A claimant portal lets people lodge a claim, upload documents, see its status and next step, message the claims team and track payment online. A good one saves calls and keeps claimants informed. It should not replace a person for a vulnerable claimant, hide a decline behind a status label, or ask for information the insurer already holds.
Key takeaways
- A claimant portal is the claimant's view of their claim: lodgement, documents, status, messages and payment.
- According to Insurance Business, delay in claim handling was AFCA's most complained-about issue in 2025-26.
- According to ASIC, claims should be handled "in the least onerous and intrusive way possible".
- WCAG 2.2, the W3C's accessibility standard, became a W3C Recommendation in October 2023.
- The 2020 General Insurance Code requires insurers to identify and respond to claimants experiencing vulnerability.
What is a claimant portal?
A claimant portal is a secure website or app where a person who has made an insurance claim can lodge it, upload evidence, see where it stands and what happens next, message the claims team, and track payment. It is run by the insurer, agency or claims administrator handling the claim, and shows only the claimant's own claims.
Most people meet it at a stressful moment. A flood, a car accident or an injury comes first; the portal comes second. So it has to be simple, clear and quick on a phone.
The portal is not the claims system itself. It is a window into it, showing the claimant part of what the claims team sees. The FNOL explainer covers the first step a portal often handles.
What should a claimant portal do?
A claimant portal should let people lodge a claim, upload documents and photos, see the claim's status and the next step, message the claims team and get replies, and see payments as they are made. Each of these replaces a phone call. The test is whether a claimant can answer "where is my claim?" without ringing.
Status should mean something. "In progress" for six weeks tells the claimant nothing. The next step, who is taking it and roughly when, tells them what to expect.
Updates should arrive without being asked for. The 2020 Code requires insurers to update retail claimants at least every 20 business days. A portal that posts each update, and notifies the claimant, helps meet that rule. According to Insurance Business, delay was the most complained-about issue at AFCA in 2025-26.
What should a claimant portal not do?
A claimant portal should not replace a person for a claimant who needs one, hide a decline or bad news behind a status label, or ask for information the insurer already holds. It should not make the phone harder to reach, and it should not be the only way to complain. Self-service is a choice, not a wall.
Vulnerable claimants need people. The 2020 Code asks insurers to identify and respond to customers experiencing vulnerability, such as family violence or financial hardship. A portal can flag that need, but a person should act on it.
Declines need explanation. A status that changes to "closed" without reasons is a complaint waiting to happen. As a result, a decline should come with written reasons and the complaint options, not just a label.
Repeat requests frustrate claimants. According to ASIC, claims should be handled "in the least onerous and intrusive way possible". A portal that asks for the policy number the insurer already has works against that.
What rules does a claimant portal have to meet?
A claimant portal sits inside three sets of rules: the General Insurance Code's communication, timeframe and vulnerability obligations; accessibility, where WCAG 2.2 is the current W3C standard; and privacy, where the Australian Privacy Principles require reasonable steps to protect personal information. Insurers also carry ASIC's efficiently, honestly and fairly obligation.
Accessibility is often overlooked. WCAG 2.2 sets success criteria for content that people with disabilities can perceive, operate and understand. A claimant with low vision, or using a screen reader, should be able to lodge and follow a claim.
Privacy shapes design. Claims files hold sensitive personal information, so access controls, secure upload and clear consent all matter. ClaimsGateway (claimsgateway.com) builds claims software with user, role and permission controls and audit logs of system and user activity. Its features page describes the platform.
Frequently asked questions
What is a claimant portal?
A claimant portal is a secure website or app where a person who has made an insurance claim can lodge it, upload documents, see its status and next step, message the claims team and track payment. It is run by the insurer, agency or administrator handling the claim, and shows only that person's claims.
Can I lodge an insurance claim online?
Usually, yes. Most Australian insurers and many agencies let claimants lodge claims online, through a website, app or portal. Some claims, such as complex commercial losses, may still need a phone call or a broker. Check your insurer's claims page for the options it offers.
Do claimant portals reduce calls?
They can, when they answer the questions claimants call about: where the claim is, what happens next, and when payment will arrive. A portal that shows only a vague status may not reduce calls at all. Clear next steps and proactive updates are what make the difference.
What accessibility standard applies to claims portals?
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are the usual reference, and WCAG 2.2 is the current W3C Recommendation, published in October 2023. It sets criteria so people with disabilities can perceive, operate and understand online content. Insurers should check their own legal advice on accessibility obligations.
How should a portal treat vulnerable customers?
A portal should make it easy for a claimant to say they need extra support, and route that to a person rather than an automated flow. The 2020 General Insurance Code asks insurers to identify and respond to customers experiencing vulnerability. A phone number and a human contact should always be easy to find.
About the author
ClaimsGateway builds cloud claims management software for insurers, underwriting agencies, brokers, TPAs and self-insured organisations in Australia and New Zealand. Every regulator figure in this article links to its source, and every vendor fact was checked on the vendor's own site on the date shown.
Related reading
- Portal software compared: portals for insurers, brokers and claimants.
- FNOL software: tools for first notice of loss.
- Code of Practice claims rules: the communication and vulnerability rules.
Sources
- Insurance Business Australia. "Insurer claim delays top complaints again as brokers report no change." 11 September 2026. https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/au/news/claims/insurer-claim-delays-top-complaints-again-as-brokers-report-no-change-589274.aspx
- ASIC. "Claims handling and settling: How to comply with your AFS licence obligations (INFO 253)." Published 16 June 2025. https://download.asic.gov.au/media/q2ybygwo/info253-published-16-june-2025.pdf
- W3C. "Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2." W3C Recommendation, 5 October 2023. https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG22/
- Insurance Council of Australia. General Insurance Code of Practice (2020 Code), Parts 8 and 9. https://insurancecouncil.com.au/code-of-practice
- OAIC. "Australian Privacy Principles." https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/australian-privacy-principles
