Synchron is a member of the Financial Industry Complaints Service.
If you have any complaints about the service provided to you, you should take the following steps:

1. Contact your Authorised Representative and tell them about your complaint.

2. If your complaint is not satisfactorily resolved within three working days, please contact the Manager of Synchron or put your complaint in writing and send it to:- PO Box 438 North Melbourne, VIC 3051. An officer of Synchron who has the authority to resolve most complaints without further referral will deal with the complaint. Synchron will seek to resolve your complaint quickly and fairly.

3. Synchron will endeavour to resolve all complaints within 45 working days of lodgement. Should there be special circumstances relating to the complaint, such that it is not reasonable for the complaint to be resolved in that time, Synchron will inform the complainant of the reasons for the delay.

4. If the complaint has not been resolved within 90 days, you have the right to complain to the Financial Industry Complaints Services (FICS). FICS can be contacted on 1300 780 808. This service is provided to you free of charge.

Stage 1 of the FICS process is where FICS facilitates discussions and negotiations between the parties. All relevant documents are exchanged and the issues in dispute are identified.

Stage 2 is conciliation and the parties come face to face with a conciliator from the FICS national panel. The role of the conciliator is to assist the parties to explore options for settlement of the dispute and to help parties to agree on their own outcome.

Stage 3 is where the independent adjudicator is requested to make a decision "on the papers" taking into account the relevant law, fairness and reasonableness. If you accept the adjudicator's decision it is binding on the member.

The internal and external complaint mechanism of Synchron is:

• Free of charge to the complainant;
• Provided to all persons who have an interest in a life policy or investment;
• Capable of addressing all possible complaints against Synchron and/or its authorised representatives;
• Has well documented procedures including time guidelines for making a decision and will keep the complainant advised at all times.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission also has a freecall Infoline on 1300 300 630 which you may use to make a complaint and obtain information about your rights.