Glossary

This Glossary covers only some of the words or phrases that commonly appear in the respective Product Disclosure Statement (PDS). It may not provide the full definition and is not to be relied upon as the Policy wording. You should refer to the relevant policy for the full definition. Full details of the cover available, including the limitations and exclusions are available in the relevant document.

Home Insurance
- Accident
- Alarm
- Building
- Collection
- Computer software
- Contents
- Contents with a maximum limit
- Damage
- Event
- Fixtures
- Flash flooding
- Flood
- General contents
- Home
- Hydrostatic pressure
- Insured address
- Insured events
- In the open
- Non-motorised watercraft
- Period of Insurance
- Special limit items
- Specified item
- Storm
- Sum Insured
- Theft
- Total loss
- Total premium
- Unoccupied
- Untenanted
- You or Your
- We, Us, Our

Travel Insurance
- Accident
- Dependent child / children
- Event
- Excess
- Home
- Hospital
- Injure/Injured/Injury
- Luggage/Personal effects
- Medical adviser
- Period of Insurance
- Permanently disabled or permanent disability
- Pre-existing medical condition
- Reasonable/Reasonably
- Relative
- Sick/Sickness
- Travelling companion
- Travelling partner
- Trip
- Unattended
- We/Our/Us
- You/Your

Car Insurance
- Accessory/accessories
- Agreed value
- Cooling off period
- Declared driver
- Declined driver
- Event
- Excess

Basic excess Age excess Undeclared young driver excess Inexperienced driver excess

- Good Condition and legally roadworthy
- Hire car following an incident
- Insured
- Market Value
- Modifications
- Period of insurance
- Protected no claim discount option
- Removal of basic excess for windscreen and window glass claims Option
- Restricted Drivers Option
- Vehicle
- Vehicle usage
- Voluntary additional basic excess
- We/our/us
- You/your

Life Insurance
Income Protection Insurance
- benefit period
- disability / disabled
- income producing duty
- monthly benefit
- policy expiry date
- waiting period

Life Insurance
Life, TPD and Trauma Insurance
- Accidental Death Cover
- annual premium
- automatic indexation of benefits
- date insured from
- immediate family member
- injury
- insured
- Life Care
- medical practitioner
- nominated beneficiary
- occupation
- policy anniversary date
- premium due date
- qualifying period
- sickness

Credit Card Insurance
- date of disablement
- minimum monthly repayment
- total temporary disablement
- total and permanent disablement

Loan Protection Insurance
- active employment, actively employed
- disablement, disabled
- employment, employed
- fixed term contract
- monthly benefit
- permanent employment, permanently employed
- self-employment, self-employed
- terminal illness
- you

Financial Services Guide is intended to provide you with information to assist you in making an informed decision on whether you want to use the products or services of CommInsure. It includes details about the financial services we are able to provide you; how we and our staff are paid for providing you with those services; how to contact us; and the internal and external dispute resolution systems you can use if you have a complaint to make about us.

Product Disclosure Statement is a document (or group of documents) which describes a financial product or service, including the features, benefits, cost and risks associated with that product. The purpose of the PDS is to ensure you are well informed about the product.

Home Insurance

Please refer to the CommInsure Home Insurance Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for more information

Accident means a happening that was not intended, planned or expected.

Dependent child / children means a child under 21 years of age at the time the Certificate of Insurance is issued, who is not in full-time employment,who is financially dependent on you and is travelling with you on your trip.

Event means any single occurrence resulting in a claim under the policy.

Excess means the amount you pay for any one event when a claim is accepted under this policy.

Home means your usual residential address in Australia.

Hospital means an established hospital registered under any legislation that applies to it, that provides in-patient medical care.

Injure/Injured/Injury means bodily injury caused solely and directly by violent, accidental, visible and external means, which happens at a definite time and place during your trip and does not result from any illness, sickness or disease.

Luggage/Personal effects means the personal items you take with you on your trip or purchase whilst on your trip.

Medical adviser means a qualified doctor of medicine or qualified dentist registered by the appropriate industry body in the place where you received the services.

