Knowledge Centre
Practical, experience-grounded articles on how insurance claims work - and what to do when they stall.
Insurance claims are complex processes that most people encounter only once or twice in their lives, usually during difficult circumstances. The articles here are designed to give you a clear picture of how the process actually works - what insurers are required to do, what delay looks like in practice, and what your options are when things stop moving. Every article is drawn from real claim experience and grounded in the standards insurers are held to under Australian law.
Understanding the process
What to expect - and what insurers are required to do.
Before you can identify whether something has gone wrong, you need to know what normal looks like. These articles explain how claims move through the system and what standards apply to your insurer's conduct throughout.
Timeframes
How Long Does an Insurance Claim Take in Australia?
Most claims take two to twelve weeks — but the timeframe matters less than whether your insurer is meeting their communication obligations while you wait. What the Codes of Practice actually require, and how to tell when a delay has gone too far.
Communication
My Insurer Isn't Responding — What Are My Rights?
Insurers operating in Australia are not allowed to simply go quiet. The 10 business day correspondence rule and the 20 business day update rule — what they mean, when they apply, and how to use them when communication breaks down.
Identifying delay
How to tell whether your claim has genuinely stalled.
Not every slow claim is a problematic one. But certain patterns are worth paying attention to - because they indicate the claim has lost momentum internally, not just that it's taking time. Here's what to look for.
Warning signs
Insurance Claim Delayed? 7 Signs Your Insurer May Be Stalling
Extended silence, repeated document requests, shifting explanations, frequent handler changes — seven observable patterns that distinguish a claim that is taking time from one that has genuinely stalled. And what to do when several apply at once.
Taking action
What to do when communication has broken down.
Knowing your claim has stalled is one thing. Knowing how to respond - clearly, professionally, and through the right channels - is what actually moves things forward. These articles explain the escalation pathway available to every policyholder.
Escalation
Ghosted by Your Claims Manager? 5 Steps to Get a Response Within 48 Hours
A practical escalation sequence — from a structured written follow-up through to Internal Dispute Resolution and AFCA — that moves a stalled claim through the system rather than just chasing the same person who isn't responding.
Case Study
From the founder
Insurance Claim Declined? How a Disputed Stroke Claim Was Overturned at AFCA
A confirmed stroke. A declined claim. What the medical records actually showed — and why the outcome changed.
In 2024, Jacki James suffered a stroke and lodged a Crisis Recovery insurance claim. Her insurer declined it after five months - not because they disputed the stroke, but because they concluded it didn't meet the specific contractual definition required for payment. She took it to AFCA. They found in her favour. This is the account of what happened, what the evidence actually showed, and what it reveals about how insurance claims work - and how they can be challenged.
FREE TOOL
Not sure what's happening with your claim?
Claim Pulse is a free 5-minute read on how your claim is being handled. Answer eight questions and get a clear picture of the patterns in your responses - what they usually indicate and one step that creates immediate clarity.