Insurance update
Cbus Super acknowledges that some of our members and claimants are experiencing unacceptably long delays in the processing of insurance claims.
We are deeply sorry for the stress and anxiety experienced by our members, claimants and their loved ones by these delays. This is not the experience we want for our members, claimants and their loved ones at an already difficult time in their lives. If you have questions about your claim, please call our specialist insurance team on 1300 722 152 between 9am-5pm (AEDT) Monday to Friday.
We are committed to fixing these issues and working through the unresolved claims. We are also working with our administration partners to assign extra resources, improve claims processing and build better, more resilient systems for the future.
We thank our members and their loved ones for their patience and apologise again for any inconvenience we may have caused.
Our philosophy
Cbus recognises that its members and beneficiaries making an insurance claim are experiencing a life-altering illness or injury, or the death of a loved one. We know that you will likely have limited time, ability and focus to manage a claim. We will also observe the principles of privacy and confidentiality in our dealings with you.
Our approach
We will explain the claims process to you and aim to set reasonable expectations. We will do our best to help you understand the requirements and how to make a claim and aim to make sure that the insurer* conducts a fair, reasonable and timely assessment.
Claim review
In some cases, we may require further documentation or evidence before we can provide our assessment. Our claims team will let you know in due course.
If your claim may be declined, we will give you an opportunity to review the evidence obtained and make submissions or provide additional evidence before a final decision is made. We will explain the process to do this or assist you if required. If your claim is declined, we will have the decision reviewed by appropriately skilled and experienced staff, and if we consider the claim has reasonable prospects of success, we will take all reasonable steps to pursue it on your behalf.
If your claim has been declined and new evidence is provided, we will work with the insurer so that the decision is thoroughly and properly reviewed considering all existing and new evidence.
Our disability insurance
We offer our members access to the following types of disability cover:
- Total and permanent disablement (TPD) cover, designed to provide a safety net for eligible members whose working life is cut short by disability; and
- Income protection cover, designed to provide a safety net for eligible members whose working life is interrupted by disability.
About TPD cover
Our intention in providing access to TPD cover is for our insurer to pay a lump sum benefit to an insured member who has suffered a serious injury or illness that prevents them from working or doing certain everyday activities, and the realistic likelihood is that they will never again be able to engage in any regular suitable work taking into account their education, training or experience.
TPD cover is provided to:
- eligible Industry, Sole Trader and Corporate Super members; and
- eligible Personal Super members who apply for cover and are accepted.
To be paid a benefit, a member must have TPD cover at the date of disablement and must, in the opinion of our insurer, satisfy the relevant policy definitions, terms and conditions.
For more on TPD eligibility requirements, how to make a claim, how certain terms are defined and how the definitions are applied in practice, read our Applying for TPD payments fact sheet.
About income protection cover
Our intention in providing access to income protection cover is for our insurer to pay a monthly income replacement benefit to insured members who suffer an accident or illness that prevents them from working in their occupation or engaging in any business activity. A portion of the benefit will be paid as a super contribution to help put the member in a financial position closer to where they would have been had the disablement not occurred.
Income protection cover is provided to:
- eligible Sole Trader and Corporate Super members; and
- eligible Industry Super members.
Income protection cover is not currently available to other membership categories because a significant portion of those sectors have cover as part of their employment conditions.
To be paid a benefit, a member must have income protection cover when they become sick or injured and must, in the opinion of our insurer, satisfy the relevant policy definitions, terms and conditions.
For more about income protection eligibility requirements, how to make a claim, how certain terms are defined and how the definitions are applied in practice, read our Applying for income protection payments fact sheet.
*Insurance cover is issued under a group policy with our insurer, TAL Life Limited ABN 70 050 109 450, AFSL 237848.