The safety of you and your family members comes first. If you’re in danger, please call 000.Family and Domestic Violence Policy
Date: June 2025 | Download PDF version
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Family and domestic violence can affect anyone. To help our customers experiencing violence, Acenda provides support and practical assistance.
We recognise that everyone’s situation and needs are different. Family and domestic violence takes many forms, not just instances of physical violence. It can include, but is not limited to:
- emotional abuse
- financial/economic abuse
- psychological abuse
- coercive control
- elder abuse
- sexual abuse
- threats of abuse
- damage to property and animals
This Policy outlines how we can help you if you’re affected by family and domestic violence and your situation affects your ability to access or control your insurance options.
About this Policy
We’re committed to supporting and treating all our customers with empathy, compassion and respect.
We may not always be able to identify someone affected by family and domestic violence, so please get in touch with our Customer Contact team on 13 65 25 when it’s safe to do so. We’ll do everything we can to help you with your life insurance questions. We may be able to direct you to additional support services that may be helpful.
Our commitment to you
Your safety is our top priority.
If you’re affected by family and domestic violence, we will offer the following assistance:
| Communication options | We’ll explore safe, alternative ways to communicate with you, using your preferred method at a mutually suitable time and date and record the support you require. Your preferred method will be applied across all your policies with us. |
|---|---|
| Collecting information | You don’t have to repeatedly disclose your family and domestic violence situation. Wherever possible, we will minimise the amount of information we request from you. We understand you may not have access to your personal information, records and documents, so we’ll consider alternative ways to validate your information and establish your identity1. |
| Extra support |
If you prefer, we can direct our communications and documents to a nominated support person. They may be your financial counsellor, lawyer, community services or social worker, legal aid officer, family violence specialist or any other services. If you require an interpreter, we will arrange one for you. Please contact us on 13 65 25 (or contact TIS National on 13 14 50). |
| Financial hardship | If you’re also experiencing financial hardship, we’ll discuss our flexible support options to help you stay covered. In the event of a claim, we may be able to assist by prioritising your claim or making an advance payment where appropriate. |
| Privacy | We protect your right to privacy in line with our privacy policy. We’ll make sure any information relating to your situation is treated with care and sensitivity, ensuring it remains confidential2. |
| Referral | If you would like us to, we can also help you get in touch with an external family violence or financial hardship service, or other support services. |
| Beneficiary nominations | If you’re the policy owner, we'll assist you if you need to change your beneficiary nomination(s). |
| Claims | We’ll do what we can to minimise the impact your situation has on your claim. We'll be flexible and sensitive in our approach to your claim and provide you with additional support. This may include obtaining information on your behalf, minimising the information we request from you or prioritising your claim. |
| Product design | When designing or making changes to our products, services and processes, whether through upgrades or obligations, we will consider the potential impacts and implications our products, services, and processes may have on someone experiencing family and domestic violence. |
1 There are times when we are required by law to confirm your identity. This is a requirement under Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Rules Instrument 2007 (No.1) 2007.
2 Under the Privacy Act.
Our commitment to help our people help you
Our staff are trained to treat you with dignity, respect and compassion, no matter what you’re going through.
We make sure our staff receive regular role-appropriate training and reference documents to help them recognise signs of family and domestic violence and offer appropriate support (eg referral to any family and domestic violence support services). We will regularly review the training and reference documents to ensure they remain up to date.
We’re committed to increasing awareness and creating a supportive workplace, providing internal guidelines and services (appropriate debriefing and counselling) for staff who may be impacted directly by family and domestic violence or distressed after assisting a customer affected by family and domestic violence.
If you have a complaint about our organisation, related to our products, services, staff or the handling of a complaint, we'd like the opportunity to put it right.
We consider the impact of family and domestic violence and financial abuse when prioritising complaints to ensure timely and appropriate responses.
You can access information about the complaint management process online here.
Next review date
We will regularly monitor our Family and Domestic Violence Policy and review this Policy at least every three years from the date of publication or earlier if there are changes to laws, regulations or guides that would necessitate it being reviewed earlier.
Other support services that may be able to help you.
If you or someone you know is affected by family and domestic violence, the following services may be able to help. For more information, please click on the organisation’s name to visit their website.
