Insurance Finder Australia Weekly Insurance News Wrap
Each week, Insurance Finder Australia brings a clear, concise wrap of the biggest insurance stories across Australia. We cover policy and regulation updates, broker industry movements, claims trends, and practical consumer insights. Expect plain-English summaries, context on what changes mean, and tips to navigate coverage choices with confidence. It’s a trustworthy, industry-focused news brief designed for individuals and small business owners who want to stay informed without the noise.
This Week:
This week: NSWs budget projects higher Emergency Services Levy collections, keeping pressure on premiums while reform is reviewed; ransomware intensifies against legal and professional services with higher extortion demands; a travel insurance dispute confirms an airline computer error can count as an accident for denied boarding; and BOM says El Niño will likely persist through 2026, signalling drier and hotter conditions for parts of Australia. Practical takeaways: review cover with a licensed broker, check cyber limits and incident response, keep documentation for travel claims, and confirm sums insured and mitigation measures ahead of a drier season.
EPISODE 2192 | Insurance Finder Australia Weekly Insurance News Wrap | Wed, 24th Jun 2026
27 Jun 2026 | Paige Estritori
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Read Full Transcript:
Hello and welcome to Insurance Finder Australia Weekly Insurance News Wrap, Im Paige Estritori, and its Wednesday, 24 June 2026.
First, New South Wales. The state budget shows Emergency Services Levy, or ESL, collections are set to rise over the next few years, with policyholders footing more of the bill. Business groups say the levy can add about twenty‑three per cent to general business insurance. A parliamentary inquiry into replacing the ESL with a fairer model is underway, with a report due in November. For NSW households and small businesses, pressure on premiums may persist, so use a licensed broker to compare options and make sure youre not cutting cover just to save a few dollars.
Next up, cyber risk. Fresh data shows ransomware attacks on legal and professional services jumped by more than half last year, and average extortion demands climbed to around six hundred thousand dollars. Payments are falling, but attackers are getting more targeted. If you handle sensitive client data, speak with a broker about cyber cover that includes incident response, data restoration and business interruption, and confirm your limits match todays demands.
Meanwhile, a travel insurance ruling offers a useful reminder. A traveller who was denied boarding because an airline computer wrongly flagged her visa won her dispute; the denial counted as an “accident” under the policy, not a booking error. Keep records when things go wrong at check‑in, and review exclusions before you fly so your cover works the way you expect.
And weather watchers: the Bureau of Meteorology, or BOM, says El Niño is likely to persist through the rest of the year, lifting the chance of drier conditions in parts of the south‑west of WA and the south‑east, and hotter days across much of the east and west. Nows a good time to check your home, contents and business interruption cover, confirm sums insured reflect rebuild and replacement costs, and ask a broker about mitigation credits and the right excess settings for your situation.
Thats it for this week. To compare options and get matched with a trusted insurance broker near you, head to insurance-finder.com.au. Im Paige Estritori—thanks for listening, and well catch you next Wednesday.
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.
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Knowledgebase
Claim: A formal request made by the policyholder to the insurance company for payment of a loss covered by the insurance policy.
