefore, completing the same repair to the same car will probably cost more in future years, even though the value of the car may reduce.

Do I get windscreen cover?

Cover for damaged windscreens is provided by your Allianz Comprehensive Car insurance policy, subject to any applicable excess listed in your policy schedule or in your PDS.
We also offer an option for the removal of basic excess on windscreen claims. If you have selected this option, you will not need to pay the basic excess if the broken windscreen is the only damage to your vehicle. This covers 1 replacement and 2 repairs in any period of insurance For full details of conditions and exclusions please refer to the relevant PDS.

My son/daughter is under 25 years old, they are a nominated driver on the policy, and they have been involved in an accident with another vehicle. What excess will they have to pay?

In addition to the basic excess, he/she will also be required to pay the relevant age excess for drivers listed in your policy schedule. All excesses are displayed on your car insurance policy schedule.

What is the difference between Comprehensive, Compulsory Third Party, and Third Party Property Damage Car Insurance?

Compulsory Third Party (CTP) Insurance provides you with cover for people killed or injured in a motor vehicle accident for which you or the driver of your vehicle are at fault. CTP insurance is compulsory in all states of Australia and does not provide any cover for damage to property. Comprehensive Car Insurance however, does provide cover for damage to property. It provides cover for damage to your own vehicle, theft of your vehicle and damage you cause to other people’s property and vehicles. This is different to Third Party Property Damage Insurance which only provides you with cover for loss or damage to someone else’s property caused by a car accident which is your fault.

Why do I have to pay an excess?

Unless we state otherwise in the PDS, when you make a claim under the policy, you will need to pay one or more excesses which is the amount you must pay as a contribution to each claim.
The amount and type of the excess(s) you have to pay will be shown in your policy schedule or in your PDS.
For full details of the excesses that we may apply and when we apply them, please refer to your policy schedule and the relevant PDS and PED guide.

Do I need to list my son or daughter on my policy if they drive my car occasionally?

It is important to list all drivers on your policy. If the driver is not listed on the policy and you need to make a claim, you may need to pay an age excess if they are under 25 or an unnamed driver excess where the Named driver option is selected.
For full details of the standard terms, conditions, limits and exclusions please refer to the relevant PDS.

My son/daughter just received their probationary licence and is under 25. Do I need to list my child as a nominated driver?

In the event that your son/daughter is involved in an accident in your vehicle and is not listed as a nominated driver on your insurance, he/she may have to pay a higher ‘Age excess’ for drivers not listed on your policy schedule in addition to the basic excess and any other excess that applies, on condition that Allianz chooses to accept the claim. If they were listed on the policy, you would pay a lower “Age excess” in addition to the Basic excess and any other excess that applies.

My son/daughter is a learner driver and I want to teach them to drive in the car insured with Allianz. Do I need to inform you?

No. Learner drivers are automatically covered provided the instructing driver meets the policy criteria as set out in your schedule and PDS.

I have bought a new non-standard music player for my vehicle and I want it covered if it gets stolen. What should I do?

To have a non-standard accessory – such as a music player – covered under your car insurance policy, you need to let Allianz know the value of the accessory. You need to do this for all non-standard accessories as well as modifications that you have made to the vehicle to ensure you are covered in the event of a car insurance claim. Remember to also keep a record of your purchases.