rape.insure Victim Support Cover

This Product Disclosure Statement and Policy Wording (PDS) is an important document. It describes rape.insure Victim Support Cover: what it covers, what it does not cover, how much it costs, how to make a claim, and your rights and obligations. It is designed to help you decide whether the product is right for you and to compare it with other products. Please read it carefully and keep it in a safe place with your Certificate of Insurance.

This PDS is issued by Rape Insure Pty Ltd (ABN 62 148 903 771, AFSL 512 884) and has been prepared in accordance with Part 7.9 of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth). Any advice in this PDS is general only and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before you decide to buy or renew this product, consider whether it is appropriate for you.

Your contract with us

When we accept your application and you pay your premium, you enter into a contract of insurance with us. Your contract is made up of:

• this PDS, which contains the policy wording;
• your current Certificate of Insurance, which records the details specific to your policy;
• any Supplementary PDS (SPDS) we issue to update this PDS; and
• any endorsement or variation we agree with you in writing.

Read these documents together. If your Certificate of Insurance and this PDS say different things about the same matter, the Certificate applies to the extent of the difference. Your contract is governed by the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth) and the laws of the Australian state or territory in which your policy was issued.

How to read this PDS

Some words have a special meaning in this PDS. They are explained in Section 4, Key definitions. Section 3 summarises the cover available at each level. Sections 6 to 10 describe each of the five benefits in full, and Section 12 sets out the exclusions that apply to every benefit. Throughout this document, "you" means the person covered, and "we" means rape.insure.

Updating this PDS

We may update information in this PDS from time to time. Where a change is not materially adverse to you, we will publish the updated information at rape.insure/documents and you can ask us for a free paper copy at any time. Where a change is materially adverse, we will issue a Supplementary PDS or a new PDS before the change applies to you, and we will tell you when we do so. Changes to your policy generally take effect from your next renewal date, unless we agree otherwise with you.

Target Market Determination

We have made a Target Market Determination (TMD) for this product, as required by Part 7.8A of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth). The TMD describes the class of consumers this product is designed for, and how it is to be distributed and reviewed. It is not a summary of the cover and it does not form part of your contract. You can read the TMD at rape.insure/documents/tmd. Information about our services and how we are paid is in our Financial Services Guide at rape.insure/documents/fsg.

Rape Insure Pty Ltd (ABN 62 148 903 771) is the issuer and insurer of rape.insure Victim Support Cover. We hold Australian Financial Services Licence number 512 884, which authorises us to issue, deal in and provide advice about general insurance products. We are a general insurer authorised under the Insurance Act 1973 (Cth) and are regulated by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) for prudential purposes and by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) for our conduct and disclosure.

rape.insure was founded in Melbourne in 2019 by a group of victim support workers, clinicians and insurance professionals who saw a gap between what survivors of crime need in the weeks after an incident and what public schemes are able to fund quickly. Victim Support Cover is our only product, and everything we do is built around it. Our registered office is at Level 14, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000.

Reinsurance

We reinsure part of the risk we accept under this policy with Tasman Re (Australia) Limited, an APRA-authorised reinsurer. Reinsurance is an arrangement between us and our reinsurer only. It does not change your contract with us, and we remain fully responsible to you for every benefit under this PDS.

The General Insurance Code of Practice

We are a signatory to the General Insurance Code of Practice, which sets standards for the way general insurers deal with their customers, including when you buy insurance, make a claim, experience vulnerability or financial hardship, or make a complaint. The Code is monitored and enforced by the independent Code Governance Committee. You can obtain a copy of the Code at codeofpractice.com.au or by contacting us. Sections 13, 17 and 18 explain how the Code applies to claims, complaints and customer support.

We are also a member of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA), the independent external dispute resolution scheme for the financial services industry. Section 17 explains how to contact AFCA.

rape.insure Victim Support Cover provides five benefits designed to fund the practical, medical, psychological, financial and legal needs that follow a crime. You choose one of three levels of cover: Essential, Standard or Premier. The level you choose sets the benefit limits that apply to each insured person. The table below is a summary only. Sections 6 to 10 describe each benefit in full, Section 11 describes the optional extras and excess, and Section 12 sets out the general exclusions.

Benefit limits marked per claim apply to each separate insured event. The limit for the Trauma and Rehabilitation Package applies per policy year and resets at each policy anniversary (or, on Premier, continues for three policy years after a claim, as described in Section 7). Benefit limits are not cumulative: increasing your level of cover replaces the lower limits with the higher ones, subject to a new qualifying period for the increase (see Section 5). Amounts shown are in Australian dollars and are inclusive of GST.

The services listed above are provided by us or by providers we engage on your behalf. They are not payments and do not reduce your benefit limits. Where a service is listed for a higher level of cover, it is also included in any level above it.

The words and phrases below have a special meaning wherever they appear in this PDS or on your Certificate of Insurance. The singular includes the plural, and a reference to a law includes any regulation made under it and any amendment or replacement of it.

We, us, our, rape.insure

Rape Insure Pty Ltd ABN 62 148 903 771, AFSL 512 884, the insurer that issues this policy.

You, your

The policyholder named on the Certificate of Insurance. Where the context allows, it also means each insured person.

Insured person

The policyholder and, if you have chosen couple or family cover, your spouse or de facto partner and each dependant named on the Certificate of Insurance. Each insured person may claim in their own right, and benefit limits apply to each insured person separately.

