Youi Customer Alerts
YOUI has clean sweep in Canstar 2020 Customer Satisfaction Awards
Queensland based insurer, Youi, is proud to have experienced a clean sweep, once again achieving Canstar’s Award for Most Satisfied Customers across all three eastern Australian states, in both the home and car insurance categories.
The prestigious Canstar awards provide information to help customers make better-informed financial decisions, by reflecting how happy customers are with their insurers.
Youi CEO, Hugo Schreuder, said Youi was committed to listening and treating each customer as an individual and this truly personalised approach had well and truly paid off.
“It’s great to win awards such as this as it lets us know that we’re doing the right thing for our customers, which is what we strive to do every day,” he said.
Mr Schreuder said the Youi team were also incredibly proud to have been the first Australian insurer to provide temporary premium support for both car and home insurance customers affected by Covid-19.
“While insurance claims numbers can rise and fall in any given year, we thought it was important to do something to support our customers due to the exceptional circumstances created by COVID-19,” he said.
“We know that many people out there are doing it tough and household budgets are tight, so this is one way we can ease some pressure for our customers that need help.”
Media Contact: For further information please contact media enquires at Youi on mediaenquiries@youi.com.
Youi and Blue Zebra agree underwriting relationship
Youi and Blue Zebra today confirmed they have entered into an agreement for Youi to underwrite Blue Zebra’s personal lines and soon to be launched SME insurance business.
The agreement followed a period of due diligence which found Youi and Blue Zebra are complementary organisations and, by working together, can help each other achieve their strategic goals.
Youi brings financial strength and stability, understanding of how to grow a challenger brand in the Australian market, significant pricing and claims expertise, and a customer focused culture to the relationship. Blue Zebra brings an attractive advice proposition, a powerful broker distribution network and world class systems.
Youi Chief Executive Hugo Schreuder said both organisations were an excellent fit for each other, culturally as well as operationally.
“We are both entrepreneurial, challenger brands that can move nimbly to take advantage of new opportunities to meet the market’s changing needs and individual’s specific requirements,” he said.
“Youi has previously signalled its intention to look for opportunities to expand what we offer to our Australian customers. We have been considering the SME market for some time and this agreement will allow us to fast-track the development of our offering.”
Blue Zebra Managing Director Colin Fagen said the Blue Zebra team was excited to be launching this new arrangement with Youi.
“This relationship enables Blue Zebra to continue to build our business and support the broking community in the Australian market for both personal lines and the soon to be launched SME products,” Mr Fagen said.
“Youi’s extensive experience in our product range combined with our market leading technology provides a fantastic platform for both our organisations going forward.”
Importantly, there will be minimal change to Blue Zebra’s operational model or product coverage as a result of the agreement with Youi.
Current policies with Zurich Australian Insurance will not be impacted and this change will take effect for all personal lines policies incepting from 17 March 2020. Zurich will continue to be the security for any current or future new business quotes that will incept up to and including 16 March 2020.
Blue Zebra’s products will continue to be available via its Zebra Lounge platform, which is accessed by more than 1,000 users every day. The relationship with Claim Central to deliver broker claims service will also continue.
For current Zurich policies with policy expiry dates after 16 March 2020, Youi will propose to offer a new replacement policy in line with its underwriting criteria when those policies expire.
Ends
For more information contact:
Youi: Jamin Smith, 0451 755 355
Blue Zebra: Colin Fagen, 0400 624 912
About Youi
Youi Pty Ltd is an Australian registered company and is a majority owned subsidiary of Youi Holdings Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of OUTsurance International Holdings Pty Limited part of the Rand Merchant Insurance Holdings (RMIH) Group.
Youi Pty Ltd is a licensed general insurance company which underwrites its own policies. Our products currently include Vehicle (Car, Motorcycle, Caravan and Trailer), Home (Buildings and Contents), Watercraft and Business Liability.
We are regulated by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) and Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC), a member of Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) and a signatory to the General Insurance Code of Practice. We're a majority owned subsidiary of OUTsurance International Holdings Pty Limited which is part of the Rand Merchant Insurance Holdings Group (RMIH), a large international insurance services provider.
About Blue Zebra
Blue Zebra launched its first personal lines insurance products in May 2018 and now offers Home, Motor and Landlord insurance, as well as its innovative Home Business Extension cover.
Blue Zebra is an insurtech underwriting agency delivering its product suite exclusively to brokers and their clients. Blue Zebra leverages `big data’ sources to efficiently enable the quote process and enhance its understanding of the underlying risk.
Blue Zebra has a small and highly empowered team and strong automation of its `back-end’ processes. This enables the delivery of great service to their broker partners.