Period of Insurance means the period of time for which you take out your insurance cover. Cover under section 5.3 starts from the date our Certificate of Insurance is issued by us or our agent. All other benefits start when you begin your trip (as shown on your Certificate of Insurance).

All cover ceases when the first of the following happens:

If something happens that you can claim for under any section (other than liability) and you must extend your trip, cover will continue free of charge until you can reasonably reach your final destination of your original itinerary or until you return home.

Permanently disabled or permanent disability means you have totally lost any of the following:

Pre-existing medical condition means:

Reasonable/Reasonably means:

Relative means your spouse (legal or de facto), parent, step-parent, parent-in-law, grandparent, child, stepchild, grandchild, brother, brother-in-law, sister, sister-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, uncle, aunt, niece, nephew, first cousin, fiancé or fiancée, permanently residing in Australia.

Sick/Sickness means a medical condition, not being an injury, which first occurs during your trip.

Travelling companion means any person who has made arrangements to accompany you for at least 50% of the trip. This companion must be travelling with you at the time of an event for which you are claiming.

Travelling partner means a person who is stated on your Certificate of Insurance and will be travelling with you for the entire trip. This only applies to duo cover and in this policy wording we include your travelling partner within the definition of you or your.

Trip means the time from when you leave your home to go directly to the place you depart from on your travels and ends the earlier of when you return to your home or when your period of insurance ends as stated on your Certificate of Insurance.

Unattended means luggage:

We/Our/Us means the insurer of your policy, Commonwealth Insurance Limited (CIL).

You/Your means

Accessory/accessories means an additional non-standard item fitted to your vehicle that is not a modification. Accessories may be either a manufacturer option or an aftermarket addition.

Agreed value means the amount we agree to insure your vehicle for. If you have selected the "agreed value" option, the agreed amount will be stated on the Certificate of Insurance.

Cooling off period
If you haven’t made a claim, you can cancel your policy within the 14 day cooling off period and we will refund your total amount payable less any non-refundable government charges.

The 14 day cooling off period starts on whichever is the earlier of the following dates:

• when you receive your Certificate of Insurance; or
• the end of the fifth business day after the date the policy was issued.

Declared driver means the person or people you have nominated and advised us will drive your vehicle, as stated on the Certificate of Insurance.

Declined driver means a driver who is not insured under the policy, as stated on the Certificate of Insurance.

Event means any single occurrence, or series of occurrences arising from the same cause, resulting in a claim under the policy.

Excess means the amount you must contribute when a claim is accepted under the policy. The types of excess and the amount of each excess are stated on the Certificate of Insurance.

• Basic excess

The basic excess applies to all claims and is stated on your Certificate of Insurance.


• Age excess

This excess applies when the incident you are claiming for occurred while your vehicle was being driven by a driver under 25 years of age. This excess, stated on your Certificate of Insurance, is in addition to the basic excess.


• Undeclared young driver excess

This excess applies when the incident you are claiming for occurred while your vehicle was being driven by a person under 25 years of age, who is not stated on the Certificate of Insurance. This excess, stated on your Certificate of Insurance, is in addition to the basic and age excess.

This excess is not payable if your vehicle was being driven by, or in the control of, a person under 25 years of age:
• in the course of a mechanical service; or
• paid by you to repair or test your vehicle; or
• in the course of providing a valet parking service; or
• who is an attendant at a car park; or
• who is subsequently convicted of theft or illegal use of your vehicle.


• Inexperienced driver excess

This excess applies when the incident you are claiming for occurred while your vehicle was being driven by a person who is 25 years old or older and who has not held an Australian driver’s licence for at least 2 consecutive years. This excess, stated on your Certificate of Insurance, is in addition to the basic excess.

Good condition and legally roadworthy
It is a condition of our policy that insured vehicles be kept in good repair. Vehicles that are in good repair and are legally roadworthy have:

• no major un-repaired damage;
• minimal rust;
• no hail damage; and
• minimal faded or crazed paintwork.

Hire car following an incident
If we accept your claim under accidental loss collision or impact damage, fire damage, storm or flood, or vandalism or malicious act (subject to the conditions on the PDS) we will:

• arrange for you to be provided with a hire car; or
• pay you a daily allowance of $30 if a hire car is not available.