Insured event

An act committed against an insured person, during the period of insurance and after the qualifying period, that is either: (a) an indictable offence against the person under the criminal law of an Australian state, territory or the Commonwealth (or, where cover outside Australia applies under Section 11, conduct that would be such an offence if it occurred in Australia), including sexual assault and other sexual offences, assault causing injury, robbery and armed robbery, aggravated burglary or home invasion while an insured person was present, stalking, coercive control and family violence offences, kidnapping, deprivation of liberty and human trafficking, threats to kill or to cause serious harm, and an attempt or conspiracy to commit any of these; or (b) the homicide of a family member of an insured person, including murder, manslaughter and culpable or dangerous driving causing death. Offences against property alone are not insured events (see Section 12).

Incident date

The date on which the insured event occurred. Where an offence consists of a course of conduct, such as stalking or coercive control, the incident date is the date of the first act that forms part of that course of conduct (see Section 5).

Police Report

A report to any Australian state, territory or federal police service with an event or reference number. This includes reports made online, by phone or in person, and reports made through a Sexual Assault Reporting Option (SARO) or equivalent.

Victims Services application

A lodged application to a state or territory victim support scheme, including Victims Services (NSW), Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal (VIC), Victim Assist Queensland, Victims of Crime Commissioner (SA), Victims of Crime Assistance (WA), Victims Support Service (TAS), Victims of Crime Financial Assistance (ACT) or Crime Victims Services Unit (NT).

Qualifying period

The first 30 days of a new policy, counted from the start date shown on your first Certificate of Insurance. Insured events with an incident date during the qualifying period are not covered. There is no qualifying period on renewal, but a new qualifying period applies to any increase in your level of cover (see Section 5).

Period of insurance

The period shown on your current Certificate of Insurance, usually 12 months, for which we have accepted your premium. Each renewal creates a new period of insurance.

Policy year

Each 12-month period starting on the start date shown on your first Certificate of Insurance, or on each anniversary of that date. Benefits described as per policy year reset at the start of each policy year.

Certificate of Insurance

The document we issue confirming the details of your policy, including the insured persons, level of cover, optional extras, excess, premium and period of insurance. We issue a new Certificate whenever your policy changes or renews.

Benefit limit

The most we will pay under a benefit for your level of cover, as shown in Section 3 and on your Certificate of Insurance. Some benefit limits apply per claim, and some apply per policy year.

Excess

The amount you contribute towards a claim, if you have chosen an excess. The excess applies only to the Forensic and Immediate Medical Costs benefit and the Emergency Relocation Benefit (see Section 11).

AHPRA-registered practitioner

A psychologist, clinical psychologist, psychiatrist or medical practitioner who holds current general or specialist registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law. For the Trauma and Rehabilitation Package it also includes an accredited mental health social worker or a trauma therapist whom we have approved in writing.

Legal practitioner

An Australian lawyer who holds a current practising certificate issued in an Australian state or territory, who is independent of us, and who is not acting for a person accused of the insured event.

Family member

Your spouse or de facto partner; a parent, step-parent or guardian; a child or step-child; a sibling; a grandparent or grandchild; a person related to you through Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander kinship; or a person who ordinarily lives with you as a member of your household.

Dependant

A child or step-child of an insured adult who is under 25 years of age, is not married or in a de facto relationship, and either lives at the address shown on the Certificate of Insurance or is a full-time student. Dependants are covered only under family cover and must be named on the Certificate.

Pre-incident average weekly earnings

Your average gross weekly earnings from personal exertion, including salary, wages, regular overtime, commission and the net income of a business you operate, over the 12 weeks immediately before the incident date. If you were self-employed, worked irregular hours or had been in your job for less than 12 weeks, we use the 12 months before the incident date if that produces a higher figure.

Australia

The Commonwealth of Australia, including its external territories.

5.1 The benefit trigger

Court processes can take years. We do not make you wait for one. Your claim is triggered when you have lodged either of the following in relation to an insured event that occurred during your period of cover.

We will pay a benefit under this policy when all of the following are true:

1. an insured event has occurred to an insured person, with an incident date during the period of insurance and after the qualifying period;
2. the insured person, or someone acting on their behalf, has lodged either a Police Report or an official Victims Services application in relation to that insured event;
3. the cost or loss claimed is one that a benefit in Sections 6 to 10 covers, and is within the benefit limit for your level of cover; and
4. no exclusion in Section 12 or in the relevant benefit applies.

The two triggers are:

• A Police Report. A report to any Australian state, territory or federal police service with an event or reference number. This includes reports made online, by phone or in person, and reports made through a Sexual Assault Reporting Option (SARO) or equivalent.
• An official Victims Services application. A lodged application to a state or territory victim support scheme, including Victims Services (NSW), Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal (VIC), Victim Assist Queensland, Victims of Crime Commissioner (SA), Victims of Crime Assistance (WA), Victims Support Service (TAS), Victims of Crime Financial Assistance (ACT) or Crime Victims Services Unit (NT).

If you cannot lodge a Police Report because the police decline to record a report, because reporting would put you at risk, or for another reason outside your control, we will accept a statutory declaration together with evidence of your attempts to report or of the incident. Section 13 explains what we need.

5.2 The qualifying period

A qualifying period of 30 days applies from the start date of a new policy. We do not cover insured events with an incident date before your policy started or during the qualifying period. There is no qualifying period when your policy renews. If you increase your level of cover, or add an optional extra, a 30-day qualifying period applies to the increase only. During that period you remain covered at your previous level.

