Mr Locke says disclosure is a significant issue in insurance.

He says the onus is on consumers, but that they usually don't read all the documentation. Many buy insurance based on price and advertising, not on information 40 pages into a document.

"Not everybody is a sophisticated consumer and that includes small businesses," he says. "More can be done."

He says standardised definitions and a "minimum level of cover" would help.

There have been more than 400 COVID-19-related general insurance complaints, many around travel insurance.

For most travel insurance policies there are clear pandemic exclusions "but that doesn't stop people coming to us," he says.

Regards the summer bushfires there have been 56 general insurance compaints. Some have been resolved, with a total of $2.8 million awarded to complainants.

Insurers have been more flexible he says, including one example of an insurer honouring a claim by allowing a customer to pay an overdue premium retrospectively.

Lead Ombudsman Insurance John Price has joined the call. He says underinsurance and non-insurance is a "live issue" in relation to bushfires.