What is the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) and how can it help with life insurance disputes?

The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) is a free, independent external dispute resolution service for consumers with complaints about financial firms, including life insurers. Established in 2018, AFCA replaced the previous Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) and provides Australians with a powerful avenue for resolving insurance disputes. You can lodge a complaint with AFCA about various life insurance issues including declined claims, delays in claim processing (beyond reasonable timeframes), disputes over policy interpretation or definitions, premium increase disputes, cancellation or lapsing disputes, mis-selling or inappropriate advice, and breach of duty of good faith by your insurer. Before going to AFCA, you must first complain directly to your insurer and allow them to respond through their Internal Dispute Resolution (IDR) process (typically 30 days). If unsatisfied with their response or they don't respond within 30 days, you can escalate to AFCA. AFCA's process is free for consumers, independent and impartial (not controlled by the insurance industry), binding on insurers (if AFCA rules in your favour, the insurer must comply), faster than court proceedings (typically resolved within 6-12 months), and informal (no lawyers required, though you can use them if desired). AFCA can award compensation up to $1,095,000 for most insurance disputes (increased from previous limits), order insurers to take specific actions, and award distress and inconvenience payments. According to APRA and ASIC statistics, thousands of life insurance disputes are resolved annually through AFCA. To lodge a complaint, visit afca.org.au or call 1800 931 678. Have your policy documents, correspondence with the insurer, claim details, and timeline of events ready. AFCA provides a valuable consumer protection mechanism ensuring Australian insurers treat customers fairly.