Where an offence consists of a course of conduct, such as stalking or coercive control, we treat the incident date as the date of the first act that forms part of that course of conduct. If that date is before your policy started or during the qualifying period, the course of conduct is not an insured event, even if it continues into your period of insurance. However, a separate offence committed during your period of insurance, such as an assault or a threat to kill, is a separate insured event and is covered.

5.3 Where cover applies

Essential and Standard cover apply to insured events that occur in Australia, including its external territories, and on Australian-registered ships and aircraft. Premier cover also applies to insured events that occur anywhere in the world while an insured person is temporarily outside Australia. If you hold Essential or Standard cover you can extend it to incidents outside Australia by choosing the optional extra described in Section 11. Benefits are always paid in Australia and in Australian dollars.

5.4 Who is covered

You can insure yourself, yourself and your partner, or your family. Each insured person must be named on your Certificate of Insurance and must ordinarily reside in Australia. Dependants under family cover are covered until the day they turn 25, or until they no longer meet the definition of a dependant, whichever is earlier. A dependant who leaves the policy can take out their own cover with us without a qualifying period, provided they apply within 60 days.

5.5 Separate insured events

Each separate insured event gives rise to a separate claim with its own per-claim benefit limits. Several offences committed by the same person or people in a single episode (for example an assault and a robbery on the same occasion) are one insured event. Where a Trauma and Rehabilitation Package limit is per policy year, it is shared across all of your claims in that policy year.

5.6 What we pay

We reimburse costs you have actually incurred, or pay providers directly on your behalf, up to the benefit limit. Where a benefit pays a weekly amount, we calculate it as described in Section 9. We do not pay for costs that are recoverable from another source, except to the extent that the other source does not fully cover them (see Section 12). We will never require you to repay a benefit because a matter did not proceed to court, a charge was withdrawn or an accused person was acquitted.

In the hours and days after a crime, the health system can leave gaps that fall to you. This benefit reimburses the difference between what Medicare, your private health fund or another scheme pays and what you are actually charged for forensic medical examinations, urgent and emergency treatment, diagnostic imaging, medication and specialist consultations arising from the insured event. Where no rebate is available, we pay the reasonable cost in full, up to the benefit limit.

What we cover

• Gap payments for forensic medical examinations (including where you elect a private forensic practitioner)
• Private emergency department and urgent care attendance fees
• Specialist sexual health and infectious disease physician consultations
• Post-exposure prophylaxis, emergency contraception and pathology not bulk billed
• Diagnostic imaging and dental treatment arising from the incident
• Ambulance transport where you are not otherwise covered

What we do not cover under this benefit

• Treatment that is fully bulk billed or reimbursed by Medicare or a private health fund
• Elective or cosmetic procedures not related to the incident
• Treatment received more than 12 months after the incident date

The general exclusions in Section 12 also apply to this benefit.

How this benefit works

• You may attend any public or private hospital, emergency department, urgent care clinic or forensic medical service in Australia. You may elect to be examined by a private forensic practitioner, and we will pay the practitioner's fee where a public forensic service is not available or you prefer not to use one.
• We pay the gap between the Medicare Benefits Schedule fee or private health fund benefit and the amount charged. If you are not eligible for Medicare, we pay the full reasonable cost of treatment.
• Treatment must be received within 12 months of the incident date. Dental treatment that cannot be safely completed within that time may be extended with our written agreement.
• We will arrange direct billing with the hospital or practitioner wherever they agree to it, so you do not need to pay and wait for reimbursement.
• Where you have chosen an excess, we deduct it once from the first amount we pay under this benefit or under the Emergency Relocation Benefit for the same claim, whichever comes first. We never deduct it from both.

Recovery is not linear, and it does not end when a Medicare Mental Health Treatment Plan runs out. This benefit provides a dedicated annual allowance for private sessions with an AHPRA-registered practitioner or an accredited trauma therapist we have approved. Sessions can be in person or by telehealth from anywhere in Australia, and you may choose your own practitioner.

What we cover

• Sessions with AHPRA-registered psychologists, clinical psychologists and psychiatrists
• Accredited EMDR, trauma-focused CBT and somatic therapy practitioners
• Telehealth sessions from anywhere in Australia
• Family or partner sessions where recommended by the treating practitioner
• Psychiatric medication review and prescribed medication gap costs

What we do not cover under this benefit

• Practitioners who are not AHPRA-registered or approved by us in writing
• Life coaching, wellness retreats or unaccredited therapies
• Sessions already funded under a Medicare Mental Health Treatment Plan (we cover the gap only)

The general exclusions in Section 12 also apply to this benefit.

How this benefit works

• We pay your practitioner's fee, less any Medicare benefit or private health fund rebate you receive, up to $300 for a standard consultation with a psychologist, accredited mental health social worker or approved trauma therapist, and up to $450 for a consultation with a psychiatrist. Longer or specialised sessions, such as EMDR intensives, may be approved at a higher rate.
• You do not need our approval before your first six sessions with an AHPRA-registered practitioner. After that, we ask your practitioner to confirm the proposed frequency and expected duration of treatment. We do not require details of what is discussed in your sessions.
• On Essential cover, the annual limit applies to sessions for the insured person only. On Standard and Premier cover, family or partner sessions recommended by your treating practitioner are included within the same limit.
• The limit applies per policy year. On Essential and Standard cover, the limit is available in the policy year in which your claim is accepted and in the following policy year, provided your policy remains in force. On Premier cover, the limit renews for three policy years after your claim is accepted, so you can continue treatment for as long as it takes.
• We also pay the gap on medication prescribed by a psychiatrist or general practitioner in connection with your recovery, and the cost of a medication review, within the same limit.
• If you do not have a practitioner, your case manager can connect you with our partner network of trauma-specialist psychologists, including practitioners with experience supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, LGBTQIA+ people, people with disability and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

When home no longer feels safe, you should not have to wait. This benefit funds temporary accommodation, the cost of breaking a residential lease, removalists and storage, changing locks, installing security devices, and the bond and advance rent on a new tenancy. It is designed to be paid quickly, before you have finalised where you will live next.

