Retail life insurance claims
Cover you bought directly through an adviser, rather than through your super. It is assessed differently, and the exclusions matter more.
How retail cover is different
Retail life insurance is cover you bought directly from an insurer, usually through a financial or insurance adviser.
You will generally know you have it, because the premiums are higher than the cover attached to your super. The trade-off is that the policy was written around your medical history, so what it covers is more specific.
Exclusions are the thing to check first
When you took out retail cover, the insurer reviewed your medical records before deciding what to insure.
That means certain conditions may be excluded, and those exclusions are the first thing an insurer will look at when you claim. It is worth going through the policy with your adviser so you know what you are covered for before you lodge anything.
The assessment is not the same as super
A retail claim is assessed differently from a TPD claim through a super fund.
Different definition, different evidence, sometimes a different outcome on the same facts. If you hold both, they need to be handled as two claims rather than one — and they can often run alongside each other.
Not sure what you hold?
Plenty of people do not know whether their cover is retail or through super.
Call us with what you have and we will work it out.
Other kinds of claim
Different cover, same question: whether you can still work in a job your education, training and experience suit you to.
- Physical injuries You do not have to prove how you were hurt. If a physical injury stops you working, that is the test. Read more
- Psychological injuries Psychological claims are often assessed on whether you might recover. What the policy actually asks is whether you can work now. Read more
- Health conditions and illnesses Cancer, heart conditions, chronic and terminal illness. Worth checking even if you are not sure the condition qualifies. Read more
- Income protection and salary continuance A monthly payment while you cannot work. You can often claim this and TPD at the same time. Read more
Physical injuries 
Psychological injuries 
Health conditions and illnesses 
Income protection and salary continuance Check if you can claim
It takes about two minutes. You do not need your policy documents — just your super fund name if you know it. We will call you back and tell you plainly whether you have a claim.
- No cost for the first conversation
- We tell you plainly if you do not have a claim
- Claims handled Australia-wide
How a claim runs
- Step 1Free claim check
We look at your super and tell you plainly whether you have cover.
- Step 2We gather your medical evidence
We tell your doctors what the fund actually needs the report to address.
- Step 3We lodge and manage the claim
We deal with the insurer and the fund, so that you do not have to.
- Step 4Settlement
If the claim is accepted, the benefit is paid out and we explain what it means for tax.
Questions about retail life insurance claims
Could my cover have been cancelled without me knowing?
It is possible, and it happens more than people expect. Federal legislation requires a super fund to close an account that has received no contributions for 16 months. It was meant to stop people paying fees on accounts they had forgotten about. The side effect was that a lot of people quietly lost the insurance attached to those accounts — often the cover they would have claimed on. Before that change, many people could claim on several active accounts at once. It is worth checking what you still hold before you assume you are not covered.
Guides on this
- Chronic Illness and TPD Claims Living with a chronic illness can turn your world upside down. Whether it’s heart disease, mental illness, or another persistent condition, the daily grind of managing chronic health problems… Read the guide
- Car Accidents and TPD Claims Have you suffered an injury or psychological condition due to a car accident, and you cannot work on your own or any occupation? Read the guide
- Can You Claim Income Protection and TPD at the Same Time? Total and Permanent Disability Insurance (TPD) is usually part of a worker’s superannuation fund. Read the guide
Not sure whether any of this applies to you?
Call and ask. No cost, no obligation, and we will tell you plainly.