Qualifying for total and permanent disablement insurance typically means there’s been a great disruption in your life, whether due to injury, illness, or some other misfortune. It also means you’re unable to work and collect your usual paycheck, leaving you and your family without an immediate income stream. In these instances, obtaining a TPD payout as soon as possible is paramount. However, the claims process can take some time.
On average, it takes about two to three months for a TPD claim to be approved. This timeline may vary, however, as super funds and their insurers all have different requirements and internal workflows.
What impacts the TPD payout timeline?
There are a variety of factors that impact a TPD payout, all of which can prolong claims (and, ultimately, the receipt of any payout).
The claims process involves having the claimant, employer and medical practitioners all complete a variety of forms. A problem at this stage can cause the claim to fall through the tracks, such as one or more of the people involved filling out a form incorrectly or simply losing track of it.
Insurers handling a claim in a piecemeal fashion also serves as an obstacle to obtaining rapid TPD payout. The insurer has a legal obligation to process the claim in a timely fashion, but whether due to excessive workloads or simple idleness, insurers are, not infrequently, responsible for slowing claims down.
What to do if your TPD payout is taking too long
If a TPD claim is not resolved within a reasonable amount of time, you have the right to petition the courts to enforce your entitlement to these benefits. This will further push back the TPD payout, but there are certain issues that may arise to necessitate such proceedings.
Additionally, there’s also a chance you may disagree with an initial decision. In this case, you may have the option to appeal if there are grounds for doing so. However, even if successful on the appeal, going this route will further extend the gulf of time between your TPD claim and its payout.
Working with an experienced compensation lawyer, like someone from the legal team at Gerard Malouf and Partners, can help streamline these processes. Our attorneys can provide guidance on the appropriate documents and evidence that will be required for processing a TPD claim.