What we cover

• Emergency and temporary accommodation for up to 60 nights
• Lease-break fees, reletting fees and advertising costs charged by your landlord or agent
• Lock changes, rekeying, security screens, cameras and alarm installation
• Removalists and storage for up to 3 months
• Bond and first month rent on a replacement tenancy
• Reasonable transport costs to relocate you and dependants

What we do not cover under this benefit

• Permanent home purchases or mortgage repayments
• Accommodation at more than 150% of the median nightly rate for the area
• Costs incurred more than 6 months after the incident date, unless we agree otherwise

The general exclusions in Section 12 also apply to this benefit.

How this benefit works

• 48-hour payment guarantee. On Standard and Premier cover, once we have your Police Report event number or Victims Services application reference and have accepted your claim, we will pay for emergency accommodation or make the first payment under this benefit within 48 hours. On Essential cover we aim to pay within five business days. If we miss the 48-hour guarantee, we will pay you $200 for each further day of delay, in addition to your benefit.
• You do not need to have left your home before you call us. Your case manager can arrange accommodation, transport and a locksmith the same day, and will pay providers directly wherever possible.
• Emergency and temporary accommodation is covered for up to 60 nights in total, at up to 150% of the median nightly rate for comparable accommodation in the area. Where you need to stay close to a hospital, court or your children's school, we will take that into account when assessing what is reasonable.
• Lease-break, reletting and advertising fees are covered where they are charged under your residential tenancy agreement. We can also provide a letter to your landlord or agent, and information about your rights under the tenancy laws in your state or territory, which may allow you to end a lease without penalty where you have experienced family violence.
• Bond and first month's rent on a replacement tenancy are paid as a benefit, not a loan. If your bond is later refunded, it is yours to keep.
• Costs must be incurred within six months of the incident date. We will extend this period where the offender is released from custody, a protection order ends, or another change in circumstances means you need to move again.

Recovery and the justice process both take time away from work. This benefit pays a weekly amount to replace lost income where an insured person is unable to work because of the insured event, or where a family member reduces their working hours to care for them. It also funds childcare, in-home domestic assistance and travel to attend police interviews, court hearings and medical or legal appointments.

What we cover

• Weekly income replacement of up to 75% of your pre-incident earnings, to the benefit cap
• Carer allowance for a family member who reduces their hours to support you
• Childcare and after-school care costs
• Domestic assistance including cleaning, meal preparation and gardening
• Travel, parking and accommodation to attend court and legal appointments

What we do not cover under this benefit

• Income already replaced by paid leave, workers compensation or another insurer
• Any period more than 26 weeks after the first day of absence (13 weeks on Essential)
• Voluntary redundancy or unrelated unemployment

The general exclusions in Section 12 also apply to this benefit.

How income replacement is calculated

We pay 75% of your pre-incident average weekly earnings for each week you are unable to work, up to the maximum weekly amount for your level of cover, until the earliest of: the date you are able to return to work; the end of the maximum period; or the date the benefit limit is reached. If you have chosen the Income Protection Boost (Section 11), we pay 90% of your pre-incident average weekly earnings, up to the same maximum weekly amount. Partial weeks are paid pro rata. If you return to work on reduced hours, we pay the difference between what you earn and the weekly amount you would otherwise receive.

The maximum weekly amount is the benefit limit divided by the maximum period. The waiting period is counted from the first day you are unable to work and is not paid. Where the insured event is the homicide of a family member, we treat the day of the incident as the first day of absence.

How this benefit works

• To establish that you are unable to work, we ask for a certificate from a medical practitioner, psychologist or psychiatrist stating the period for which you are unfit for work. The certificate does not need to describe the reason. We accept certificates issued for attendance at court or police interviews from your legal practitioner or the prosecuting agency.
• Carer allowance. Where a family member reduces their hours or takes unpaid leave to care for you, we pay 75% of the earnings they lose (90% with the Income Protection Boost), up to the maximum weekly amount, for up to eight weeks. The carer allowance and your own income replacement share the same benefit limit.
• Childcare and domestic assistance. We pay up to $500 per week in total for childcare, after-school care, cleaning, meal preparation, gardening and similar in-home help, whether or not you are also receiving income replacement.
• Travel to court and appointments. We pay reasonable travel, parking and, where an overnight stay is required, accommodation to attend police interviews, court hearings, Victims Services interviews, and medical and legal appointments connected to the insured event, up to $2,500 per claim.
• Income already replaced by paid sick, carer's or family violence leave, workers compensation, a motor accident scheme, or another insurer is deducted from the weekly amount we pay. Centrelink payments are not deducted.
• Payments are made weekly in arrears into your nominated Australian bank account. Income replacement payments may be assessable income for tax purposes; we recommend that you seek independent tax advice.

