Health Consent

With your consent, your insurer has requested your health information

You may have received a courtesy notification advising that your insurer, with your consent, has requested health information from your health service provider.

This usually occurs at the time you apply for insurance or make a claim against an existing policy.

Select which option best applies to you below, to learn more.

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applying for insurance
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making a claim

FAQs

Why has my health information been requested?

Health information is collected from health service providers to assist the insurer to assess your level of risk and determine a premium that is relevant to you.

What is health information?

Health information is information about your past or current state of health. Your health records contain information relating to consultations you have had with your General Practitioner or any other health professionals and may include details such as symptoms, treatments and your personal medical history.

What is a health service provider?

Common examples of health service providers include doctors, pharmacists, dentists, private hospitals and nurses.

Allied health services — such as counsellors, psychologists, chiropractors, disability services, physiotherapists, naturopaths and exercise physiologisits - are also 'health service providers' in the context of collecting health information, and are bound by the same rules.

Can my health information be requested from a health service provider without my consent?

No. Your consent is required before an insurer requests your health information from a health service provider.

When and how did I consent to this request?

Consent for the collection of health information was included as part of the application process for a new insurance product that you completed or was completed with your financial adviser. In some instances, your consent may be requested more than once.  

Consent for the request of health information may have been collected in several ways, including your:

  • signature on a printed form;
  • ‘digital signature’ on a digital form; or
  • agreement as part of an online application process.

Who has my health information been requested from?

In most cases requests are made to your nominated General Practitioner or preferred medical clinic. Requests may also be made to medical specialists, hospitals and other health practitioners.

Your insurer or financial adviser can tell you which health service provider your information has been requested from.

What happens if I withdraw my consent for this health information request?

Withdrawing your consent for the collection of your health information may:

  • lead to your insurer being unable to provide you with the insurance policies you have applied for;
  • affect the price at which policies are provided; and/or
  • result in the introduction of exclusions for particular conditions.

If you wish to withdraw your consent to having your health information collected, please discuss this decision directly with your insurer or financial advisor to understand the implications to your cover.

What happens to my health information once it has been collected?

All insurers are bound by obligations imposed by current privacy laws, including the Australian Privacy Principles and relevant state-based health records and information privacy legislation.

The way in which your insurer collects, uses, secures and discloses your personal information, as well as details on how you can access the personal information held by the insurer or how to make a complaint in relation to the insurer’s compliance with the Australian Privacy Principles, is set out in your insurer’s Privacy Policy.

Where can I learn more about privacy and health information?

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner has a range of resources on the topic of health information and privacy. To learn more visit /www.oaic.gov.au.

Why has my health information been requested?

Health information is collected from health service providers to assist the insurer to assess and manage your claim.

What is health information?

Health information is information about your past or current state of health. Your health records contain information relating to consultations you have had with your General Practitioner or any other health professionals and may include details such as symptoms, treatments and your personal medical history.

What is a health service provider?

Common examples of health service providers include doctors, pharmacists, dentists, private hospitals and nurses.

Allied health services — such as counsellors, psychologists, chiropractors, disability services, physiotherapists, naturopaths and exercise physiologisits - are also 'health service providers' in the context of collecting health information, and are bound by the same rules.

Can my health information be requested from a health service provider without my consent?

No. Your consent is required before an insurer requests your health information from a health service provider.

When and how did I consent to this request?

Consent for the collection of healthcare information is usually sought at the time you completed a claim form.  

Consent for the request of health information may have been collected in several ways, including your:

  • signature on a printed form;
  • ‘digital signature’ on a digital form; or
  • agreement as part of an online application process.

Who has my health information been requested from?

In most cases requests are made to your nominated General Practitioner or preferred medical clinic. Requests may also be made to medical specialists, hospitals and other health practitioners.

Your insurer or financial adviser can tell you which health service provider your information has been requested from.

What happens if I withdraw my consent for this health information request?

Withdrawing consent for your insurer to collect your health information may prevent or delay assessment of your claim.

If you don't wish your health information to be collected, please contact your insurer.

What happens to my health information once it has been collected?

All insurers are bound by obligations imposed by current privacy laws, including the Australian Privacy Principles and relevant state-based health records and information privacy legislation.

The way in which your insurer collects, uses, secures and discloses your personal information, as well as details on how you can access the personal information held by the insurer or how to make a complaint in relation to the insurer’s compliance with the Australian Privacy Principles, is set out in your insurer’s Privacy Policy.

Will my health information be disclosed by my insurer to any third parties?

In order to assess your claim, your insurer may disclose your health and personal information to third parties, such as the following:

  • the life insured, policy owner or beneficiaries of the insurance policy, where relevant
  • the insurer’s representatives or third parties engaged by it, ie. reinsurers and rehabilitation providers
  • any judicial or statutory authority, Court or tribunal, where required or authorised by law
  • other medical practitioners

Where can I learn more about privacy and health information?

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner has a range of resources on the topic of health information and privacy. To learn more visit www.oaic.gov.au.

participating insurers

IN COLLABORATION WITH

This information resource has been developed with the support of the Financial Services Council (FSC), the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and participating insurers. For more information about health information and your privacy, speak with your insurer or visit the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at www.oaic.gov.au.