How Much Is Your TPD Worth?

Most Australians have Total and Permanent Disability cover inside their super fund by default — often without knowing it. Log in to every super fund you've had, check the insurance tab, and look for 'TPD sum insured'. If you've had multiple jobs across your working life, you may have cover across several funds. The TPD lawyer we put you in touch with pulls every fund as part of opening the claim, so nothing is missed.

Yes, in many cases. WorkCover and TPD are separate schemes with separate tests. WorkCover covers work-related injuries through weekly payments and medicals; TPD is an insurance lump sum paid from your super fund when you can no longer work at all. Some TPD policies offset against WorkCover lump sums, some don't — it depends on the policy wording. A TPD lawyer we refer you to can read each fund's policy and sequence the claims so you're not short-changed on either.

Any Occupation is the stricter test — you have to be unable to work in any role you're reasonably suited to by education, training or experience. Own Occupation is easier to satisfy — you only need to be unable to perform your specific job. Most default super-fund TPD is Any Occupation. Own Occupation is typically voluntary extra cover. The definition in your policy is the single biggest factor in whether a claim succeeds, which is why the lawyer reads the wording before lodging.

Most TPD claims take 6 to 12 months from lodgement to payout when the evidence is clean and the policy is straightforward. Complex claims — disputed medical evidence, multiple funds, offset clauses — can run 12 to 24 months. A formal statutory timeframe applies: super fund trustees have to make a decision within 6 months of receiving a complete claim, or explain in writing why they haven't. The lawyer tracks that clock on every claim they lodge.

The TPD lawyer works no-win, no-fee. You don't pay anything out of pocket — fees come out of the recovery only if the claim succeeds, and are disclosed upfront. Exact costs vary by claim complexity and by fund, because some insurer-side admin fees also get deducted from payouts. The calculator's 'net of costs' figure applies a conservative 15% haircut to the stacked range to reflect combined typical legal and admin costs.

An old super fund you think is closed may still have default TPD cover if the account wasn't formally cancelled and a balance remains — even a few hundred dollars. Lapsed or paid-up cover is one of the most overlooked parts of a TPD claim. The lawyer traces every super fund you've held through your ATO records and policy documents, checks which ones still carry cover, and includes them in the claim.

No. TPD is a one-off lump sum paid when you can't work again — any occupation or own occupation, depending on the policy. Income Protection pays a monthly benefit (typically 75% of pre-disability income) while you're temporarily unable to work, usually for two years or until age 65. You can have both inside the same super fund. We can put you in touch with a lawyer for TPD claim lodgement; Income Protection claims typically go through a separate process with the insurer.

TPD claims are denied for lots of reasons — evidence gaps, medical disputes, the Any Occ definition, offset clauses, or delay issues. A denial is not the end of the road. You have an internal dispute review first, then the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) for external review, and litigation as a last resort. We can put you in touch with a lawyer who handles declined claims regularly — the lawyer works no-win, no-fee — and most are resolved at the AFCA stage.