• the date the repairs to your vehicle are authorised by us; or
• the date your vehicle is made available for repairs to commence.

• until your vehicle is repaired and returned to you; or
• until we settle your claim by paying the agreed value or market value; or
• for a maximum of 14 days,

whichever happens first.

• the costs of a hire car unless it has been arranged by us or approved by us;
• running costs (including the cost of fuel used) or any additional hire costs;
• any loss of or damage to the hire car;
• liability arising from the use of the hire car; and
• any insurance excess or other costs which you may be liable for under the hire car agreement.

Insured means the person or persons names as the insured(s) on the Certificate of Insurance.

Market value means the amount it will cost to replace your vehicle taking into account the age, make, model and the condition of your vehicle immediately prior to the loss or damage.

Modification(s) means an alteration to the standard configuration of your vehicle which may affect your vehicle's value, safety, performance or appearance. Modifications may be either a manufacturer option or any aftermarket alteration. Specifically this means alterations to your vehicle’s:

• Structure / chassis / body work
• Transmission
• Engine
• Steering system
• Suspension
• Braking system
• Fuel system
• Exhaust system
• Paintwork
• Wheels / tyres

Period of insurance means the period of insurance as stated on the Certificate of Insurance.

Protected No Claim Discount Option
If you lodge a claim which would normally reduce your No Claim Discount on next renewal, your No Claim Discount will not be affected by that claim.

This option:

• can only be selected if your policy’s No Claim Discount is 65% (Rating 1) and above; and
• only applies to the first claim in a period of insurance.

Removal of basic excess for windscreen and window glass claims Option
If you claim for damage to your windscreen or window glass only, you will not be required to pay an excess on that claim.

This option only applies:

• if the damage to your windscreen or window glass is the full extent of the damage to your vehicle;
• if the fracture extends through all layers of the windscreen or through the entire thickness of the glass;
• to one claim in a period of insurance.

Restricted Drivers Option
You will not be covered for any loss of or damage to your vehicle whilst it is being driven by a person who is under 30 years of age.

However, we will provide cover if your vehicle is being driven by, or in the control of, a person under 30 years of age:

• in the course of a mechanical service; or
• paid by you to repair or test your vehicle; or
• in the course of providing a valet parking service; or
• who is an attendant at a car park; or
• subsequently convicted of theft or illegal use of your vehicle.

Vehicle means the registered vehicle, as stated on the Certificate of Insurance. Your vehicle includes the standard tools and accessories supplied by the manufacturer and any modification or non-standard accessory that you have told us about and we have agreed to cover, as stated on the Certificate of Insurance.

Vehicle usage means the main purpose for which you have told us your vehicle is used, as stated on the Certificate of Insurance, being either:

• Business use which means a vehicle where you are claiming any percentage of the GST on the amount payable for your policy as an Income Tax Credit (ITC); and
• Private use which means any type of use other than business use.

Voluntary additional basic excess
You can select an excess in addition to any basic excess payable on your policy. Should you select this option then in the event of a claim you will contribute a higher amount to the value of your claim. This means you are accepting a larger proportion of any loss.

A reduced premium applies if this option is selected.

We/our/us means Commonwealth Insurance Limited.

You/your means the person or persons named as the insured/s on the Certificate of Insurance.

benefit period - The maximum amount of time that we will pay you benefits for each claim.

disability / disabled - This is the word we use to describe your inability to work due to sickness or injury. Totally disabled is when you can't work at all, and partially disabled is when you can only work in a reduced capacity.

income producing duty - A duty of your occupation that generates 20% or more of your monthly income.

monthly benefit - This is the amount you insure for, that we will pay you if you make a valid claim. You can insure up to 75% of your income from personal exertion (excluding superannuation contributions and business expenses but before tax).

policy expiry date - When you take out a policy you choose how long you want your cover in place - the available choices are until you reach age 60 or age 65. Cover under your policy will cease on the policy expiry date, which is the anniversary of your policy start date before you reach the selected age.

waiting period - This is the amount of time you have to be disabled before you can qualify for any disability benefits. You select your waiting period based on how long you can wait until disability benefits would be payable.

