What are common exclusions in Australian life insurance policies?

Australian life insurance policies typically contain several standard exclusions where claims won't be paid. The most significant is the suicide clause – most retail policies exclude death by suicide within the first 13 months of taking out the policy, reinstating it after a lapse, or increasing coverage. This is a standard industry practice across Australia. Other common exclusions include war and terrorism (death occurring in war zones or from acts of war or terrorism, though some policies offer limited coverage), dangerous activities excluded at application (such as BASE jumping, cave diving, or professional motorsports if you didn't disclose them during underwriting), criminal activity (death occurring while committing a crime or in prison may be excluded), travel to high-risk countries (insurers may exclude certain countries; check before travelling to war zones or high-risk areas), non-disclosure or fraud (claims will be denied if you provided false information or failed to disclose material facts during application), and pre-existing conditions that were specifically excluded. Some policies also exclude aviation (except as a passenger on commercial flights), certain adventure sports, and motorcycle racing. Importantly, death from natural causes, accidents, most illnesses including cancer and heart disease, and driving accidents are all typically covered. Read your Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) carefully to understand your specific policy's exclusions. If you engage in potentially excluded activities, discuss them with your insurer – you can often get coverage with appropriate loadings or riders rather than complete exclusions.