Lloyd's New Zealand Policyholders - How to Make a Complaint

Our aim is to provide the highest service to our New Zealand policyholders and, to this end, we have developed the following procedures for the fair handling of complaints from Lloyd’s policyholders.

How Can We Help?

Stage One

Any enquiry or complaint relating to a Lloyd’s policy or claim should be addressed to either your Lloyd’s insurance intermediary (“the coverholder”) or to the administrator handling your claim in the first instance – in most cases this will resolve your grievance.

They will respond to your complaint within 10 business days provided they have all necessary information and have completed any investigation required. Where further information, assessment or investigation is required, they will agree to reasonable alternative timeframes with you. You will also be kept informed of the progress of your complaint.

Stage Two

In the unlikely event that this does not resolve the matter or you are not satisfied with the way your complaint has been dealt with, you should contact:

Lloyd's Underwriters' General Representative in New Zealand

When you lodge your dispute with us, we will usually require the following information:

• Name, address and telephone number of the policyholder;
• Details of the policy concerned (policy and/or claim reference numbers, etc);
• Details of the insurance intermediary through whom the policy was obtained;
• Reasons why you are dissatisfied;
• Copies of any supporting documentation you believe may assist us in addressing your dispute appropriately.

Following receipt of your complaint, you will be advised whether your dispute will be handled by Lloyd’s Australia or the Lloyd’s Complaints team in the UK, or what other avenues are available to you:

• Where your complaint is eligible for referral to the Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman (IFSO),  your complaint will generally be reviewed by a person at Lloyd’s Australia with appropriate authority to deal with your dispute.
• Where your complaint is not eligible for referral to the IFSO, Lloyd’s Australia will refer your complaint to the Lloyd’s Complaints team in the UK if it falls within the jurisdiction of the UK Financial Ombudsman Service, who will review your complaint and will liaise directly with you.
• For all other matters you will be advised of what other avenues may be available to you.

How Long Will the Stage Two Process Take?

Your complaint will be acknowledged in writing within 5 business days of receipt, and you will be kept informed of the progress of our review of your complaint at least every 10 business days.

The length of time required to resolve a particular dispute will depend on the individual issues raised, however in most cases you will receive a full written response to your complaint within 10 business days of receipt, provided we have received all necessary information and have completed any investigation required.

If the matter cannot be resolved at stage two and/or it has been more than two months since the complaint was made, you will be advised of the reasons for this via a 'deadllock' letter and advised of your right to elevate the matter to IFSO.

External Dispute Resolution

If your complaint is not resolved in a manner satisfactory to you or we do not resolve your complaint within two months of receiving it at Stage 1, you may refer the matter to IFSO. IFSO can be contacted by post PO Box 10-845, Wellington, phone 0800 888 202 or +64 4 499 7612, email info@ifso.nz or via their website www.ifso.nz.

IFSO is an independent body that operates nationally in New Zealand and aims to resolve disputes between you and your insurer. Your dispute must be referred to IFSO within 3 months of the date of our deadlock letter. Determinations made by IFSO are binding upon us.

Clients not eligible for referral to IFSO, may be eligible for referral to the Financial Ombudsman Service (UK). Such referral must occur within 6 months of the final decision by the Complaints team at Lloyd's. Further details will be provided with their final decision to you.