Police and prosecutors act for the state, not for you. This benefit funds your own independent legal practitioner to explain the criminal justice process, protect your rights as a witness, prepare a victim impact statement, apply for protection orders and victims assistance, and pursue civil compensation from an offender or a third party.

What we cover

• Independent legal advice from an Australian legal practitioner
• Preparation of victim impact statements and witness support
• Applications for intervention, apprehended violence or protection orders
• Victims Services, Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal and similar scheme applications
• Civil claims for damages against an offender or third party (including disbursements)
• Attendance at committal hearings, trials and sentencing

What we do not cover under this benefit

• Legal costs awarded against you
• Defending criminal charges brought against you
• Family law proceedings not directly connected to the incident

The general exclusions in Section 12 also apply to this benefit.

How this benefit works

• We pay the reasonable professional fees and disbursements of a legal practitioner in accordance with their costs agreement with you. We ask to see the costs agreement before substantive work begins, and we may ask you to consider a panel practitioner where the proposed fees are materially above the market rate for the work.
• On all levels of cover, we pay for legal advice and representation in connection with the criminal process, including conferences with the prosecution, applications for special witness arrangements, preparation of a victim impact statement, attendance at committal hearings, trial and sentencing, and applications for intervention, apprehended violence, family violence or personal safety orders.
• We pay for the preparation and lodgement of an application to Victims Services, the Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal or an equivalent state or territory scheme, including obtaining medical and psychological reports in support of the application.
• Civil damages. On Essential and Standard cover, we pay for legal advice about your civil options, a letter of demand and the negotiation of a settlement, up to $5,000 within the benefit limit. On Premier cover, we also fund civil damages litigation against an offender or a liable third party, including court filing fees, expert reports, counsel's fees and other disbursements, up to the benefit limit. Litigation funding on Premier is subject to advice from your legal practitioner that the claim has reasonable prospects of success and that the defendant has the means to satisfy a judgment.
• If we have funded civil litigation and you recover costs from the other party, we are reimbursed our legal costs from the costs component of the award or settlement only. We never take any part of the damages awarded for your injury, loss or suffering.
• Court companion service. On Standard and Premier cover, a trained support person can accompany you to court, police interviews and tribunal hearings. This is a service arranged by your case manager and does not reduce your benefit limit.

You can tailor your cover with two optional extras and a choice of excess. The options you have chosen are shown on your Certificate of Insurance. Optional extras can be added at any time; a 30-day qualifying period applies to an extra added after your policy has started (Section 5.2).

11.1 Income Protection Boost

The Income Protection Boost increases the rate at which we replace lost income under the Income Protection and Carer Support benefit from 75% to 90% of pre-incident average weekly earnings, and increases the carer allowance in the same way. The maximum weekly amount, the maximum period and the benefit limit for your level of cover do not change. The Boost costs 18% of your base premium and is available on all levels of cover.

11.2 Incidents Outside Australia

This extra extends Essential or Standard cover to insured events that occur while an insured person is temporarily outside Australia, for trips of up to 180 consecutive days, provided their usual place of residence remains in Australia. It is included in Premier cover at no additional cost. When an insured event occurs outside Australia:

• a report to the local police, to the Australian Federal Police, or to an Australian embassy, high commission or consulate is accepted as a Police Report;
• the Forensic and Immediate Medical Costs benefit covers treatment received overseas, and the Emergency Relocation Benefit covers the reasonable cost of returning to Australia by economy-class transport, in addition to the costs described in Section 8;
• the Trauma and Rehabilitation Package covers telehealth sessions with an AHPRA-registered practitioner from overseas, or sessions with a local practitioner we approve in writing;
• the Legal Advocacy Expenses benefit covers an Australian legal practitioner advising you about the foreign process and, where we agree, a local lawyer they engage on your behalf; and
• we pay overseas costs in Australian dollars at the exchange rate published by the Reserve Bank of Australia on the date of the invoice.

This extra costs 9% of your base premium on Essential and Standard cover.

11.3 Your excess

The standard excess on this policy is nil. You can choose to pay a $250 or $500 excess in return for a lower premium. The excess applies once per claim, and only to the Forensic and Immediate Medical Costs benefit and the Emergency Relocation Benefit. It never applies to the Trauma and Rehabilitation Package, the Income Protection and Carer Support benefit or the Legal Advocacy Expenses benefit.

Where we pay a provider directly, we will ask you to pay the excess to us within 30 days or, if you prefer, we will deduct it from a later reimbursement under the same claim. We never ask you to pay an excess before we arrange emergency accommodation or treatment. You can change your excess at any renewal.

We know that reading a list of exclusions can be confronting, particularly for a product like this one. Exclusions exist so that we can price the cover fairly and pay claims quickly and consistently. They are deliberately few. If you are unsure whether an exclusion applies to you, call us. If we ever decline a claim, we will explain the reasons in writing, and you can ask us to review the decision under Section 17.

