And easy guide to making a Total Permanent Disability (TPD) or superannuation claim

If you have become sick and/or injured to the point that you’re no longer able to work, then there’s every chance that you’re eligible to make a Total Permanent Disability, or TPD, claim. In theory it’s a simple process to make a claim if you have TPD insurance, but as with anything to do with the law, it is highly recommended that you engage the services of a qualified and experience TPD Lawyer first, to give you the maximum chance of success.

Before making a TPD claim, you need to make sure that you’ve got a TPD insurance policy. That sounds simple enough, right? The amazing thing is that many people don’t realise they have one, because it’s one of the hidden secrets of superannuation.

If you work in Australia, then you have a superannuation account, which your employer contributes money to with every pay check. That superannuation policy will, in most cases, have a TPD policy included in it, which you can claim in the event that you qualify for a TPD payout.

You may also have a rental TPD insurance policy that you’ve taken out. In that case you obviously have a TPD policy that you can make a claim to.

If you’re ever unsure as to what precisely you’re covered by, then follow this four step process:

1) Check whether your superannuation account includes TPD insurance
2) Consult with your financial planner and/or bank to see whether they’ve taken out a policy for you in your name.
3) Check with the ATO whether you have any superannuation accounts that you are unaware of that have TPD insurance associated with them, and
4) Consult with a qualified TPD lawyer for further actions.
When you consult with the TPD lawyer, they will be able to help determine whether your circumstances mean that you qualify for payouts under your policies.

Next: Make the claim

Once you’ve determined what TPD policies you can make a claim to, the next step is to submit the claim itself. There are five pieces of information that the typical insurer will require:

1) A detailed claim form
2) Medical certificates, and a medicolegal report. These need to be specific to TPD and meeting the requirements of TPD.
3) Further clinical notes or details from the medical practitioners that have been involved in your treatment.
4) The full history of your employment
5) Information about your most recent job and place of employment
Insurers are very specific about what they need in order to confirm a TPD payout. For that reason, it’s important that you engage skilled TPD lawyers, who will help you through the evidence building and submission process.

If the claim is rejected

It’s possible that the claim will be rejected the first time around. This isn’t necessarily the end, and your qualified TPD lawyer will help you take the next steps, which might include:

1) Making additional evidence submissions and asking for a review
2) Taking the matter to court

3) Making a complaint

Here, too, you’ll want to rely on your TPD lawyers, who will be well-versed in dealing with insurance companies in this area.
Most importantly of all – be patient. TPD claims can take a while to process, but with payouts of anything between $30,000 and $700,000, the financial security that they can provide make it worth the effort.

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