Compare Club Buyer Protection Guarantee Terms and Conditions

Introduction

1. At Compare Club, we are committed to ensuring you feel confident in your health insurance purchase. Our Buyer Protection Guarantee provides peace of mind by addressing specific situations where a recommended policy may not meet your stated needs or where a better promotional offer for that policy was available to members of the general public from a source other than Compare Club. If this occurs, we’ll make it right by transitioning you to a more suitable product or reimbursing eligible financial differences, in accordance with these Terms and Conditions.
2. By purchasing health insurance through Compare Club and claiming under this Buyer Protection Guarantee, you agree to these Terms and Conditions.

Eligibility and Scope

3. The Buyer Protection Guarantee applies to health insurance policies purchased through Compare Club and is valid for claims submitted within 90 days of the policy start date. Claims must be submitted via our dedicated phone line or email, as outlined in Section 9.
4. The rights and benefits conferred by the Buyer Protection Guarantee apply in respect of policies issued by the health insurers on our panel of insurers, and which they have made available to customers through Compare Club. It does not extend to policies issued by insurers which are not on our panel, or to policies which we are not otherwise able to arrange for you.
5. The Guarantee covers the following situations:
   • Coverage Mismatch: You were recommended a policy that does not provide cover for something you explicitly requested.
     • The Guarantee will cover you for expenses you incur up to the amount that would have been covered by an alternative policy that provides the cover you had requested, provided you have served any relevant waiting period with your previous fund.
     • We will also arrange for that alternative policy to be issued, and reimburse the difference in rebates between these two products. If this mismatch resulted in higher premiums, we will refund the premium difference for the period of coverage.
   • Excessive Premiums: You were recommended a more expensive policy than necessary, based on the information you provided.
     • We will arrange a new policy that is cheaper than the one we recommended and refund the premium difference for the period of coverage. You may have to reserve waiting periods, depending on the circumstances of your claim.
   • Better Offers Elsewhere: You found a better offer for the same product which you are eligible for (e.g., promotional discounts, cashback, or free months) available at the time of your purchase—whether directly through a fund or another comparison site.
     • We will reimburse the difference in premium between the policy we recommended and the better price you have found elsewhere. The amount we will reimburse is calculated as the difference in premium paid from the date your policy commenced to the date your claim under this Buyer Protection Guarantee is finalised.
6. All claims are limited to information, prices, and promotions available at the time of purchase. The Buyer Protection Guarantee does not apply to:
   • Subsequent price changes or promotional offers made after the purchase date.
   • Price or benefit variations resulting from annual pricing updates or other adjustments not knowable at the time of purchase.
7. If we determine your current policy is the most suitable option for your stated needs, we will advise you accordingly and recommend against switching.
8. Exclusions: The Buyer Protection Guarantee does not apply in the following circumstances:
   • Situations where unsuitable coverage arises from change of circumstances or unclear or incomplete information provided by you.
   • Instances where a better-suited product is unavailable within Compare Club’s panel of insurers.
   • Policies purchased through channels other than via telephone (e.g., online).
   • Circumstances already remediated by the health insurer.
   • Cases of customer misconduct, misuse of the Guarantee, or claims made in bad faith.

Claim Process

9. To make a claim under the Buyer Protection Guarantee, you must:
   • Contact Compare Club via the online form at https://compareclub.com.au/buyer-protection-claim
   • Provide necessary documentation to support your claim, such as relevant policy details, evidence of better financial offers, or receipts for out-of-pocket expenses.
10. Our team will review your claim and, if approved:
    • Facilitate a switch to a more suitable product, if applicable.
    • Reimburse eligible out-of-pocket expenses or financial differences via Electronic Funds Transfer.

General Terms

11. Compare Club will not process claims if:
    • Fraudulent activity is suspected.
    • These Terms and Conditions are breached.
    • The claim is made in bad faith
12. Compare Club reserves the right to modify, suspend, or terminate the Buyer Protection Guarantee at any time, without prior notice, subject to applicable regulatory requirements.

Definitions

• Out-of-pocket expenses: Direct costs incurred by the policyholder for services that would otherwise have been covered under a suitable policy.
• Stated needs: Specific coverage requirements explicitly communicated by you during the policy recommendation process.
• Better financial offer: A publicly available promotion, discount, or cashback offer for the same or equivalent product that was accessible at the time of purchase by you.