HOW TO MAKE A COMPLAINT. Your guide to making a complaint about services provided by the Insurance Commission of Western Australia

Transcription

1 HOW TO MAKE A COMPLAINT Your guide to making a complaint about services provided by the Insurance Commission of Western Australia

2 The Insurance Commission of Western Australia (Insurance Commission) is committed to providing you with high quality service. To do this properly we need your help. If you are not happy with the service we provide, or the way in which our service is provided, you have the right to make a complaint. We welcome your complaints as they help us to improve our service. Receiving complaints allows us to investigate matters, and where appropriate, rectify problems. CONTACT DETAILS Street Address Postal Address Forrest Centre GPO Box U St George s Terrace Perth WA 6845 Perth WA 6000 Phone Freecall (08) (Outside Perth) Fax Office Hours (08) Monday - Friday 8.00 a.m p.m. Website public.relations@icwa.wa.gov.au 2

3 WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE YOUR SAY If you deal with the Insurance Commission, either directly or indirectly, and have a concern or complaint, we encourage you to speak up. By doing so, you can help everyone because your feedback: gives us valuable information on improving our service; prevents the same thing happening to other people; gives us an opportunity to improve our service. If you have a complaint about the timeliness or standard of service of the Insurance Commission, you can choose to: raise your concerns directly with the Division that provided the service or made the administration decision without lodging a complaint. lodge a complaint via our Complaints System on our website. lodge a complaint with the Ombudsman of Western Australia. It is usually best to raise the problem first with the person with whom you have had dealings or the Division that provided the service. However, there are independent complaint services which can help if you feel you are not able to resolve the problem with the Insurance Commission. 3

4 WHAT IS A COMPLAINT? Complaint means a genuine expression of dissatisfaction or concern regarding the Insurance Commission s services, or the complaints handling process itself, made to the Insurance Commission by, or on behalf of: a claimant; an individual client including government agencies; a group or member of the public. Complaint does not mean a dispute with a decision or policy of the Insurance Commission. In particular, a complaint does not mean a dispute with: the Insurance Commission s assessment of liability (i.e. fault) with respect to a claim; the Insurance Commission s settlement offer on a claim; the Insurance Commission s assessment of, and payments for: o Special Damages, being reasonable expenses related to the treatment of injuries received in a crash, together with compensation for any loss of earning capacity sustained; o General Damages (Non Pecuniary Loss), being damages awarded for pain, suffering and inconvenience experienced as a result of injuries, together with any disability. 4

5 OUR COMPLAINTS SYSTEM We have a customised Complaints System to ensure that your complaint is captured and dealt with fairly and quickly, and that your rights as a customer are upheld. Our Complaints System captures complaints through a Complaints Form which is available on our website Alternatively a member of our staff can complete the form on your behalf if you wish to make a complaint over the phone, in person, or via letter, or fax. Every complaint lodged will have a Complaint Reference Number which should be noted in follow up correspondence on the complaint via hard copy letter, or fax. If you would like a copy of your complaint details, we will send you a copy. 5

6 OUR POLICY A copy of our complete Complaints Policy is available on our website in the Customer Feedback section. We aim to resolve complaints effectively and promptly. At all times we will be honest and fair in our dealings with complainants. If a customer complains, we will: treat the person with tact, courtesy and fairness at all times; maintain appropriate confidentiality of the complaint at all times; not victimise or harass the complainant as a result of any complaint he/she makes against us; not discriminate against the complainant because of any disability, colour, race, religion, age, sex or sexual orientation. Response times: Receipt of the complaint will be acknowledged within five working days and the acknowledgement will provide a Complaint Reference Number. If necessary the customer will be contacted by the investigating officer by telephone to clarify the details of the complaint. Where it is necessary to get further information on the matters raised, a response will be provided within 15 working days. If these timeframes cannot be met, we will tell the complainant why and give some idea of when we will reply in full. 6

7 DIFFERENT WAYS YOU CAN MAKE A COMPLAINT There are five main ways that you can make a complaint to us. By Telephone Telephone: (08) Freecall: (Outside Perth) In Person Level 13 Forrest Centre 221 St George s Terrace PERTH WA 6000 (Please ring ahead to book an appointment). Through Our Website There is a direct link to Complaints in the in the Customer Feedback section. You can complete a Complaints Form and submit it to us by . In Writing Insurance Commission of Western Australia GPO Box U1908 PERTH WA 6845 By Fax General (08) Attention your complaint to the particular Division and include your Reference/Claim Number, where relevant, to help us deal with your complaint in a timely manner. If you are following up on your complaint, please quote your Complaint Reference Number as well. 7

8 STEPS TO MAKING A COMPLAINT If you wish to make a complaint there are some steps you can take which will help us to help you. ACT QUICKLY Make your complaint as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the less clear facts can become and the harder it can be to find a solution. GO LOCAL AT FIRST Many complaints can be resolved quickly and easily by the employee with whom you have dealt he/she will be familiar with the issues and are often in the best position to help you. MAKE IT CLEAR Try to summarise exactly what your complaint is. If detail is necessary, set out the order that things happened, preferably with dates, and descriptions of incidents, phone calls, letters or meetings. TELL US WHAT YOU WANT Indicate what you think should be done to put things right. TACKLE THE PROBLEM, NOT THE PERSON Politeness always helps. Remember that what you are complaining about may have been an innocent mistake or oversight, which would not normally happen. KEEP A RECORD Keep your Complaint Reference Number and where possible, print or request a copy of your complaint from our Complaints System. WHO TO DIRECT YOUR COMPLAINT TO 1. DIRECTLY WITH THE EMPLOYEES CONCERNED Often the direct approach is the quickest way of solving a problem. 2. SUPERVISOR OR MANAGER Supervisors and Managers are there to help you further if you cannot resolve your complaint at the first point of contact. 8

9 HAVE WE HANDLED YOUR COMPLAINT WELL? If you are not happy with the way your complaint is being handled, and you have already contacted the relevant Supervisor or Manager, you have the option of writing to the Commission Secretary of the Insurance Commission. WHAT IF YOU ARE STILL NOT SATISFIED WITH THE OUTCOME? If you are not satisfied with the handling of your complaint you may decide to take the matter to the Ombudsman at the following address: The Western Australian Ombudsman 17th Floor, St Martin s Tower 44 St George s Terrace Perth WA 6000 Telephone (08) Freecall (outside metro) Fax (08) mail@ombudsman.wa.gov.au 9