Leading Australian compensation lawyers

Slater and Gordon are a leading Australian consumer law firm. Our mission is to give people easier access to world class legal services. The firm provides specialist legal and complementary services to people who have suffered workplace injuries, including mental claims.

Are you unable to work due to a mental health issue?

If you cannot work due to an illness (including a mental health issue) you may be eligible to make a TPD claim against the disability insurance included in your superannuation. Total and Permanent Disability or TPD insurance benefit is coverage provided by many superannuation funds, also referred to as a disability insurance benefit.

This insurance cover, if provided under your superannuation, is a benefit additional to the contributions that you and/or your employer have made to your superannuation fund during the period of your membership. Most people are unaware or forget that this insurance cover is in place.

How does it work?

In most cases with TPD claims, to qualify you must show that you are permanently unfit for your usual employment, or any other employment for which you are qualified based on your education, training and experience.

For example, it may be that your qualifications are limited and you have only ever done manual work. In such case, you could access a TPD insurance benefit even if doctors deem you fit enough to do an office job.

Generally, it does not matter how your injury, illness or mental health issue came about; just that you are suffering from a total and permanent disability or illness. Many people on workers’ compensation, motor vehicle injury compensation or the Centrelink Disability Support Pension can claim as well as people who suffer an unexpected illness that prevents them from working.

Read more about tpd superannuation claims here

Am I entitled to a TPD insurance benefit?

Whether you can make a TPD claim for a superannuation disability benefit will depend on a number of factors – particularly, whether this insurance cover is provided under your superannuation.

Some superannuation TPD policies will pay a TPD benefit if you are unable to return to your ‘usual’ duties but are now working in a different occupation.

To determine whether you may be entitled to a potential Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) insurance benefit, check online through our superannuation benefits assessment.

Read more about superannuation claims here

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