TPD insurance is designed to provide financial support when a serious injury or illness permanently prevents you from working. Generally, any medical condition that stops you from working can qualify, whether it is a physical injury, a serious illness, or a mental health condition.

What matters is not just the diagnosis, but how your condition affects your ability to work long-term. Whether you qualify will also depend on how your particular policy defines “total and permanent disability”, and policies can differ significantly in this regard. Understanding your policy is one of the most important first steps, and it is something we can help you with.

The process typically involves gathering detailed medical evidence, obtaining reports from treating specialists, and working through the insurer’s assessment process, which often includes independent medical examinations.

Most claims take several months to resolve, and more complex matters can take longer. What we can tell you is that getting the claim right from the beginning, with thorough, well-prepared evidence, gives you the best chance of a successful outcome and can avoid unnecessary delays caused by incomplete applications or disputed assessments. At MEJ, we will guide you through every step of the process.

The answer depends on the wording of your policy. There are different types of TPD definitions, and the one that applies to you will significantly affect your eligibility.

Under an “own occupation” definition, you may be entitled to claim if you can no longer return to the specific job you were doing before your injury or illness, even if you are capable of working in a different role. Under an “any occupation” definition, which is more common in superannuation-based policies, you generally need to show that you are unable to work in any job reasonably suited to your skills, qualifications, and experience.

The distinction matters enormously, and many people are surprised to find they may have a valid claim even while continuing to work in some capacity. If you are unsure which definition applies to you, please contact us. We can review your policy and give you a clear picture of where you stand.

In most cases, yes, but it is worth checking whether you have cover in more than one place. Many Australians are unaware that their superannuation fund includes TPD insurance cover.

If you have had multiple superannuation funds over the course of your working life, it may be possible to make a separate TPD claim through each fund that held a balance supporting insurance premium payments.

Some people also hold TPD cover outside of superannuation through a standalone insurance policy, which can offer broader definitions and different payment arrangements. Identifying all of the cover available to you is one of the most valuable things a lawyer can do at the outset of a TPD claim, and it is something MEJ does as a matter of course. Do not assume you only have one claim available to you without checking first.