Super complaints up 11% in 2022

Grievances around super accounts topped the list of over 5,500 superannuation-related complaints by product received by the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) in 2022.

At 3,307, account-related complaints comprised nearly 60% of all super-related complaints, with the total number of super complaints up 11% from last year. 

Speaking at the AFCA Member Forum, Anne Maree Howley, AFCA senior ombudsman, superannuation, noted such complaints often related to administration issues such as rollovers and switches.

“We often see this type of complaint being resolved relatively promptly, either in the refer-back period or in case management, particularly when there is some clarity in respect to the complaint raised either by the financial firm or by AFCA,” she said.

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The other common complaints related to product were around total and permanent disability (933), income protection (820), death benefits (475), and pension (74). 

In comparison, the top issue-related complaints received by AFCA were delays in claim handling (990), service quality (889), and account administration error (573). 

There were some 351 complaints around incorrect fees and costs and 321 complaints regarding denial of claims. 

Between 1 January and 31 December, 2022, the majority of super complaints took anywhere between 60 to 180 days to be closed. Around 386 complaints took over a year to be resolved.

With this, Howley noted that the average time to close complaints had reduced slightly to 119 days, down 2% from last year. 

“One figure I’d like to highlight is the resolution rate at registration and referral. You would have noted that in the June 2022 period, the resolution rate was at 31%, but by December, it was up to 38%. In the months of January and February, it increased to 39%,” she said.

Nevertheless, AFCA’s data indicated that most decision outcomes for super complaints were resolved by the financial firm (1,410) where the complaint was closed based on an agreement reached between the parties directly, with no involvement by AFCA.

This was followed by complaints closed by negotiations (546).

Howley observed: “An ASIC study has shown that an earlier resolution of a complaint results in a better experience for the complainant, so we acknowledge industry’s action in achieving this”.