We do not pay for any claim, cost or loss that:

1. Arises from an incident before your cover started or during the qualifying period. This includes a course of conduct that began before your cover started, as explained in Section 5.2.
2. Arises from a criminal act committed by the insured person who is claiming. We do not cover a person who committed, or knowingly and willingly participated in, the criminal act that caused the loss. This exclusion does not apply to a person who was coerced, who was a child at the time, or who acted in self-defence or in defence of another person.
3. Arises from the insured person's own unrelated criminal conduct. For example, an injury sustained while committing a burglary. Being affected by alcohol or drugs at the time of an incident, engaging in sex work, being in an unlawful place or having a criminal history does not make you a participant in a crime committed against you, and we will never decline a claim on those grounds.
4. Is fraudulent. If a claim is false, or is deliberately exaggerated, we may refuse the claim, recover any amount we have paid and cancel your policy. A claim where the offender is not charged, the prosecution does not proceed or the accused person is acquitted is not, for that reason, a fraudulent claim.
5. Is recoverable from another source. We pay only the amount that is not paid by Medicare, a private health fund, a workers compensation scheme, a motor accident or national injury insurance scheme, another insurance policy, an employer, or a state or territory victims assistance scheme. Where a scheme later pays you for a cost we have already paid, we may ask you to reimburse us up to the amount we paid for that same cost. We will never seek to offset a recognition payment or an award for pain and suffering.
6. Arises from an offence against property alone. Theft, burglary of an unoccupied home, vehicle theft, vandalism, fraud, scams, identity theft and cybercrime are not insured events unless a person was present and was threatened, injured or deprived of their liberty.
7. Arises from the use of a motor vehicle where a compulsory third party or national injury insurance scheme provides compensation, unless the vehicle was deliberately used as a weapon.
8. Occurs outside Australia, unless you hold Premier cover or have chosen the Incidents Outside Australia extra (Section 11.2).
9. Arises from war, invasion, acts of foreign enemies, hostilities, civil war, rebellion, insurrection or military or usurped power, or from an act of terrorism, except to the extent that the Terrorism Insurance Act 2003 (Cth) requires us to provide cover.
10. Arises from ionising radiation, radioactive contamination or nuclear weapons material.
11. Is for intentional self-inflicted injury, under the Forensic and Immediate Medical Costs benefit. This exclusion does not apply to the Trauma and Rehabilitation Package: counselling and psychiatric support after an insured event are covered regardless of any self-harm, and we will never withdraw counselling support for this reason.
12. Is a fine, penalty, punitive or exemplary damages, or legal costs awarded against you.
13. Is incurred more than 12 months after the incident date, other than under the Trauma and Rehabilitation Package and the Legal Advocacy Expenses benefit, or where a benefit specifies a different period, or where we have agreed to an extension in writing.
14. Is for treatment or services from a provider who is not registered, accredited or approved as described in the relevant benefit.

13.1 How to contact us

Our claims line is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year, on 1800 727 346. You can also lodge a claim online at rape.insure/claims or by email to claims@rape.insure. You do not need to tell us the details of what happened. A police event number or a Victims Services application reference is enough to begin.

Someone else can make a claim on your behalf, such as a family member, a support worker, a social worker at a hospital or a legal practitioner, provided you consent or are unable to consent. We will only discuss your claim with people you have authorised.

13.2 Your case manager

When you contact us, we will assign you a dedicated case manager who will stay with you for the life of your claim. Your case manager is trained in trauma-informed practice, and you can ask for a case manager of a particular gender. You choose how and how often we contact you, and we will never contact you at a number, address or email that you have told us is not safe.

13.3 What we will ask for

• The event or reference number for your Police Report, or the reference for your Victims Services application.
• Confirmation of your identity and the identity of any insured person claiming.
• The incident date and the state or territory in which the insured event occurred.
• Invoices, receipts or quotes for the costs you are claiming, or the details of the provider so we can pay them directly.
• For income replacement: evidence of your pre-incident earnings, such as payslips, an ATO income statement, a tax return or a business activity statement, and a certificate confirming the period you are unfit for work (see Section 9).
• For the carer allowance: a letter from your family member's employer confirming their reduced hours or unpaid leave.
• For counselling: your practitioner's name and AHPRA registration number, and their invoices.
• For legal advocacy: your legal practitioner's costs agreement and invoices.

13.4 If you cannot obtain a police event number

We understand that reporting to police is not always possible or safe. If you have been unable to obtain an event number, we will accept a statutory declaration made under the Statutory Declarations Act 1959 (Cth) or the equivalent state or territory law, describing the insured event in as much or as little detail as you are comfortable with and the steps you have taken to report it, together with at least one piece of supporting evidence. Supporting evidence can include a letter from a hospital, sexual assault service, family violence service, counsellor or medical practitioner; correspondence with police; screenshots of an online report that was not completed; or a protection order application. Your case manager can help you prepare a statutory declaration, and we will pay the cost of having it witnessed.

13.5 How long we take

We are bound by the claims handling standards in the General Insurance Code of Practice, and we have committed to faster timeframes for the benefits that matter most in an emergency.

If we decline your claim, or accept it in part, we will tell you in writing, explain the reasons, and tell you how to have the decision reviewed. We will give you copies of any report or information we relied on, unless doing so would put someone's safety at risk or breach the law.

13.6 Direct billing and provider payments

Wherever a hospital, practitioner, locksmith, removalist, accommodation provider or legal practitioner agrees, we pay them directly so that you are not out of pocket. Where you have paid a cost yourself, we reimburse you into your nominated Australian bank account.

13.7 Time limits

Please tell us about an insured event as soon as reasonably practicable. We do not impose a strict deadline for notifying a claim, and under section 54 of the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth) we may only reduce a claim because of late notification to the extent that our interests have actually been prejudiced by the delay. The time limits for incurring costs under each benefit continue to apply.

13.8 Recovery and subrogation

When we pay a claim, we may have a right to recover the amount we have paid from the offender or from a third party who is legally responsible for your loss, and to do so in your name. We will always consult you before taking any recovery action, we will never require you to give evidence or participate in proceedings against your wishes, and we will not pursue recovery where doing so could put your safety at risk or interfere with a criminal prosecution. If you receive compensation from another source for a cost we have paid, you must tell us, and we may ask you to reimburse us as described in Section 12.

