Since the COVID-19 virus entered Australian Shores in late January 2020, a large number of implications have resulted to most Australian households. During these tough times, many people have lost their jobs, reduced their work hours or more concerning, had an injury and or illness and can never return in any form of employment.

Since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, what would you do if you or your loved one, sustained an accident through work or motor vehicle accident and or illness and could not work again. How would you pay for your bills and costs of living?

At Turner Freeman Lawyers, not only do we look after your work place injury or motor vehicle accident, but we look at all avenues that are beneficial to you including making a Total and Permanent disablement claim from your Superannuation account. Given these unprecedented times, it is not unusual to be accessing your super account balance also.

If you are working, you are likely to have Total and Permanent disability insurance coverage associated with your superfund. A claim for Total and Permanent can be made if you have sustained an injury and/or illness and cannot work ever again. A claim for Total and Permanent Disablement provides you with a lump sum amount, which will now be assessed based on your recent working arrangements since COVID-19 became a pandemic.

Essentially, if you sustained an injury and/or illness and you have been absent from work for six (6) consecutive months and you are unlikely to be able to return to employment you are suited to by way of education, training and experience, you will be considered totally and permanently disabled.

Since the COVID-19 outbreak however, many superfunds under the Financial Services Council initiative have now agreed that should you have lost your job, are stood down or have had a reduced number of hours, your total and Permanent disablement claim will not be affected until 27 September 2020.

Accordingly, the Financial Services Council arranged an eligibility criteria should your injury and or illness resulted were you cannot return to your occupation. The eligibility criteria is as follows:

  1. If you were working in your normal capacity on 11 March 2020
  2. Have had reduced working hours or lost your job due to COVID-19 since 11 March 2020;
  3. Became disabled as a result of injury and/or illness between 11 March 2020 to 27 September 2020;
  4. Have maintained your Total and Permanent Disablement cover at the time you became totally and permanently disabled and
  5. Lodged your claim form on or before January 2021. 

How to make a claim:

If you are Total and Permanent Disabled resulting from an illness or injury, at Turner Freeman Lawyers, we are able to lodge your Total and Permanent Disablement by utilising the above criteria to ensure you are able to access your superfund insurance. It is important to note that you must maintain superannuation contributions.

The process of lodging a Total and Permanent disablement can be lengthy so it is best to speak to our lawyers to make sure you receive the benefits you are entitled to. At Turner Freeman Lawyers, we can lodge your claim for TPD insurance based on your working arrangements before 11 March 2020, when the COVID-19 was declared a world pandemic