Youi confirms transfer of New Zealand insurance portfolio
Youi NZ Pty Limited confirmed today that, having now met the necessary regulatory and other conditions, it will transfer its New Zealand insurance portfolio to Tower Insurance Limited (Tower) on 31 December 2019.
As outlined in its announcement on 24 September 2019, Youi decided to step back from the New Zealand market to focus on growth opportunities in Australia.
Youi to increase focus on Australian growth opportunities
Published on 24 September 2019
Youi NZ Pty Limited confirmed today that it had entered into an agreement to transfer its New Zealand insurance portfolio to Tower Insurance Limited (Tower) so it could focus on growth opportunities in Australia.
CEO Hugo Schreuder said the Australian insurance market offered more opportunities to Youi.
“After nearly five years operating in New Zealand, we have decided to step back from this market. While we’re very proud of what we’ve achieved in New Zealand over the last five years, there will be more growth opportunities for the portfolio under Tower’s ownership,” Mr Schreuder said.
“This decision now allows us to put all our focus and energy on our Australian business as the scale and diversity of the market offers more growth opportunities for a challenger brand like Youi.
“We are excited to be moving to a new chapter which enables us to invest more in Australia and diversifying our product portfolio – offering more choice, and more value, for our customers.”
The portfolio transfer, which is still subject to a number of conditions, is expected to complete in the fourth quarter of the 2019 calendar year.
Information about recruitment portal, PageUp
Published on 7 June 2018
Youi is among a number of organisations which may have been affected by unauthorised activity discovered on the recruitment technology provider - PageUp – which Youi uses for recruitment services.
In a notification on their website, PageUp has advised it is currently investigating unauthorised activity with its IT systems.
At Youi, protecting your privacy is extremely important to us and we have taken the precaution of suspending our use of the PageUp system while the incident is being investigated.
We will provide an update on the issue following investigations.
Fire and Emergency Services Levy reforms delayed
Published on 5 June 2017
The NSW Government had previously introduced reforms to the way the Emergency Services Levy (ESL) would be collected. The reform meant that the ESL which had been collected via insurance premiums would be replaced with a Fire and Emergency Services Levy (FESL) which would be collected with council rates.
This would result in premium savings for insurance consumers and is considered more equitable and fair as the cost of emergency services would be funded more broadly by all property owners, rather than only consumers who elected to be insured.
On 30 May 2017 the NSW Government announced that the reform would be deferred until further notice.
How does this impact you?
We have been working towards the removal of ESL from insurance policies by 1 July 2017 and have already reduced the collection of NSW ESL accordingly.
We will continue to work with the NSW Government, the Insurance Council of Australia and all relevant stakeholders through the implications of the Government’s recent announcement and will keep you updated on how this will affect you.
Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
**** UPDATE ****
Since the previous Customer Alert, the NSW Government has passed legislation requiring insurers to collect emergency services funding on property insurance and not with council rates.
Please check your Policy Schedule for the showing the Emergency Service Levy that is collected with your premium. Please contact us on 13 9684 (YOUI) for any queries.
Cyclone Debbie Victims Warned of Scammers Posing as Insurers
Published on 4 April 2017
In the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Debbie, cyclone and flood victims are being warned to watch out for scammers posing as builders or insurance companies. An official media release by the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) says the scam is "generally carried out by traveling con-men and women who typically target elderly or vulnerable households, though business owners are also being approached."
The ICA recommends asking any contractor or assessor to see credentials and not to hand over any form of payment, or sign any contract without verifying the person's identity.
If you suspect a scammer, report them to the National Traveling Conman Hotline on 1300 133 408 or call the police.
For more information on how to avoid falling victim to scams, see the ACCC information here.
Reports about people receiving unsolicited phone calls relating to injury compensation claims following motor vehicle accidents.
Published on 17 March 2017
Youi has recently become aware of customers and other motorists who have received unsolicited phone calls from businesses and individuals promoting injury compensation services and/or seeking personal information after motor vehicle accidents. In some cases, the business or individual making the telephone call purports to be a Youi representative.
Youi neither supports nor promotes the businesses and individuals making these phone calls and only ever provides personal information to third parties strictly in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
We encourage anyone who receives an unsolicited phone call regarding injury compensation to protect their personal information and to contact us.
If you do receive an unsolicited telephone call in the future, we encourage you to:
- not provide any personal information.
- obtain the name, website and contact information of the caller.
- report the caller to Youi.
- report the caller to the ACCC by visiting the ACCC’s SCAM watch website, or by phoning 1300 795 995.