13.9 Free support services

These services are independent of us and are free to call.

• 1800RESPECT 1800 737 732. 24-hour sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling.
• Lifeline 13 11 14. 24-hour crisis support.
• Emergency services 000. Police, fire and ambulance.
• Victims of Crime Helpline (VIC) 1800 819 817. 8am to 11pm, 7 days.
• Victims Services (NSW) 1800 633 063. Victims Access Line.

Your premium is the amount you pay for your cover. It is shown on your Certificate of Insurance and includes GST and state or territory stamp duty. We calculate your premium using the factors below. You can obtain a quote at any time at rape.insure/quote, and your quote will show each component of your premium.

14.1 What we do not ask about

Victim Support Cover is not health, life or income protection insurance. We do not ask about your medical history, your mental health, your occupation or your income when you apply, and none of these affect your premium. The only personal factors we use are the number of people covered, the age of the policyholder and the state or territory in which you live.

14.2 Paying by instalments

You can pay annually by credit card, debit card or BPAY, or by weekly, fortnightly or monthly direct debit from a bank account or card. Instalment payments attract the loading shown above. Your first instalment is due on your policy start date and subsequent instalments are due on the same day of each week, fortnight or month. If a due date falls on a weekend or public holiday, we debit on the next business day.

14.3 If you miss a payment

If an instalment is not paid on its due date, we will contact you in writing within five business days and attempt to debit the payment again seven days later. If an instalment remains unpaid for 14 days or more, we may refuse to pay a claim for an insured event that occurs while the instalment is overdue. If an instalment remains unpaid for one month or more, we may cancel your policy by giving you written notice, as permitted by the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth). We will always tell you before we do so, and if you are experiencing financial hardship we will work with you under our financial hardship policy (Section 18) rather than cancel your cover.

14.4 Renewal

Before your period of insurance ends, we will send you a renewal notice at least 14 days before the renewal date. It will show your renewal premium, the premium you paid last year, any changes to your cover and any changes to this PDS. If you pay by direct debit, your policy renews automatically and we continue to debit your instalments unless you tell us not to renew. If you pay annually, we will debit your nominated card or account on the renewal date unless you tell us otherwise. Your premium may change at renewal to reflect your age band, changes in our claims experience, reinsurance costs, government charges and the factors above.

14.5 Changes to your policy

You can add or remove an insured person, change your level of cover, add or remove an optional extra or change your excess at any time by calling us or through your online account. We will tell you any change in premium before it takes effect and issue a new Certificate of Insurance. A qualifying period applies to increases in cover as described in Section 5.2.

15.1 Your 21-day cooling-off period

If you change your mind, you can cancel your policy within 21 days of the later of the start date of your policy or the date we send you your Certificate of Insurance, and we will refund your premium in full. The same 21-day cooling-off period applies each time your policy renews. You cannot cancel under the cooling-off period if you have made a claim under the policy during that period.

15.2 Cancelling after the cooling-off period

You can cancel your policy at any time by calling us, emailing hello@rape.insure or writing to us. Cancellation takes effect on the day you ask, or a later day you nominate. We will refund the unused portion of your premium, including GST and stamp duty, calculated pro rata for the number of days remaining in your period of insurance. If you pay by instalments, we will stop debiting your account and refund any amount you have paid for the period after cancellation. We do not charge a cancellation fee.

If you cancel a policy under which a claim has been accepted, we will continue to pay the benefits for that claim in accordance with this PDS, except that the Trauma and Rehabilitation Package limit will not renew after the policy year in which you cancel.

15.3 How we may cancel

We may cancel your policy only where the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth) allows us to, for example if you have failed to comply with your duty to take reasonable care not to make a misrepresentation (Section 16), made a fraudulent claim, failed to pay your premium (Section 14.3), or failed to comply with a term of the policy. If we cancel, we will give you at least 14 days' written notice, or such longer period as the Act requires, and refund the unused portion of your premium unless the cancellation is for fraud. We will never cancel a policy because you have made a claim or because of the nature of an insured event.

When you apply for, renew, vary or extend this policy, you have a legal duty under section 20B of the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth) to take reasonable care not to make a misrepresentation to us. This duty applies to you and to every person who will be an insured person under the policy, and it replaces the former duty of disclosure for consumer insurance contracts.

16.1 What the duty means

A misrepresentation is a false answer, an answer that is only partly true, or an answer that does not fairly reflect the truth. To meet your duty you need to answer our questions honestly and accurately, and take reasonable care to make sure that your answers are complete. Whether you have taken reasonable care is judged on all the relevant circumstances, including the type of insurance and its intended audience, how clear our questions and explanatory material were, whether you used a broker or agent, and any particular characteristics or circumstances of yours that we were aware of.

16.2 What we ask

We keep our questions to a minimum. When you apply, we ask you to confirm:

• the name, date of birth and residential address of each person to be insured;
• whether any person to be insured has already lodged, or reasonably expects to lodge, a Police Report or Victims Services application about an incident that has already occurred;
• whether any person to be insured has had a policy of insurance cancelled, or a claim refused, on the grounds of fraud in the last five years; and
• your contact details and how it is safe to contact you.

