Do you trust your bank to do right by you?

What about your health insurer, or NBN provider?

Better yet: do you trust them to do the right thing when no one is looking?

These are the types of questions we put to over 10,000 Australians. Seven most-trusted brands emerged, and the results might surprise you.

Anyone eyeing a more competitive energy plan should know that retailers are throwing pretty much everything EXCEPT the kitchen sink in as sign-up sweeteners. Think Netflix subscriptions, Taronga Zoo passes, movie tickets, and up to $400 in credits if you bundle gas and electricity.

Is it time to ditch brand loyalty for the perks?

That depends on you. Freebies are great if you're happy to switch regularly (i.e. every six months). But if you’re a high-energy household, or the set-and-forget type, you might be better off focusing on the lowest ongoing rates — you never know, you could well find a perk ON the lowest rate plan.

The best part? Once you’ve landed on a new plan, switching takes as little as five minutes. Last night, I moved my electricity to a new provider. This morning, I couldn't help myself, I switched my gas too. That’s me done for the next six months but it’s in the diary to do again next April.

You may be able to get a discount by buying a policy online, rather than over the phone or in person. For example, at the time of writing, some providers offer discounts of up to 30% for buying a combined policy online.

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When it comes to winning Australians’ trust, the superannuation industry is beating banking, energy and even the local supermarket, according to new research from Canstar.

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Warm weather means storm and bushfire season is on its way, so now’s the time to give your home insurance a once-over. Check that your sum insured keeps pace with rising rebuild costs, and read the fine print: storm damage is usually covered, but flood cover varies. Snap photos of your home, roof and valuables as a handy record, then clear the gutters and trim loose branches. Bushfire cover has its catches too. Some big insurers only cover heat and soot damage if the fire came within 100 metres, and most exclude scorching without flames or gradual smoke damage.

One million Australians now have more than one job — a new record high but by no means a surprising one in this cost-of-living crisis. Women and young workers are leading this trend, sacrificing personal and family time simply to meet rising expenses. If you do have to take on a second job, make sure it's practical and sustainable. Treat downtime as non-negotiable to avoid burnout. Only claim the tax-free threshold ($18,200) on one job to avoid a hefty bill at end-of-year tax time and consider keeping the same one super account across both jobs, to avoid having to pay multiple fees and default insurance costs.

ING’s iconic Savings Maximiser just closed its doors to new customers, marking the end of an era. For decades, this heavyweight account set the pace for Australian savers and forced rivals to step up. Existing members get to keep their rates, but newcomers lose a legendary benchmark.ING is steering new sign-ups toward its Savings Booster, boasting simpler terms but a slightly lower ongoing rate. The good news? There’s plenty of great rates to pick from across the market so compare your options rather than opting for whatever your existing bank offers up.

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This advice is general and has not taken into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. It is not personal advice. Consider whether this advice is right for you, having regard to your own objectives, financial situation and needs. You may need financial advice from a suitably qualified adviser. For more information, read Canstar’s Financial Services and Credit Guide (FSCG) and our detailed disclosure.

Canstar is a comparison website, not a product issuer, so it’s important to check any product information directly with the provider. Consider the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS), Target Market Determination (TMD) and other applicable product documentation before making a decision to purchase, acquire, invest in or apply for a financial or credit product. Contact the product issuer directly for a copy of the PDS, TMD and other documentation.

Before you elect to terminate or modify existing lending or service arrangements, we recommend that you consider all associated fees and application costs, as well as the timing and impact these changes could have on your wider financial arrangements and personal circumstances.

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