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Scams & security · Updated 20 October 2026
Does cyber insurance cover scams? Personal cyber insurance in Australia explained
General information only, not financial advice. This page describes products factually and doesn't recommend any insurer or policy. It doesn't take your objectives, financial situation or needs into account. Before you buy, read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD), and consider speaking to a licensed adviser or broker. SavySaver has no affiliate, referral or commission arrangement with any insurer or broker mentioned. See our disclosures.
Personal cyber insurance exists in Australia, but it's a small niche, mostly sold through brokers. The policy wording we reviewed covers theft from a cyber event on your devices that happens without your knowledge, which may not include the most common card scams, where you're tricked into typing in your own details or a one-time code. For card fraud, your bank and the ePayments Code come first.
Why we looked
After a member of our team had their card added to a stranger's phone wallet (our checklist for that is here), the obvious question was: would insurance have paid? The answer, from the wording we read, is "maybe not".
What's available (examples, not a ranking)
| Product | How it's sold | Published price | Main inclusions listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emergence Personal Cyber Protection (Lloyd's) | Brokers only | "Premiums start from $99"; limits $50k–$1m (brochure) | Identity theft, cyber theft, SIM-jacking, ransomware, cyberbullying and stalking, reputation repair, wage replacement, 24/7 hotline (Emergence; PDS PCP-001) |
| Howden Personal Cyber | Broker | Quote only | Same structure, based on the Emergence wording, plus a war/cyber operation exclusion (Howden) |
| Chubb Masterpiece home & contents (Family Protection) | Brokers | Not published | Cyber extortion, cyber financial loss, breach of personal information, cyberbullying, specialist response. Part of a high-end home policy; exclusions apply (Chubb) |
| Trident Insurance personal cyber | Broker (WA) | "From $185" (page dated Nov 2021, likely out of date) | Standalone personal cyber (Trident) |
We couldn't confirm any mass-market insurer (for example AAMI, NRMA, Allianz or Budget Direct) selling a personal cyber add-on as of October 2026. Check each insurer's current PDS rather than relying on this list.
Typical inclusions and exclusions
- Usually included: identity theft recovery costs, money stolen through a cyber attack on your devices, SIM-jacking, ransomware and cyber extortion, cyberbullying, and access to a response hotline (Emergence; Chubb).
- Common conditions: the Emergence PDS we reviewed requires claims to be reported to police and your bank within 24 hours (PDS PCP-001).
- Common exclusions: business use and commercial activity, and (in the Howden wording) war or cyber operations (Emergence PDS; Howden).
- Version warning: the Emergence PDS we read is PCP-001 from 2020. Ask for the current version.
Why scams often aren't covered
In the Emergence wording we reviewed, "cyber theft" must result from a cyber event affecting your home IT and happen without your knowledge (PDS PCP-001). In the common wallet scam, nobody hacks your phone. You type your card number into a fake toll or parcel page and then enter the bank's one-time code yourself, and the card is added to a criminal's phone (Krebs on Security). Because you took the steps (even though you were deceived), that loss may fall outside cover tied to a cyber event on your own devices. Policies differ a lot on these "authorised by deception" or social-engineering losses, so the exact wording matters.
Your bank is the first stop anyway. Under the ePayments Code, the bank is liable for unauthorised transactions unless it proves you contributed, for example by voluntarily disclosing a passcode (AFCA).
Questions to ask an insurer or broker
- If I'm tricked into entering my card details and a one-time code on a fake website, is that loss covered?
- Is there a separate limit or sub-limit for social engineering, phishing or "authorised push payment" losses?
- Does "cyber theft" require a hack of my own device? How do you define a cyber event?
- What do I have to do first, and how fast? (For example, report to police and the bank within 24 hours.)
- Do I have to claim from my bank first, and does a bank refund reduce what you pay?
- What is the excess, and what are the overall and per-claim limits?
- Are family members in my household covered?
- Are there exclusions for business use, side hustles or working from home?
- Which PDS version and TMD apply, and am I in the target market?
- Is there 24/7 response help, and is it included in the premium?
Free help that isn't insurance
- IDCARE offers free identity and cyber recovery support.
- ReportCyber and Scamwatch take reports.
- Some banks offer alerts and identity monitoring. CommBank's Truyu ID alerts cost $4.99 a month after 3 months free (CommBank). That's a monitoring service, not insurance.
General information disclaimer: This page is general information only and is not financial advice. It doesn't consider your objectives, financial situation or needs. Product details come from providers' published material and may have changed. Consider the PDS and TMD before acquiring any insurance product, and speak to a licensed adviser or broker if you need advice.
Related guides
- Someone added your card to their phone wallet: what to do (how the scam works and your refund rights)
- Card in a scammer's wallet: your first hour
- How to stop scammers adding your card to a digital wallet
- Cyber and scam insurance in Australia compared
Sources (checked 20 Oct 2026)
- Emergence Insurance · Emergence Personal Cyber product brochure (PDF) · Emergence Personal Cyber Protection PDS PCP-001 (PDF)
- Chubb Australia: personal cyber · Howden Australia: personal cyber · Trident Insurance: personal cyber for families
- AFCA: unauthorised transactions fact sheet · Krebs on Security: Lighthouse phishing kit · CommBank newsroom Aug 2025
- Support: IDCARE · ReportCyber · Scamwatch
Questions
Does personal cyber insurance cover scams in Australia?
Sometimes, but often not. Policies we reviewed tie cyber theft cover to a cyber event affecting your own devices that happens without your knowledge. A scam where you are tricked into entering a card number or code may fall outside that. Check the PDS wording for social engineering or authorised-by-deception losses.
Who sells personal cyber insurance in Australia?
It's a small, mostly broker-sold niche. Examples include Emergence Personal Cyber Protection, Howden Personal Cyber (based on the Emergence wording) and cover built into Chubb Masterpiece home policies. We couldn't confirm any mass-market insurer selling a personal cyber add-on as of October 2026.
How much does personal cyber insurance cost?
Emergence's brochure says premiums start from $99 a year, with limits from $50,000 to $1 million. Trident's page says from $185 but is dated November 2021. Others are quote-only. Prices depend on the policy and limit.
Should I claim on insurance or ask my bank first?
For card fraud, your bank and the ePayments Code are the first line. Insurance may fill gaps, depending on the policy. Talk to your bank straight away and check your PDS or ask your insurer or broker.