TPD claims

An injury or illness while you are employed which stops you working, may entitle you to benefits from your superannuation fund.
If you are unable to return to work at all, you may be entitled to a permanent disability payment.

If you have suffered a serious personal injury or illness while you are employed, which stops you from working, you might be entitled to apply for benefits under your superannuation scheme.

To be eligible for benefits from your superannuation scheme the injury or illness keeping you away from work does not need to be work-related, and it doesn’t need to have been caused by any fault on the part of your employer.

Most importantly, if it seems likely that the injury or illness might stop you from ever returning to work in your usual job, there is a good chance that you will be entitled to recover a total and permanent disability benefit (TPD benefit) from your superannuation fund.

TPD benefits usually involve a significant sum, ranging from tens of thousands to six figures.

If you have suffered an injury or illness which is likely to keep you away from work for an extended period, you should call Richardson & Lyons to find out whether or not you are entitled to any disability benefit from your superannuation scheme. We will be happy to provide you with any advice you might need in this regard.

TPD Claim Information

Total and Permanent Disablement (TPD) claims are made when you suffer an injury or illness that permanently inhibits your ability to work. You may be entitled to benefits from your superannuation fund, including eligibility to receive a permanent disability payment. In the case that you may never return to work, you may receive a TPD benefit that usually involves a significant lump sum payout. At Richardson and Lyons, our personal injury lawyers in Brisbane can help you to identify your benefit entitlements through the superannuation scheme and offer support throughout the TPD claims process.

What is TPD Insurance?

TPD insurance pays a lump sum in the event of you becoming permanently disabled and unable to ever work again. Superannuation funds offer TPD cover should you be unable to work again in any occupation. It is a benefit that is offered in addition to employee/employer contributions to your superannuation fund. TPD insurance claims for mental illness can be made, provided that a minimum level of disability is legally certified by two medical professionals. TPD insurance is usually provided in some form by your superannuation fund and termed a disability benefit, although most people are unaware of this. Some private insurers may also offer TPD cover joined to a life insurance policy. You are able to make multiple TPD claims through both insurance and superannuation funds so long as they remain independent of one another.

Understanding Total and Permanent Disablement Claims

Total and Permanent Disablement claims seek a lump sum payment for individuals that sustain injuries affecting their ongoing ability to work. TPD claims are made through superannuation funds and private life insurance policies. TPD benefits that are available through your superannuation fund can be tricky to access without the help of an expert. At Richardson and Lyons, our services are offered on a No win, no fee basis, so that you only pay legal fees for successful TPD claims. TPD claims are made for individuals to receive a lump sum payment that offers compensation for lifelong loss of income and the cost of ongoing medical treatment.

The TPD Insurance Claim Process

The TPD insurance claim process involves specific steps which need to be taken in order to fulfil certain requirements. All of this depends on the insurer and whether your cover is included in your superannuation policy. Submitting a TPD claim to receive your permanent disability benefit payout is not a simple process and requires legal advice to determine eligibility and ensure that you are receiving all benefits that you are entitled to. Our personal injury experts are here to help you with the complexities and offer legal advice and support throughout the TPD insurance claims process. We can help you in the process of;

  • Determining your minimum level of disability and other criteria for eligibility
  • Ensuring your level of TPD insurance cover under your superannuation fund policy
  • Assisting you to complete your TPD insurance claim application.

Am I Eligible for a TPD Insurance Benefit?

Eligibility to lodge a TPD insurance claim is dependent upon initial waiting periods of between 3-6 months’ absence from work. Waiting periods are waived by most insurers for certain major conditions such as heart attack, paralysis, and severe burns. Two medical professionals must professionally certify that you are suffering from a minimum level of disability that means you are unlikely to be able to work again. To lodge a TPD insurance claim, you must also ensure that cover is included in your superannuation policy. If you are uncertain, you can find out from your super fund or contact us to discuss further details. In addition, employment history may factor into your eligibility to receive a TPD insurance benefit. Overall eligibility for your TPD claim will depend on the requirements that are specific to your policy, as laid out by your insurer or super fund.

How Much is the TPD Benefit Payout?

TPD benefit payouts are intended to fund ongoing medical treatment and provide for a lifelong loss of income. For this reason, successful TPD claims that prove entitlement to a permanent disability benefit payment tend to a receive a significant lump sum payout. However, certain insurers may offer a TPD insurance benefit as an income stream. TPD benefit payouts also depend on the terms of your insurance cover and your own personal circumstances that affect how much you are entitled to claim. Above all, TPD insurance is put in place to ease financial burden following a disability and so ought to be significant enough to cover incurred costs. Funds for TPD cover vary among insurers and benefit payouts are similarly variable, ranging from several thousand up into significant six figure payments.

TPD Claim FAQs

Total and Permanent Disablement (TPD) is a form of insurance that is joined to most Superannuation Funds. In the event that you become disabled and lose your ability to ever work again, you may lodge a TPD insurance claim to access these funds to support you through loss of income and ongoing medical expenses. You may receive this in addition to any other super you are paid early for mental or physical issues that affect your permanent working ability.

The length of the TPD claims process depends based on the complexity of your claim and the evidence available to support your condition to meet eligibility criteria. Depending on your insurer, you may be able to begin the TPD claims process as soon as you stop working. Otherwise, some insurers require you to first have had six months off work before you are able to lodge a TPD claim.

Successful TPD claims are achieved by obtaining all the required evidence to support your application. Questions about your disability commencement and severity can be difficult to navigate, thus requiring the help of personal injury experts. A successful TPD claims application shall receive a lump sum payout from the insurer. When compensation is settled, a deed of release is signed to finalise the claim and resolve the matter.

TPD claims payout depends on your type of insurance cover and for how much you are insured. You may read the fine print of your policy to find out accurate information on this or by contacting your insurer directly. Funds may offer cover up to $3 million and sometimes even $5 million. Default cover applies for those aged over 25, automatically applied upon joining a fund. However, default cover may only offer between $80,000 to $400,000.

Yes, you can lodge multiple TPD claims so long as each of your funds remain separate from one another. You may hold multiple superannuation accounts and insurance policies at once, but funds must be held independently from one another. Claims can be made on any/all of them simultaneously. Multiple claims may not affect your WorkCover benefits, however they do count as income. If you receive Centrelink payments, you should contact them directly to find out how your TPD claim(s) might affect your benefits.

TPD claims are intended for those seeking financial support due to total and permanent disability affecting their ability to ever work again. However, disabled people may wish to later re-enter the workforce. Medical advancements and opportunities to retrain may allow many disabled people to return to work in future. If you have already received a lump sum payment from your insurer but wish to go back to work at a later date, you may be able to do so without repaying the money.