Life Insurance
Life, TPD and Trauma Insurance

Accidental Death Cover - Accidental Death Cover is the optional benefit payable on the death of the insured as a result of an accident. The amount of the benefit is that shown in the Policy Schedule together with any increases as a result of automatic indexation of benefits.

annual premium - This is the annual premium specified in the Policy Schedule and includes the premiums for the benefits attached to the policy and the policy fee.

automatic indexation of benefits - Unless otherwise specified, on each policy anniversary date we will index your benefits in line with the movement in the Consumer Price Index.

date insured from - This is the date, shown on the Policy Schedule, from which the policy becomes effective.

immediate family member - An immediate family member includes a spouse, de facto spouse, parent, parent-in-law and a child.

injury - An accidental bodily injury occurring while the policy is in force.

insured - The insured is the person on whose life benefits are payable. The insured’s name appears on the Policy Schedule.

Life Care - Life Care is the benefit payable on the death of the insured. The amount of the benefit is that shown in the Policy Schedule together with any increases as a result of automatic indexation of benefits.

medical practitioner - A legally qualified medical practitioner other than the policy owner, the insured or an immediate family member or business partner of the policy owner or the insured.

nominated beneficiary - A natural person, corporation or trust nominated by you to receive any money payable under the Life Care benefit or Accidental Death Cover Option.

occupation - Occupation means the full-time gainful occupation of the insured immediately prior to Total and Permanent Disablement or Total Disability, as applicable. If the insured has changed his/her occupation within the 12 months immediately prior to suffering the sickness or injury which caused Total and Permanent Disablement or Total Disability, as applicable, then occupation for the purposes of the policy will also include the insured’s former occupation.

policy anniversary date - The date on which the policy’s annual review will take place and from which the premiums are calculated. The policy anniversary date will fall on each anniversary of the date insured from shown in the Policy Schedule.

premium due date - Premiums are payable annually in advance and are due on the date insured from and on each policy anniversary date. Each of these dates is a premium due date. Premiums can also be payable in monthly, quarterly or half-yearly instalments by a method approved by us. If we agree to accept the premium in instalments, the date that an instalment is due to be paid is a premium due date.

qualifying period - The qualifying period is for the Trauma Cover benefit and any increases in it other than by automatic indexation.

sickness - An illness or disease that becomes apparent while the policy is in force.

Credit Card Insurance

date of disablement – The date occurring on or after the commencement date, on which a registered medical practitioner certifies you are unfit to work.

minimum monthly repayment - The greater of (i)$25.00 and (ii)2.5% of the outstanding balance of the credit card account (but no greater than $10,000) as at the date of disablement or the date you became unemployed.

total temporary disablement - You are unable from the date of disablement through injury or illness to perform the occupation, business or profession which you were carrying on immediately before the date of disablement, and from which you received wages, salary or income prior to, but not after the date of disablement.

total and permanent disablement – You have been absent for 6 consecutive months from the date of disablement through illness or injury from your usual occupation, business or profession from which you received wages, salary or income prior to, but not after, the date of disablement and in our opinion, after consideration of medical evidence satisfactory to us, are disabled to such an extent that it is unlikely that you will ever return to those duties from which you may be suited by education, training or experience.

Loan Protection Insurance

active employment, actively employed - You are:

disablement, disabled - Due to injury or sickness you are:

employment, employed - Permanently employed, self employed or employed under a fixed term contract.

fixed term contract - One or more contracts providing for at least 20 hours per week of continual and regular employment, where such contract or contracts is or are:

monthly benefit –

permanent employment, permanently employed - You have at least 20 hours per week of continual, permanent and regular employment for salary or wages where such employment is not temporary, seasonal, casual or under a contract based upon a specified period or completion of specified work.

self-employed, self-employment -

terminal illness - A sickness or injury which an appropriate specialist medical practitioner certifies will lead to death within 12 months. If we consider it necessary, we may also require our chief medical officer to certify that terminal illness has occurred.

you - As the policy owner and the life insured are normally the same person, when it refers to 'you' it is referring to you as both policy owner and life insured.