The Minister for Revenue and Assistant Treasurer, Senator Helen Coonan, today welcomed the Insurance Council of Australia's (ICA) announcement of a Public Liability Insurance Information Service.
"The rising cost of public liability insurance is a complex problem and it is being driven by a range of different factors," Senator Coonan said.
"Everyone with a stake in this issue needs to own part of the problem and do their bit to assist with a solution.
"The insurance industry, among many others, has a role to play in this and I am pleased to see the industry, through the ICA taking some steps to assist those in the community unable to find affordable cover."
Senator Coonan said a successful meeting of the responsible State and Territory Ministers, which she had convened in March, had called on the insurance industry to be more innovative and responsive in product development and communications with consumers.
"I am glad to see a timely response to the Ministerial Meeting's communique," Senator Coonan said.
Through Insurance Enquiries and Complaints Limited, the service will assist people with their enquiries about public liability insurance.
This service will be able to provide information and advice about group buying and the use of brokers to find cover, suggest possible avenues for pooling arrangements and information about risk management, but it is not able to directly provide callers with insurance cover.
"This is a worthwhile service, and a good start, but much more still needs to be done to address the current problem," Senator Coonan said.
Calls to the telephone service are toll free, with the exception of calls from mobile telephones.
Insurance Enquiries & Complaints Limited telephone: 1300 363 683