How do I claim superannuation insurance?

The exact process of making a superannuation insurance claim will depend on which benefits you are eligible for, such as: Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) benefits Income protection benefits Terminal illness and death benefits Our expert superannuation lawyers generally go through six key steps when helping clients with making a claim, including: Our team will listen to you and gather information needed to understand the details of your case. We investigate your entitlements and confirm all the benefits with your super fund or insurer in preperation for making your claim. We’ll work with you to map out the best approach making a sucessful claim to obtain your full entitlements. That includes identifying any potential hazards such as policy fine print. When you’ve instructed us to do so, we'll contact the super fund to make your claim and request any claim forms and other requirements. We obtain any necessary evidence , including claim forms by you, the employer, treating doctors and other sources of relevant information like the tax office, Medicare or Centrelink. It may be necessary for you to see your treating health care providers or an independent specialist. We submit your claim on your behalf once we have all the supportive documents, including submissions in support of the claim. We require a prompt decision or else interest will be payable. Your case is resolved and your benefits will be paid to you as quickly as possible. While most of our claims are paid out in the first instance, some are declined. Declined claims can often be successfully challenged through the fund’s complaints officer or through external dispute resolution. We advise you every step of the way to ensure you are informed of your rights and feel supported in challenging the claim rejection.

Superannuation insurance claims

Q: What does making a superannuation insurance claim cost?

Our superannuation lawyers represent clients on ' no win, no fee '* basis for superannuation insurance claims. This means that you don't pay our legal fees if we don't win your claim.

Most Australians have superannuation funds, but many people don’t realise they can access insurance policies attached to those accounts. If you can't work due to injury or illness, use our free claim check tool to see if you can make a superannuation insurance claim. We can check which benefits you're eligible for and help to make sure you get everything you're entitled to.

We have Australia's largest team of specialised superannuation lawyers so you can feel confident knowing that your super claim is in caring, capable hands. Contact us today on 1800 196 050.

Types of super claims we help with

Our superannuation lawyers are here to help you find out if you are eligible to make a super claim. We can also assist with rejected claims, if benefits are not paid in full or any kind of trouble you may have with your super fund or insurer.

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Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) insurance claims

You may be eligible to make a TPD super claim for compensation if you've suffered an injury or illness that permanently prevents you from working in your normal job or any other work for which you are suited by education, training or experience.

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Income protection insurance claims

Your super fund may include income protection insurance allowing you to claim financial support when an injury or illness is holding you back from earning income from your regular job.

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Death benefits and terminal illness

All superannuation funds have death benefit payments, which are usually made up of contributions as well as any insurance benefits attached to the policy.

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Can’t work due to illness or injury?

Use our free online claim check tool and find out in minutes if you have a claim through your super.

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Understanding superannuation insurance claims

Making a super claim

You may be eligible to make a claim on your superannuation benefits if you're unable to work because of an illness, injury or another medical reason.

Your injury or illness doesn't have to be work related and can include a psychological condition. Your insurance claim will depend on which super funds you've been a member of and your unique circumstances.

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Insurance benefits you can claim

Your super fund may provide automatic insurance benefits for a monthly income payment or a lump sum insurance payout. How much you can claim will depend on the type of claim you make and the details of your unique situation.

Our expert superannuation lawyers can help you find out the exact amount of your benefit and guide you through the process.

No reduction of your super balance

Superannuation insurance benefits are normally paid in addition to your account, so they won’t affect the retirement savings that you’ve been working so hard to build.

Fees and costs

Our dedicated superannuation claims lawyers offer 'no win, no fee', and if you choose not to proceed with your claim, your first consultation is free.

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Superannuation insurance claims frequently asked questions

As a member of your superannuation fund, there are a number of benefits associated with that membership such as insurance policies. These can include TPD insurance, income protection insurance, death benefits and more, which you can access if you're unable to work for any reason, such as injury or illness.

Making an insurance claim on your superannuation won’t affect your retirement savings. If you make a successful claim, the benefit you receive will be paid from a separate insurance policy that your super fund opened on your behalf as part of your membership.

This means that it does not affect or reduce your superannuation fund balance.

Your superannuation insurance is there to provide financial support in situations where you're unable to work, such as if you are ill or injured.

Superannuation insurance benefits may include a monthly income payment or a lump sum insurance payout. How much you can claim will depend on the type of claim you make and the details of your unique situation.

For example, a lump sum Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) benefit payment could be worth thousands of dollars. Alternatively, an income protection benefit of up to 75% of your gross wage could be paid to you in regular installments.

The exact amount of your benefit should be in your annual super member benefit statements. Our experienced superannuation insurance lawyers can also help you uncover this number.

You can lodge a superannuation insurance claim as soon as you are unable to work due to illness, injury or any other medical reason such as psychological injuries. This does not have to be work related.

