Physical injuries
You do not have to prove how you were hurt. If a physical injury stops you working, that is the test — whether it happened at work, on the road or at home.
Do I have to prove how the injury happened?
No. A TPD claim does not ask how you were hurt. It asks whether you can still work.
That is the single biggest difference between TPD and a workers compensation claim. A car accident, a fall in a shopping centre, something that happened at home — none of it changes your eligibility. What matters is that the injury is documented and that it stops you doing your job.
If you have not been a regular visitor to doctors over your life, we can still get you assessed.
The mistake that ruins physical injury claims
The most common way a physical injury claim fails is a GP writing that you could be retrained into different work.
Be careful which doctor assesses you
Avoid a GP who does a lot of work-cover assessments.
In that world the answer to “could this person return to work eventually?” is almost always yes, because that is what the scheme is built around. Bring the same habit to a TPD report and the claim goes nowhere. It is worth checking before the report is written rather than after.
What we do
We tell your treating doctors what the fund actually needs the report to address, and we use a network of GPs around Australia who complete these assessments regularly.
If you are not sure whether your injury qualifies, call us and we will tell you plainly.
Other kinds of claim
Different cover, same question: whether you can still work in a job your education, training and experience suit you to.
- Psychological injuries Psychological claims are often assessed on whether you might recover. What the policy actually asks is whether you can work now. Read more
- Health conditions and illnesses Cancer, heart conditions, chronic and terminal illness. Worth checking even if you are not sure the condition qualifies. Read more
- Retail life insurance claims Cover you bought yourself, outside super. The definitions differ and so does the process. Read more
- Income protection and salary continuance A monthly payment while you cannot work. You can often claim this and TPD at the same time. Read more
Psychological injuries 
Health conditions and illnesses 
Retail life insurance claims 
Income protection and salary continuance Check if you can claim
It takes about two minutes. You do not need your policy documents — just your super fund name if you know it. We will call you back and tell you plainly whether you have a claim.
- No cost for the first conversation
- We tell you plainly if you do not have a claim
- Claims handled Australia-wide
How a claim runs
- Step 1Free claim check
We look at your super and tell you plainly whether you have cover.
- Step 2We gather your medical evidence
We tell your doctors what the fund actually needs the report to address.
- Step 3We lodge and manage the claim
We deal with the insurer and the fund, so that you do not have to.
- Step 4Settlement
If the claim is accepted, the benefit is paid out and we explain what it means for tax.
Questions about physical injuries
My doctor won't write a supporting report. What now?
This is common and it is fixable. Some GPs have never completed a TPD assessment and would rather not start. Others are willing but are not told what the fund actually needs, so the report they write does not answer the question being asked. We work with GPs and specialists around Australia who do these assessments regularly, and we give your treating doctors the criteria their report has to address.
How long do I need to be off work before I can claim?
Most policies expect around three months. Once you have been unable to work for more than three months because of an injury, illness or health condition, you are either eligible or close to it. It is not too early to check — getting the medical evidence right from the start matters more than starting quickly.
Guides on this
- Chronic Illness and TPD Claims Living with a chronic illness can turn your world upside down. Whether it’s heart disease, mental illness, or another persistent condition, the daily grind of managing chronic health problems… Read the guide
- Car Accidents and TPD Claims Have you suffered an injury or psychological condition due to a car accident, and you cannot work on your own or any occupation? Read the guide
- Can You Claim Income Protection and TPD at the Same Time? Total and Permanent Disability Insurance (TPD) is usually part of a worker’s superannuation fund. Read the guide
Not sure whether any of this applies to you?
Call and ask. No cost, no obligation, and we will tell you plainly.