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Notice of the Duty of Disclosure From Our Life Insurer to You

Duty of Disclosure

Before a person enters into a life insurance contract in respect of their life or the life of another person, they have a duty to tell the insurer anything that they know, or could reasonably be expected to know, may affect the insurer’s decision to provide the insurance and on what terms.

The person entering into the contract has this duty of disclosure until the insurance is provided.

The person who has entered into the contract has the same duty before they extend, vary or reinstate the contract.

The person entering into the contract does not need to tell the insurer anything that:

  • reduces the risk of the insurance; or
  • is common knowledge; or
  • the insurer knows or should know as an insurer; or
  • the insurer waives the duty to tell the insurer about.

If the insurance is for the life of another person and that person does not tell the insurer something that they know, or could reasonably be expected to know, may affect the insurer’s decision to provide the insurance and on what terms, this may be treated as a failure by the person entering into the contract to comply with their duty of disclosure.

If the person entering into the contract does not tell us something

In exercising the following rights, the insurer may consider whether different types of cover can constitute separate contracts of life insurance. If the insurer does, it may apply the following rights separately to each type of cover.

If the person entering into the contract does not tell the insurer anything they are required to, and the insurer would not have provided the insurance if they had been told, the insurer may avoid the contract within 3 years of entering into it.

If the insurer chooses not to avoid the contract, it may, at any time, reduce the amount of insurance provided. This would be worked out using a formula that takes into account the premium that would have been payable if the person entering the contract had told the insurer everything they should have. However, if the contract has a surrender value or provides cover on death, the insurer may only exercise this right within 3 years of entering into the contract.

If the insurer chooses not to avoid the contract or reduce the amount of insurance provided, it may, at any time, vary the contract in a way that places the insurer in the same position it would have been in if the person entering the contract had told the insurer everything they should have. However, this right does not apply if the contract has a surrender value or provides cover on death.

If the failure to comply with the duty of disclosure is fraudulent, the insurer may refuse to pay a claim and treat the contract as if it never existed.

CommInsure’s Privacy Policy

CommInsure’s Privacy Policy can be found at commbank.com.au or upon request at any Commonwealth Bank Australia (CBA) branch. It describes their handling practices, information on how to make a complaint and how they deal with your complaint.