KNOWLEDGE CENTRE
Communication rights
My Insurer Isn’t Responding - What Are My Rights?
Understanding the 10-business-day rule and what to do when communication stalls
Reading time ~ 5 minutes
If you've sent emails, left voicemails, and still heard nothing - you're not being unreasonable for expecting a response. Communication breakdowns are one of the most common symptoms of an insurance claim delay, and they can leave policyholders feeling completely stuck.
One of the most disorienting parts of a delayed insurance claim isn't the waiting itself. It's the silence. When your insurer stops communicating, it's easy to feel like you've lost control of a process that directly affects your life.
Here's what most policyholders don't know: insurers operating in Australia are not allowed to simply go quiet. They are bound by industry Codes of Practice that set clear expectations around communication - including a specific expectation about how quickly they should respond to your correspondence.
Understanding that expectation won't just make you feel better. It gives you something concrete to act on.
At a glance Insurers are expected to respond to your written correspondence within 10 business days - and if they can't give a full answer, they must at least acknowledge your message and explain what happens next.
This rule applies to emails, update requests, and questions about insurance claim delays - not just formal complaints.
You don't have to keep waiting in silence. There are structured steps you can take.
Insurers must also proactively update you on claim progress at least every 20 business days
What Is the 10-Business-Day Rule?
Under the General Insurance Code of Practice, insurers are expected to respond to customer correspondence within 10 business days.
This is not an aspirational guideline - it is a communication standard subscribing insurers have committed to meet.
It applies to everyday written communication, including:
emails asking for a claim update
requests for clarification about a decision
questions about what is causing a delay
written complaints about how the claim is being handled
If an insurer can't provide a complete response within 10 business days, they are still expected to acknowledge your correspondence and let you know what will happen next and when.
In other words: even if your claim isn't ready to be decided, your question should never go unanswered.
There's a Second Rule Worth Knowing
The 10-business-day correspondence rule is one of two communication obligations that apply to your insurer.
The second is the 20-business-day update rule.
Under the General Insurance Code of Practice, insurers are expected to provide you with a progress update on your claim at least every 20 business days - even when there is no material change to report. If your claim is still being assessed, still waiting on a report, or simply still in progress, you are still entitled to hear from them. Regularly.
Together, these two rules define what "keeping you informed" actually means in practice:
10 business days - your written questions and requests for updates must be acknowledged and responded to.
20 business days - your insurer must proactively update you on claim progress, whether you've asked or not.
If either threshold is being missed, you are not simply experiencing poor service. You are experiencing a gap in a standard your insurer has committed to meet - and that gap is relevant if you need to escalate later.
What This Rule Does - and Doesn't - Mean
It's worth being clear about what the 10-business-day rule covers, because it's sometimes misunderstood.
It does not mean your insurer must finish assessing your claim within 10 business days. Insurance claims - particularly complex ones involving medical evidence, specialist reports, or large losses - can legitimately take much longer than that.
What it does mean is that your written questions and requests for updates should receive a response within that timeframe. The claim itself may still be in progress. But you should know that, and you should know why, and you should know what happens next.
The difference matters because it changes how you interpret silence. If weeks have passed since you sent a written request and you've heard nothing - that's not just frustrating. It's a gap in a standard your insurer is expected to meet.
Why Do Insurers Go Quiet?
It's worth understanding the most common reasons communication stalls - not to excuse it, but because knowing why it happens helps you respond more effectively.
Most of the time, silence isn't personal. Claims handlers manage large workloads. Files sit in review queues. Responsibility for a claim shifts between staff. Documents are waiting on a third party.
None of that makes the silence acceptable - particularly when it extends well beyond 10 business days. But it does mean that a well-targeted, clearly written follow-up often gets results that repeated phone calls don't. You're not fighting a wall. You're navigating a system - and there are ways to navigate it that work better than others.
How to Use the 10-Business-Day Rule to Request a Response
If your written correspondence has gone unanswered beyond 10 business days, a follow-up that references the Code of Practice directly can prompt movement.
Here's why that works: most insurers track communication standards internally. A written request that references the Code signals that you're aware of the standards they're supposed to be meeting - and that you're keeping a record.
Example Email You Can Send
Keep your message calm, factual, and brief. Here's an example you can adapt:
Subject: Claim update request - [Your Claim Number]
Hello,
I'm writing to follow up on my earlier correspondence regarding claim number [your claim number], sent on [date].
I haven't yet received a response.
As subscribing insurers are expected to respond to customer correspondence within 10 business days under the General Insurance Code of Practice, I'd appreciate a response confirming the current status of my claim and any next steps required.
Please let me know if you need any further information from me.
Kind regards,
[Your name]
A few things to notice about this email: it's polite, it references a specific standard without being aggressive, and it ends by offering to cooperate. That combination tends to get a better response than a frustrated message would - even when frustration is completely warranted.
When a Follow-Up Email Isn't Enough
Sometimes a well-crafted follow-up still doesn't get a response. If that happens, it's a signal to move from informal follow-up to formal escalation - and that's a different kind of action with more weight behind it.
Internal Dispute Resolution (IDR)
Every insurer in Australia is required to have a formal complaints process known as Internal Dispute Resolution (IDR). When you lodge an IDR complaint, your matter is no longer treated as a general enquiry - it becomes a formal complaint that must be logged, investigated, and responded to within regulated timeframes.
In practice, this changes things quickly. IDR complaints receive more internal visibility, involve more senior staff, and carry reporting obligations that general claims correspondence does not. Many claims that have been sitting in silence for weeks begin moving again within days of an IDR complaint being lodged.
If you're not sure whether your claim has crossed the line from delayed to stalled, read: Insurance Claim Delayed? 7 Signs Your Insurer May Be Stalling →
You can use IDR at any point - there is no mandatory waiting period before you're entitled to lodge a complaint.
If the insurer’s internal process does not resolve the issue, the next step is external review.
Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA)
If IDR doesn't resolve the issue, or if the insurer doesn't respond to your IDR complaint within the required timeframe, you can escalate to AFCA - the independent body that resolves disputes between consumers and financial institutions, including insurers.
AFCA's service is free for consumers. It generally requires you to have attempted resolution through IDR first, but once that step has been taken, AFCA can become involved.
For a step-by-step guide to using both of these escalation pathways, read: 5 Steps to Get a Response Within 48 Hours →
You Don't Have to Figure This Out Alone
Knowing your rights is one thing. Having a clear system for tracking what's happened, communicating professionally under pressure, and knowing exactly when and how to escalate - that's what actually moves a stalled claim forward.
The Insurance Claim Delay Rescue Kit was built for this exact situation. It includes a structured tracking system to log every interaction, a framework for identifying whether your delay is reasonable, and a library of AI-powered prompts to help you write calm, effective correspondence - even when you're anything but calm.
FREE TOOL
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