We do not ask about medical history, mental health, criminal history, occupation or income, and you do not need to volunteer this information. If you are unsure whether something is relevant, ask us. If you realise after applying that an answer was wrong or incomplete, tell us as soon as you can and we will update your policy.

16.3 If you do not meet the duty

If you fail to take reasonable care not to make a misrepresentation, and we would not have issued the policy, or would have issued it on different terms, had we known the truth, the Act allows us to cancel the policy, reduce the amount we pay on a claim, or vary the policy to reflect the terms we would have offered. If the misrepresentation was fraudulent, we may treat the policy as if it never existed. Before we take any of these steps we will tell you in writing, explain our reasons, and give you the opportunity to respond. You can ask us to review any decision under Section 17.

We want to know if we have not met your expectations, and we treat every complaint as an opportunity to do better. You can complain about any aspect of our service, a decision we have made on your claim, the way we have handled your personal information, or the conduct of a provider we have engaged on your behalf. Making a complaint will never affect your cover or the handling of your claim.

17.1 Internal dispute resolution

Contact your case manager or our complaints team in the first instance. You can call 1300 727 346, email complaints@rape.insure, or write to Complaints, Rape Insure Pty Ltd, GPO Box 4471, Melbourne VIC 3001. If you would prefer, a family member, friend, support worker or legal practitioner can complain on your behalf.

Our internal dispute resolution (IDR) process meets the standards set by ASIC Regulatory Guide 271 and the General Insurance Code of Practice:

• we will acknowledge your complaint within one business day of receiving it, or as soon as practicable;
• your complaint will be reviewed by a person who was not involved in the original decision and who has the authority to resolve it;
• we will keep you informed of progress at least every 10 business days;
• we will give you our final response in writing within 30 calendar days of receiving your complaint. If we cannot respond within 30 days, we will tell you why, tell you when you can expect a response, and remind you of your right to take your complaint to AFCA; and
• our response will explain our decision, the reasons for it, and the information we relied on.

17.2 External dispute resolution

If you are not satisfied with our response, or we have not responded within 30 days, you can take your complaint to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA). AFCA provides fair and independent financial services complaint resolution that is free to consumers. AFCA can consider most complaints about our insurance products and claims handling, subject to its rules and monetary limits. Time limits apply: in most cases you must lodge a complaint with AFCA within two years of the date of our final IDR response.

You may also contact the Code Governance Committee about a breach of the General Insurance Code of Practice, or the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner about a privacy matter (Section 18). If we are unable to resolve a dispute about the amount of a benefit, you retain any right you have to take legal action, and nothing in this PDS limits your rights under the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth) or the Australian Consumer Law.

18.1 Your privacy

We collect, hold, use and disclose personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles. Because of the nature of this product, some of the information we collect when you make a claim is sensitive information, including health information about your treatment and information about a criminal offence committed against you. We collect only what we need to assess and pay your claim, and we ask for your consent before collecting sensitive information.

We may share your personal information with:

• our reinsurer, Tasman Re (Australia) Limited, for the purpose of the reinsurance arrangements described in Section 2;
• hospitals, practitioners, legal practitioners, accommodation and security providers, and other providers we pay on your behalf, limited to what they need to provide the service;
• a state or territory victims assistance scheme, police or a court, only with your consent or where we are required by law;
• our contracted service providers, such as payment processors and technology providers, who are bound by confidentiality obligations; and
• AFCA, ASIC, APRA, the Code Governance Committee or another regulator where required.

We will never disclose your information to a person you have identified as an offender, or to any other insured person on your policy without your consent. We do not disclose personal information overseas except to technology providers whose servers may be located in New Zealand or Singapore, under contracts that require Australian-standard protection. You can ask for access to, or correction of, the personal information we hold about you by contacting our Privacy Officer at hello@rape.insure. Our Privacy Policy at rape.insure/privacy explains how we handle personal information in more detail and how to complain to us or to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.

18.2 Supporting you when you need it

The General Insurance Code of Practice requires us to take extra care with customers who are experiencing vulnerability. Because every person who claims under this policy has experienced a crime, we have designed our service around that requirement. You can ask for an interpreter, for information in an accessible format, for a support person to be included in every conversation, or to communicate with us only in writing. If you are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech impairment, you can contact us through the National Relay Service on 133 677.

18.3 Family violence

We have a family violence policy, published at rape.insure/family-violence, that describes how we protect the safety and privacy of customers who are experiencing family violence. In summary: we will not require you to obtain information from, or engage with, a person who has used violence against you; we will separate a joint policy into your own name at no cost and with no qualifying period; we will record a safe contact method and use no other; we will not disclose your address, your claim or the existence of your policy to any other person on the policy; and we will refer you to specialist services with your consent. Our staff receive annual family violence training delivered by a specialist family violence service.

18.4 Financial hardship

If you are experiencing financial hardship, whether because of an insured event or for any other reason, tell us and we will work with you under our financial hardship policy. Options include deferring or reducing instalments for up to three months, changing your payment frequency, or, if you owe us an excess or an amount we have overpaid, agreeing a payment plan or waiving the amount. We will not cancel your policy for non-payment while a hardship arrangement is in place, and we will give you our decision on a hardship request within 21 days. You can also contact the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007 for free, independent financial counselling.

18.5 How to contact us

This PDS, version VSC-PDS 3.1, was prepared on 1 June 2026 and is effective for policies commencing or renewing on or after 1 July 2026. It replaces version VSC-PDS 3.0 dated 1 July 2025. Words used in this document have the meanings given in Section 4.