Personal Injury Claim: Have You Also Checked TPD in Your Super?

What is a personal injury claim?

In broad terms, a personal injury claim is a claim for compensation after physical or psychological injury.

In Australia, the rules and process can vary depending on the type of injury and where it happened, including motor vehicle accidents, workplace injuries and other negligence-based matters.

Why TPD in super can be missed

Many people never took out a separate insurance policy, so they assume they have no insurance at all. But insurance through super is common. Moneysmart says most super funds offer life and TPD insurance, and some also offer income protection. TPD insurance can pay a lump sum if you become totally and permanently disabled because of illness or injury.

That means someone can be researching a personal injury claim without realising there may also be a super-related insurance pathway worth checking. That is especially relevant where the injury or illness has had a serious impact on the person's ability to return to work.

A key call-out: Have you also checked your super?

If your injury has affected your ability to keep working, your super is worth reviewing.

A useful rule of thumb is this:

If you were over 25, had more than $6,000 in super, and were receiving employer contributions, it may be worth checking whether your account included insurance cover.

That does not guarantee cover, and every fund and policy is different. But it is a strong enough sign that many Australians should check before assuming there is nothing there.

Lost or forgotten super accounts may matter too

Another issue people miss is old super accounts from previous jobs. The ATO says you can use ATO online services to track your super and find accounts you have forgotten or lost touch with, including lost member accounts and ATO-held super.

That matters because an older fund may have included insurance cover that is still relevant when reviewing your position.

Here is the simple process ClaimSure uses to help people understand where they stand:

1. Complete the form

Start with a quick Free Claim Check and tell us a little about your situation.

2. We call to confirm your circumstances

We speak with you to better understand your injury, work history and current position.

3. We help identify your super accounts

We help review your current super and any lost or forgotten super accounts that may need to be checked.

4. We review your potential entitlements and next steps

We look at whether there may be a TPD, life insurance or other super-related support pathway worth exploring and explain the next step in plain English.

Why this matters after illness or injury

When someone is dealing with pain, treatment, lost income or uncertainty about work, it is easy to focus only on the most obvious claim pathway. But a broader review can matter.

A personal injury claim and TPD through super are not the same thing. They follow different rules and depend on different facts. In some situations, it may be worth understanding both rather than only looking at one. That is why checking your super can be a sensible extra step if your condition has seriously affected your ability to work.

When it may be worth checking TPD in super

It may be worth checking your super if:

• you have stopped working due to illness or injury
• you are unsure whether you have insurance through super
• you have changed jobs several times
• you may have old or forgotten super accounts
• your health condition has had a long-term impact on your ability to return to work

Start with a Free Claim Check

If you are already looking into a personal injury claim, it may be worth checking your super as well.

ClaimSure can help you:

• review your situation
• identify relevant super accounts
• check whether insurance through super may exist
• understand whether there may be a TPD or life insurance option worth exploring

Have you also checked TPD in your super? Start your Free Claim Check and find out where you stand.