Question 1

How does Co-Pilot get paid? Does it cost me anything?

Accepted Answer

It doesn't cost you anything to talk to us or to apply. On finance, we're paid by the lender once your loan or facility settles - never by you. On insurance, we earn a commission from the insurer that's already factored into the premium, so you're not paying extra by going through a broker instead of direct.

Question 2

Will applying affect my credit score?

Accepted Answer

Having a conversation with us won't touch your credit file - there's no credit check just to talk through your options. Once you decide to apply with a specific lender, that lender runs a standard credit check as part of assessing you, the same as if you'd approached them directly.

Question 3

What happens if I get declined?

Accepted Answer

It's not the end of the road. We'll go back over what the lender flagged, and in a lot of cases there's another lender on our panel with different criteria who's a better fit for your situation. What we try to avoid is sending you to five different lenders and racking up five declines - we'd rather find the right one first.

Question 4

How long does the whole process take, start to finish?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the product and how complex your situation is. A straightforward asset finance or personal finance application is often approved within 24-48 hours once we have everything we need. Insurance and property finance can take longer, especially where valuations or underwriting are involved - we'll give you a realistic timeframe once we know what you're applying for.

Question 5

What is the difference between using a broker and going direct to a bank or insurer?

Accepted Answer

Going direct means you only see what that one bank or insurer is willing to offer you. We compare your situation against 60+ lenders and 90+ insurers, including specialist ones you won't find by walking into a branch, and we handle the paperwork and negotiation for you. It doesn't cost more - we're paid by the lender or insurer, not by you.

Question 6

Do you only deal with big businesses, or do sole traders and small operators count too?

Accepted Answer

Sole traders and small operators are a big part of who we work with, not an exception. Plenty of our lenders and insurers specialise in exactly that end of the market - newer ABNs, smaller trading histories, single-director companies - so don't rule yourself out before asking.

Question 7

What areas of Australia do you cover?

Accepted Answer

We work with clients across Australia, not just where our offices are. Most of the process happens over phone, email, and video anyway, so your location doesn't limit which lenders or insurers we can put you in front of.

Question 8

Can I use Co-Pilot for both finance and insurance, or do I need to pick one?

Accepted Answer

You don't need to pick one. Plenty of clients come to us for a loan or lease and end up sorting their insurance with us at the same time, since we're already across their situation. There's no requirement to bundle though - use us for whichever one you need.

Question 9

What documents do I need to have ready before I start?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the product, but a few things come up almost every time: photo ID, ABN details and proof of business operation for a business application, recent financials or tax returns or BAS statements, and details of the asset, property, or existing policy involved. We'll confirm exactly what's needed for your situation once we know what you're applying for, so you're not guessing.

Question 10

What if I've already been declined somewhere else?

Accepted Answer

That's common, and it's often about fit rather than something being wrong with your application. Banks tend to work off one set of criteria; we work across a much wider panel that includes lenders built for exactly the situations mainstream banks say no to. Tell us what happened and we'll take an honest look at whether there's a better option out there.

Question 11

Can I combine different types of business finance - like a vehicle loan and a cash flow facility - at the same time?

Accepted Answer

Yes, plenty of businesses run more than one facility at once - a chattel mortgage on a work vehicle alongside a cash flow facility for day-to-day operations, for example. We look at your whole picture rather than one product in isolation, so tell us everything you're trying to solve for and we'll structure it properly.

Question 12

Does my business structure - sole trader, company, or trust - change what I can access?

Accepted Answer

It changes the paperwork more than it changes your options. Lenders want to see the right entity documents, and for a company or trust usually a personal guarantee from a director, but your structure alone won't rule a product out. We'll tell you exactly what's needed for your setup once we know what you're applying for.

Question 13

Is interest on business finance tax deductible?

Accepted Answer

In most cases, yes - interest on a chattel mortgage, lease, or business loan is a deductible expense, and with a chattel mortgage you can also claim the GST on the purchase price upfront and depreciate the asset. Your accountant is the right person to confirm exactly how it applies to your business, but this is generally the appeal of financing over paying cash outright.