The exact process of making a superannuation insurance claim will depend on which benefits you are eligible for, such as:

Our expert superannuation lawyers generally go through six key steps when helping clients with making a claim, including:

Our team will listen to you and gather information needed to understand the details of your case.
We investigate your entitlements and confirm all the benefits with your super fund or insurer in preperation for making your claim.
We’ll work with you to map out the best approach making a successful claim to obtain your full entitlements. That includes identifying any potential hazards such as policy fine print. When you’ve instructed us to do so, we'll contact the super fund to make your claim and request any claim forms and other requirements.
We obtain any necessary evidence, including claim forms by you, the employer, treating doctors and other sources of relevant information like the tax office, Medicare or Centrelink. It may be necessary for you to see your treating health care providers or an independent specialist.
We submit your claim on your behalf once we have all the supportive documents, including submissions in support of the claim. We require a prompt decision or else interest will be payable.
Your case is resolved and your benefits will be paid to you as quickly as possible. While most of our claims are paid out in the first instance, some are declined. Declined claims can often be successfully challenged through the fund’s complaints officer or through external dispute resolution. We advise you every step of the way to ensure you are informed of your rights and feel supported in challenging the claim rejection.

If you're still unsure whether you're eligible to make a superannuation insurance claim, use our free claim check tool to find out. You can also get in touch with one of our superannuation lawyers who will be able to advise you on your eligibility and what claims you may be able to make.

Yes, if you are a member of more than one super fund you may be entitled to make more than one claim. Juggling numerous claims simultaneously can be a challenge so seeking legal advice is always recommended.

Yes, absolutely.

If you lodge a complaint about your super fund or insurer’s decision, they will begin a formal review process. During this process, you can submit additional evidence to support your claim.

You can also make an appeal to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA). You may also be able to pursue your claim through a court.

We highly recommend seeking legal advice from a superannuation lawyer to increase your chances of overturning the decision.

If your insurer has rejected your superannuation claim, not paid your benefits in full or you’re having any kind of trouble with your insurer, please get in touch with our superannuation lawyers. We can help you navigate the dispute process, liaise with your insurer on your behalf or help you lodge a formal complaint.

Yes, most insurance policies require a claim be notified as soon as possible after the date you cease work. While it’s best to lodge a claim as soon as possible, there are legal protections that may allow claims to be successful years after ceasing work.

Remember, the sooner your claim is lodged, the sooner your fund or insurer can assess it and come to a decision that, if successful, will help relieve some of your financial burdens.

Time limits also apply for appealing a rejected claim (which the trustee/insurer may not warn you about), so it's important to seek advice about your rights as soon as possible.

While every superannuation insurance claim is different, it’s our mission to help you get your entitlements as soon as possible. How long a claim will depend on the nature and complexity of your case, but there are some general guides for different types of claims.

For example, The Life Insurance Code of Practice requires an insurer to decide on a TPD claim within six to twelve months depending on its complexity. This can be shorter for income protection claims, and some claims might be assessed sooner if they are fairly straightforward.

If the insurer fails to accept a claim in a reasonable time you can make a claim for interest. Our team of superannuation lawyers will be able to advise you on timeframes once we understand the details of your case.

Our superannuation lawyers represent clients on 'no win, no fee'* basis for superannuation insurance claims. This means that you don't pay our legal fees if we don't win your claim.

'It was a very, very frustrating time and I just didn't know where to turn.'

Robert's story

Superannuation claims

Robert's story - Superannuation claims

I loved being a carpenter. Artsy, built houses for people. I loved working, love working, swinging the hammer. I loved doing it, loved it. I started dropping tools, thought what's wrong with me.

Noticed that Robbie was dropping things, slurring his speech, just a little bit wobbly on his legs.

After that, me sentences were so, so weird and changed. Wow, what's wrong what's with me? What's wrong, what's wrong, dammit?

Got him to a neurologist and found out that he had MS and he’d had a major attack. And so our journey began.

It was a shock. We didn't know what MS was.

You've got MS mate, you've got MS. Wow, really? MS? Wow. How long is that? Do I have to take aspirins? No mate, no aspirins. MS is a mysterious disease. Sorry, there’s nothing. No cure for it.

Robbie had three superannuations. I had spent nearly two years contacting all these superannuation funds. Not one of them mentioned that attached to his superannuation there was a TPD, so it was very, very frustrating time. I just didn't know where to turn. So, to go to Maurice Blackburn, and dump everything in their lap and say, ‘you do it’. It was fantastic. Every step of the way, they contacted us, they phoned us, they sent us letters. They even phoned up to see how Robbie was.

People often don't know what entitlements that they may have, or benefits that they may have, to this insurance. There's no doubt though that when people come to us after trying to start the process themselves, we can quickly cut through what they're dealing with. The funds and the insurers know that we will keep going and keep going and make sure that our clients get the benefit that they're entitled to access.

We had one lawyer, her name's Tianne, and week before Christmas she phoned us up and she said I want to talk to you and Robbie. And she said we won it. We persevered and we got it. Even now, I got the tingles even just thinking about it. And Robbie just burst into tears.

I would sing it from the rooftop, Maurice Blackburn. I really would. I'm smiling now because I'm sitting in a room here that Maurice Blackburn doesn't realise, but because of what they did, it's done a room out for Robbie that it's made it easy for him to come in and out. It's wheelchair compatible.

If we didn't have that money, it wouldn't happen. One of the big things instantly it did for Robbie, it gave him some pride back in who he was. It actually made him feel that he can contribute. It was just lovely.

Without Maurice Blackburn nothing would happen. They took the stress away which was a major thing for me because I had a bad problem with stress and stress is bad.