13. Your income protection benefit
Your income protection benefit provides important protection if you are temporarily unable to work because of illness or accident.
- How the income protection benefit works
- Claims process
How the income protection benefit works
Should you become totally and temporarily disabled while a member of the Russell SuperSolution Master Trust (Russell SuperSolution) you may be eligible for an income protection benefit1. This benefit usually provides a payment of 75% of your salary while you are unable to work for up to two years. Check your Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for full details of the benefits that apply to you.
If you are not eligible for income protection through super, check with your employer to see if a policy is held for you outside Russell SuperSolution. If there is a policy outside your super, your Human Resources department should be able to help you with the application process.
1Also referred to as Salary Continuance Benefit or Total and Temporary Disablement Benefit.
Claims process
Waiting period
A waiting period applies to income protection claims. The waiting period is commonly 90 days, but can vary. Check your PDS for confirmation.
You may contact us for claim forms shortly before you have served the waiting period if you wish. This will give you time to review the requirements in detail before applying. Our initial letter to you will include the definition of disability that you must meet to be approved for a benefit.
What you need to provide
Initially we will need you to provide:
- Privacy Consent Form – this gives us your consent to pass on your sensitive information when required to process your claim, for example to the insurer and the Trustee. This also provides your consent for the Fund to obtain information from your employer regarding your work history and work abilities.
- Member’s Statement – this provides us with details of your claim including the day you last actively attended work.
- Disability Medical Report – this is a form for your doctor to complete about your condition.
- Evidence of your Date of Birth – this can be a copy of your birth certificate, drivers licence or passport and must be certified2.
We will send the required forms to you when you contact us to make a claim.
2Certified means that an authorised person (such as a Justice of Peace) has sighted the original and copy, and provided written certification on the copy that it is a true copy of the original.
What happens next?
After we have received the above documents from you, we will contact your employer to have them complete an Employer’s Statement. This form requests details regarding the duties you were required to perform at work, your job history with the company and confirmation of your last date of work.
When this form has been received we will forward it, along with the other information you provided, to the insurer. The insurer will then begin to assess your claim.
The insurer may need more information from you, your treating doctors or your employer in order to complete their assessment. You may need to have further medical tests or examinations.
We will write to you approximately every three weeks to let you know how your claim is progressing and if you need to provide further evidence or attend medical examinations. The insurer will meet the cost of any additional examinations or tests they request.
How long will it take?
Every claim is different, but the assessment process can typically take up to 6 months and sometimes longer, depending on the number and type of medical examinations required.
If your claim is approved by the insurer, the Trustee must also review the claim before payments can commence. The insurer will approve payment for a set period. Your payments will be made monthly in arrears for this time. If you return to work during the period, your payments will cease. However, if you return to work on reduced hours you may be eligible to receive a partial disablement benefit.
If you remain disabled at the end of the approved period you may be able to apply for your payments to continue. We will send you a continuing claim form and report for your doctor to complete each month if this is the case. The insurer will need to assess your continuing claim form and your treating doctor’s report before making further payments to you.
What if my claim is rejected?
If your claim is rejected, we will provide you with a list of all the evidence that was considered. If you would like to object to the decision, you may write to our Enquiries and Complaints Officer. The mailing address is:
Enquiries and Complaints Officer
Locked Bag A4094
SYDNEY SOUTH NSW 1235
You may also provide any additional evidence that you would like to have considered. The Enquiries and Complaints Officer will advise you of the outcome as soon as possible.
Need more information?
Log in to SuperSolution and download a copy of your Product Disclosure Statement (PDS). The PDS describes the income protection benefit available to you, and gives the definition of disability you need to meet. If you have any questions, call our Helpline on 1800 555 667.
Issued by Total Risk Management Pty Ltd ABN 62 008 644 353, AFSL 238790, RSE L0000260, (“TRM”). This document provides general information only and has not been prepared having regard to your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making an investment decision, you need to consider whether this information is appropriate to your objectives, financial situation and needs. The information has been compiled from sources considered to be reliable, but is not guaranteed. Any examples have been included for demonstrational purposes only and should not be relied upon for the purpose of making an investment decision. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. An invitation to apply to join the Russell SuperSolution Master Trust is made by TRM in a Product Disclosure Statement (“PDS”). Any potential investor should consider the latest PDS in deciding whether to acquire, or to continue to hold, an investment in Russell SuperSolution. The PDS is currently available by phoning 1800 555 667 or by visiting www.russell.com.au. TRM is part of the Russell Investment Group (“Russell”). Russell or its associates, officers or employees may have interests in the financial products referred to in this document by acting in various roles including broker or adviser, and may receive fees, brokerage or commissions for acting in these capacities. In addition, Russell or its associates, officers or employees may buy or sell the financial products as principal or agent.