Question 14

How much can my business borrow?

Accepted Answer

There's no single number - it comes down to your revenue, existing commitments, the asset or facility type, and which lender you're placed with. Rather than guess, tell us what you're trying to fund and we'll come back with a realistic range across our panel instead of a generic answer.

Question 15

What types of business insurance does Co-Pilot arrange?

Accepted Answer

The main ones are public liability, professional indemnity, business packs, plant and equipment, cyber, management liability, and fleet or commercial motor, among others. If you're not sure what your business needs, tell us about it and we'll tell you what's worth having.

Question 16

Do I need separate policies, or can everything be bundled into one?

Accepted Answer

A lot of what we arrange for small and medium businesses is a business pack, which bundles common covers - property, liability, business interruption - into one policy instead of several. Bigger or more specialised risks, like professional indemnity or cyber, are usually still separate policies. We'll tell you what makes sense to bundle and what doesn't.

Question 17

Is business insurance compulsory in Australia?

Accepted Answer

Workers compensation is compulsory in every state if you employ staff, and some professions are required to hold professional indemnity by their licensing body. Beyond that, most business insurance is optional, but it's what stands between a single bad incident and a business-ending cost - which is why we push clients to take it seriously even where it isn't legally required.

Question 18

What is excluded from a typical business insurance policy?

Accepted Answer

This varies a lot by policy and insurer, which is exactly why the product disclosure statement matters. Common exclusions include intentional acts, some flood or natural peril risk depending on your postcode, and anything outside your declared business activities. We go through the exclusions with you before you sign, not after something happens.

Question 19

What personal finance products does Co-Pilot arrange?

Accepted Answer

Home loans, car finance, and personal loans, plus more specific ones like marine, motorcycle, equine, and lifestyle finance. If you know roughly what you're financing, our Personal Finance hub links out to each product page with the specifics.

Question 20

Can I get finance if I'm self-employed?

Accepted Answer

Yes - self-employed applicants are common, it just usually means providing tax returns, BAS, or financials instead of payslips. Some lenders on our panel specialise in low-doc options for self-employed borrowers who don't have two full years of financials yet.

Question 21

How big a deposit do I need for a home loan?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the lender and the loan-to-value ratio you're after, but many home loans are available from a 10% deposit, and some specialist lenders go lower. A smaller deposit usually means paying Lenders Mortgage Insurance, so we'll walk you through that trade-off rather than assuming a bigger deposit is always the answer.

Question 22

Can I get personal finance with a less-than-perfect credit history?

Accepted Answer

In a lot of cases, yes. What happened and how long ago matters more than the fact that something's on your file at all, and there are specialist lenders on our panel built for exactly this. We'd rather have an honest conversation about your situation than guess based on a credit score alone.

Question 23

What personal insurance products does Co-Pilot arrange?

Accepted Answer

Home and contents, landlord, motor vehicle, boat and jet ski, caravan, and travel insurance, among others. Our Personal Insurance hub has the full breakdown if you want to see what's covered under each.

Question 24

Do I need landlord insurance if I already have home and contents cover?

Accepted Answer

If you're renting the property out, standard home and contents cover usually won't protect you the way landlord insurance does - things like loss of rent, malicious damage by a tenant, or a tenant defaulting sit outside a typical owner-occupier policy. If you own an investment property, it's worth a separate look rather than assuming your existing policy has you covered.

Question 25

Does travel insurance cover pre-existing medical conditions?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the condition and the insurer, not a blanket yes or no. Some conditions are automatically covered, others need to be declared and may come with an additional premium or exclusion. We'll help you find a policy that discloses and covers your situation properly, rather than one that looks cheap until you need to claim.

Question 26

How is my premium calculated?

Accepted Answer

It comes down to a mix of factors specific to the policy - for motor vehicle insurance that's things like the car's value, your postcode, and your driving history; for home insurance it's rebuild cost, location, and security features. We compare across 90+ insurers to find you competitive cover rather than accepting the first quote.

Frequently Asked Questions.

How Co-Pilot Works

Business Finance

Business Insurance

Personal Finance

Personal Insurance

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