If you’re in an emergency situation or not feeling safe, dial 000.

For confidential information, counselling and support, call 1800 RESPECT which is available 24/7.

What is vulnerability?

Vulnerability can come in many forms and include a variety of factors, such as:

Mental or physical health conditions
Disability
Age
Family and domestic violence
Language or literacy barriers
Cultural backgrounds
Financial hardship, and
Remote locations and isolation, and
Natural disasters and catastrophic events.

We understand that vulnerability is complex and that every customer is different. We’re determined to help our customers, especially during tough times.

What is domestic and family violence?

Domestic and family violence can happen to anyone. It generally involves violent, threatening or abusive behaviour enacted by a former or current family member, with the intention of coercion or control, causing fear or harm.

Domestic and family violence can include, but isn’t limited to:
Physical violence
Sexual assault
Emotional or verbal abuse
Psychological abuse or controlling behaviour
Stalking
Financial abuse, and
Abuse of older Australians.

The cycle of family and domestic violence is complex. Survivors may struggle with acute issues at a point of crisis, or ongoing issues in the longer term.

We recognise that everyone’s situation and needs are different. We’re committed to supporting our customers and employees when they experience domestic and family violence.

Our commitment to customers experiencing vulnerability

When communicating or interacting with customers experiencing vulnerability, VSC will:

Help customers who have trouble meeting identification requirements, particularly if the customer is from an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community or a non-English speaking background.
Make it as easy as possible for a customer to appoint an agent or representative to act on their behalf.
Ask a customer experiencing vulnerability (or their representative) how we can specifically help the customer access our services more efficiently.
Take detailed notes about any additional assistance a vulnerable customer may need.
Accommodate the request of a vulnerable customer for formal or informal assistance from third parties where they need such assistance or support in relation to their vulnerability.
Develop a rapport with the customer by showing empathy and patience and if appropriate, asking questions.
Contact a customer who is not responding to correspondence from VSC and ask if there are any reasons why and offer to clarify any correspondence.
If necessary and safe to do so, provide vulnerable customers with an email or letter summarising a verbal conversation with them, and ask them to confirm if this matches their understanding of the conversation.
Ask the customer if they have a family member or friend who can help them with their claim.
Speak in clear, short sentences, avoid using complex technical words or jargon by using simple words or terminology and pause appropriately to enable the customer to process what is being said.
Where necessary, take information about a claim over the phone and then read it back to the customer to confirm its accuracy and ensure adequate file notes are recorded, and
Where necessary, where written correspondence is sent to a customer, call them to provide an overview of the content of the communication.

Our commitment to customers affected by family and domestic violence

Where family or domestic violence is identified or suspected, our priority is the safety of the customer. Situations involving family or domestic violence require particular care, and for VSC to be flexible with our processes.

VSC will:

Protect the details of the customer affected by family or domestic violence.
Facilitate instead of being a barrier to the identification of family and domestic violence and improve the experience of customers affected by family and domestic violence.
Ask for permission to record the support or assistance that the customer required and respect their right to confidentiality.
Treat all information about a customer as sensitive information.
Give the customer access to the personal information held about them and control over how it is shared with third parties.
Discuss safe methods of communication and record these (subject to the customers consent).
Be clear and transparent with customers affected by family and domestic violence about our claims process and what is required, and
Not ask a customer affected by family or domestic violence to make direct contact with the perpetrator, or make a police report about the perpetrator, unless they are comfortable doing so.

How to VSC can support you

If you tell us, or we recognise that you are a vulnerable customer or are affected by domestic and/or family violence, we are here to help you.

All employees receive training that includes how to:

Identify the early signs that a customer may be vulnerable or experiencing family and domestic violence and engage appropriately.
Respond to disclosures of family and domestic violence with dignity, respect and care.
Communicate with customers who have or show signs of having a mental health condition.
Refer you internally to our specialist teams for more support, and
Refer you to external community services to provide extra support.

In addition, our claims teams can minimise the number of times you need to disclose your situation and can provide confidentiality, sensitive claims handling and financial hardship assistance.

Contact us

If you are a customer experiencing vulnerability or are affected by family or domestic violence, please contact us via one of the following options:

Email Us: customerfeedback@assurant.com
Phone Us: 1300 654 611
Write to Us: PO Box 246
Balwyn VIC 3103

Virginia Surety Company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Assurant, Inc.

Product Design & Distribution

Product Design & Distribution

Making a Complaint

Making a Complaint

Customers Experiencing Vulnerability & Family and Domestic Violence

Customers Experiencing Vulnerability & Family and Domestic Violence

Financial Hardship

Financial Hardship

Further support and resources

Further support and resources

Virginia Surety Company, Inc. ABN 63 080 339 957, AFS Licence No. 245579.