Australia wide
| Organisation | What this service provides | Contact number |
|---|---|---|
| 13 YARN | 24/7 crisis support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. | 13 92 76 |
| 1800 RESPECT | 24/7 counselling, information and support service. | 1800 737 732 |
| eSafetyWomen | Empowering women to take control online. |
|
| Full Stop Australia | 24/7 counselling, information and support service. | 1800 385 578 |
| Kids Helpline | 24/7 counselling for young people. | 1800 55 1800 |
| National Safer in the Home | Safety upgrades, referral and advocacy. |
1300 694 167 |
| Relationships Australia | Information and support service. |
1300 364 277 |
| Safe and Equal | Advocacy, training, professional development, and a resource library. |
(03) 8346 5200 |
| UnitingCare | Aged care, retirement living, early learning, disability, chaplaincy, and community services. |
1800 864 846 |
Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
| Organisation | What this service provides | Contact number |
|---|---|---|
| ACT 24/7 Crisis Line | 24/7 emergency and long-term support, advice, and domestic violence resources. |
(02) 6280 0900 |
| Legal Aid ACT | Legal assistance. | 1300 654 314 |
New South Wales (NSW)
| Organisation | What this service provides | Contact number |
|---|---|---|
| NSW Domestic Violence Line | 24/7 counselling and referrals to women experiencing domestic violence. |
1800 656 463 |
| Financial Abuse Service NSW (Redfern Legal Centre) |
Legal advice and support services. | 0481 730 344 |
| Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service |
Support services for women experiencing domestic and family violence. | 1800 WDVCAS (1800 938 227) |
| Ask LOIS | Free online legal information service and offers resource on various legal topics. | (02) 8745 6900 |
| Legal Aid NSW | Legal advice and support services (also known as LawAccess NSW). |
1300 888 529 |
| Staying Home Leaving Violence | Support program offering safety planning, home security improvements, financial management, child support, and legal assistance. | Various program locations |
Northern Territory (NT)
| Organisation | What this service provides | Contact number |
|---|---|---|
| NT Dawn House | Women's shelter, counselling, and community education. |
(08) 8945 1388 |
| Legal Aid NT | Legal advice and support services (also known as Northern Territory Legal Aid Commission). |
1800 019 343 |
South Australia (SA)
| Organisation | What this service provides | Contact number |
|---|---|---|
| SA Domestic Violence Crisis Line | Legal Services Commission of South Australia. | 1800 608 122 |
| Legal Services Commission of South Australia | Legal advice and support services. | 1300 366 424 |
Tasmania (TAS)
| Organisation | What this service provides | Contact number |
|---|---|---|
| Tas Family Violence Counselling and Support Service |
Counselling, legal advice and support service for children, young people and adults. |
1800 608 122 |
| Legal Aid Commission of Tasmania | Legal advice and support services. | 1300 366 611 |
Queensland (QLD)
| Organisation | What this service provides | Contact number |
|---|---|---|
| Qld DVConnect Womensline |
24/7 helpline and support services for women and children. | 1800 811 811 |
| Domestic Violence Prevention Centre | Counselling, information and support service. | (07) 5591 4222 |
| Micah Projects | Counselling, information and support service. | (07) 3029 7000 |
| Queensland Centre for Domestic and Family Violence Research |
Research, education & sector support with a social impact. | (07) 4940 3320 |
| Legal Aid QLD | Legal advice and support services. | 1300 65 11 88 |
Victoria (VIC)
| Organisation | What this service provides | Contact number |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria (Safe and Equal) | Advocacy, training, professional development, and a resource library. |
1800 007 339 |
| Safe Steps crisis response line | 24/7 Family Violence Response Centre includes crisis phone line, counselling, information and support service. | 1800 015 188 |
| Victoria Legal Aid | Legal advice and support services. | 1300 792 387 |
Western Australia
| Organisation | What this service provides | Contact number |
|---|---|---|
| WA Women’s Domestic Violence 24h Helpline |
24/7 crisis phone line, counselling, information and support service. | 1800 007 339 |
| Women’s Council for Domestic and Family Violence Services | Community relief services, including information, support, and referrals. | (08) 9420 7264 |
| Legal Aid WA | Legal advice and support services. | 1300 650 579 (Infoline) 1800 319 803 (Legal Yarn) |