Welcome to the Insurance Online News podcast with your host, Paige Estritori, where we deliver the latest and most significant news from the world of insurance in Australia. Our dedicated team works tirelessly to bring you the freshest updates, focusing on the stories that matter the most to both Australian businesses and individual consumers over the past week.
Through meticulous research, we transform these developments into original content that not only keeps you informed but also offers deep insights into the insurance landscape as it stands today. Our podcast distills these crucial updates into a format that's both succinct and captivating. For professionals within the insurance realm or personal consumers keen on keeping up with insurance trends, look no further. Paige Estritori brings you all the essential information daily, making our podcast the ultimate destination for trustworthy and impactful insurance news.
This Week:
Paige Estritori covers four Australian insurance stories this week: NSW CTP premiums face renewed cost pressures after reforms; Octobers east‑coast storms are now a roughly $1.1b insurance event; AFCA rules an insurer should cover a spoofed‑email payment‑redirection loss, highlighting cyber risks for SMEs and charities; and Treasury opens consultation on professional indemnity reforms while a special levy supports the Compensation Scheme of Last Resort. Listeners are encouraged to compare policies early, check sums insured and flood wording, add verification steps for payments, and review PI cover—using InsuranceOnline.com.au for free quotes and broker support.
Hello and welcome to Insurance Online News, Im Paige Estritori, and its Thursday 18 December 2025.
First, New South Wales compulsory third‑party motor scheme is showing fresh cost pressures. Premiums have edged higher this year as claim volumes rise, including more psychological injury claims, according to a parliamentary review. Regulators are being urged to keep the scheme steady while recent reforms bed in. If youre renewing car cover for family or a business fleet, compare early and make sure your policy extras still match your needs.
Meanwhile, those late‑October storms across Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria are now expected to cost about $1.1 billion in insured losses. Tens of thousands of property and motor claims have been lodged, which keeps pressure on pricing in storm‑exposed areas. Check your sum insured and excess, confirm flood and storm wording, and use our free quotes and broker support to test the market before you renew.
Next up, a notable ruling on payment‑redirection fraud. The Australian Financial Complaints Authority, or AFCA, decided an insurer should cover a business after a fraudster intercepted an overseas transfer by spoofing emails. Business email compromise remains a big risk for SMEs and charities. Put call‑back checks in place for any bank‑detail changes and consider cyber and crime cover; we can help you compare policies that include social‑engineering protection.
Finally, Treasury has opened consultation to strengthen professional indemnity insurance as a first line of defence for the Compensation Scheme of Last Resort. At the same time, a special levy of about $47 million will be collected across several financial subsectors to plug a funding shortfall. If you hold an Australian Financial Services Licence or provide regulated advice, review PI limits, exclusions and run‑off well ahead of renewal and get an expert to benchmark options.
Thats the wrap. For fast, free personal and business insurance quotes and access to independent brokers nationwide, head to insuranceonline.com.au. Im Paige Estritori—thanks for listening.
The information on this website is general in nature and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Consider seeking personal advice from a licensed adviser before acting on any information.
Follow us!
We are a proud member of the Financial Services Online network!
Connect with us on your favourite social media platform for the latest financial news, views, tips, tricks, resources and information.
Strata insurance is a specialized type of insurance designed for properties that are divided into multiple units or lots, such as apartment buildings. It protects the entire building’s common property and the individual interests of the owners. This includes coverage for areas like hallways, gardens, and shared facilities. - read more
Strata insurance is a type of cover designed specifically for properties that are subdivided into individual lots or units, which is common in residential and mixed-use developments. It protects the overall structure and shared areas of the property and is usually managed by a strata management body. This insurance is crucial not just for safeguarding the building itself but also for ensuring that common property, such as gardens, hallways, and balconies, is covered against a range of risks. - read more
Strata insurance is a specialized form of insurance designed to protect the common property and assets of a strata titled property, which is especially important for property owners in Australia. It provides coverage for shared areas such as hallways, gardens, and pools, as well as liability protection for incidents that may occur in these common spaces. - read more
Strata insurance is a specialized form of insurance designed to protect the shared areas of a property, typically seen in apartment complexes or townhouses. It covers communal assets like hallways, gardens, and recreational facilities. This type of insurance is crucial for both property owners and managers, as it safeguards against potential risks and liabilities associated with shared living spaces. - read more
Strata insurance is a specialized type of insurance designed to cover multi-unit properties like apartment buildings and townhouses. It protects the common property and the shared interests of all owners within the strata scheme, offering coverage for facilities like pools, gardens, and shared structures. - read more
The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) has announced a significant policy change aimed at mitigating risks in the housing market. Effective February 2026, APRA will impose a cap on high debt-to-income (DTI) home loans, limiting such loans to 20% of new home lending. This measure applies to both owner-occupiers and investors, with the exception of new housing developments. - read more
CHU, Australia's leading strata insurance underwriting agency, has released its 2025 State of the Strata Market report, providing a comprehensive analysis of current industry trends and challenges. The report indicates that strata insurance premiums have experienced a modest increase of 2.8% over the past year, rising from an average of $954 to $981 per lot annually. This growth rate is notably lower than the 3. - read more
The New South Wales (NSW) government has introduced a new tranche of strata reforms to parliament, aiming to enhance the maintenance and safety of apartment buildings across the state. A key component of these reforms is the proposal to grant NSW Fair Trading the authority to enter any apartment building without a warrant if there are reasonable grounds to believe that the owners corporation is failing to maintain common property adequately. - read more
Strata property owners in North and Central Queensland are being urged to take advantage of new federal and state initiatives designed to reduce insurance premiums and enhance cyclone resilience. These programs provide financial incentives for property upgrades that can lead to significant savings on insurance costs. - read more
The insured value of strata properties in Australia has reached an estimated $1.4 trillion, underscoring the growing significance of strata living in the nation's housing landscape. This substantial valuation reflects the increasing number of Australians choosing strata-titled properties as their preferred mode of residence. - read more