The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) has urged governments at federal and state levels to make permanent interim measures that allow the industry to submit compliance documents electronically during the pandemic.

It also wants governments to consider modernising current regulatory requirements where the use of digital communication tools is still minimal or not allowed at all.

ICA says accelerating the use of modern communications tools such as electronic signing and virtual witnessing of documents would cut red tape, lower costs and aid the recovery of the virus-hit economy.

“COVID-19 has driven businesses and governments to adopt more flexible practices,” CEO Rob Whelan said. “These measures should be made permanent.

“The necessity of adopting to the COVID-19 situation creates a prime opportunity for Governments to reassess current compliance requirements in order to create a more efficient and less costly regulatory environment for businesses and consumers.”

ICA says its members are particularly keen for the Insurance Contracts Act to be amended to allow for the provision of disclosure documents electronically, on the same basis that is possible for other financial services providers.

Currently the Act requires specific consent for electronic communications of certain documents.

In his letter to Ben Morton, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, Mr Whelan outlines a list of areas where the industry is keen for the introduction of electronic signatures and other digital communication tools.

The industry wants a consistent national approach for the use of electronic signatures and digital submission of documents for workers’ compensation and compulsory third party claims.

It says there should also be a way for claimants to easily submit their tax file numbers to the tax office and share the details with insurers for entering in their systems.