Frequently Asked Questions.

Here are some of the events you can choose to be covered for under your TAL insurance policy.

• If you die or are diagnosed with a terminal illness: your family receives a lump-sum payment. This is called Life Insurance.
• If you’re diagnosed with a serious critical illness such as a cancer (of a specified criteria) or you suffer a heart attack (of a specified severity): you receive a lump-sum payment. This is called Critical Illness or Trauma Insurance.
• If you’re permanently disabled and unable to work: you receive a lump-sum payment. This is called Total and Permanent Disability (TPD).
• If you’re unable to work due to illness or injury: you receive a monthly benefit of up to $30,000, up to 70% of your salary*. This is called Income Protection Insurance.

This is a general guide only to the different types of life insurance and the circumstances in which a claim may be payable. You can find out exactly what you’re eligible for by reading the terms and conditions of your insurance policy, which are detailed in your policy document.

You will need to speak to one of our professional Life Insurance Specialists on 131 TAL about including any of the following:

• Premium Relief (For Life Insurance, TPD, Recovery Insurance) – If you add this option, you won’t need to pay your Lifetime Protection premiums if you are unable to work for at least three consecutive months due to illness or accident. Find out more
• Increasing Claims Option (For Income Protection only) – If you are receiving benefit payments, we will increase the payment in line with inflation, while you are receiving them. Find out more
• Day One Accident (For Income Protection only) – Instead of having to wait out your chosen waiting period, your payments will start accruing from the first day you’re off work due to a total disability from an injury. Find out more

Most Australians have some form of life insurance through their super. The default level of cover is not based on your unique current and future financial obligations, so you may want to check to see if it’s enough. It may not be possible to take up some types of cover through your super fund. You may also want to consider whether you’re able to take your insurance with you if you leave your fund.

You may be able to increase your insurance cover. You can contact us  to discuss your options with our Life Insurance Specialists. Or, depending on how you bought your cover, you can contact your financial adviser, super fund or employer to find out if you can increase your cover, and the steps to take.

We need to send you important information from time to time so it’s important we have your up-to-date contact details. Please contact us to let us know about any change to your address, telephone number or email.

Generally Life, TPD and Critical Illness and Trauma payments will not be taxed where they are held outside of superannuation.  Income Protection payments will usually be tax assessable. You should contact your tax adviser or the Australian Tax Office. (External link) for more information and advice on your particular situation.

Inflation Protection is a way to help future-proof your insurance payment against the effect of inflation. Every year, as the cost of goods and services increases, your amount of cover will increase by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). This will help to ensure that your insurance cover has not been eroded by the effects of inflation. Your premiums will also rise in accordance with any increase in cover.

A standalone policy is not linked to any other covers. Payment of a benefit under a standalone policy will not reduce the benefit of the other covers.

As one of Australia’s leading life insurers we’ve learnt that the most important part of life isn’t the stuff we own, but the experiences we share with the people we love. It’s living life. This Australian life.

That’s why we do what we do, protect people, not things, to help you look after what matters most. From covering your children’s education, to keeping up the mortgage payments for the family home or rehabilitation to get you back on track sooner.

Together with our partners we protect 4.5 million Australians and their families, helping them look after what matters most, so they have the freedom to keep living the life they planned.

Find out more about who we are and our life story.

Dai-ichi Life is the third largest life insurer in Japan by revenue, and the owner of TAL.

Workers’ Compensation will generally only cover you if your injury happens in the workplace or your sickness can be directly linked to your employment.

If you’re receiving Income Protection payments, the amount you receive may be reduced if you’re also receiving Workers’ Compensation payments.

Yes, you can cancel your policy. To cancel your policy, you can speak to your financial adviser or contact us. If you are cancelling a policy because you intend to replace it with another insurance product, always consider the risks of doing so before deciding to make the change. For example, the policy terms and conditions may be different, you may need to answer questions about your health and lifestyle before the cover will be granted, qualifying periods may start again, you may lose benefits accrued on your current cover.  To avoid the risk of a gap in cover, in general you should not cancel an existing insurance policy until the new insurance policy is in place.  

My TAL  is an online portal, which allows you to manage your cover anywhere, any time. Through My TAL, you can do the following:

• Pay your premiums
• Request a certificate of currency
• Request a statement
• Update your contact details, and
• View all of your policy details.

All customers with a TAL Accelerated Protection policy are eligible to register for an account.

If you have an investment life policy, or any of the following policy types, you cannot register for a My TAL account at this stage:

• SMSF Owned
• TAL Superannuation Owned
• Platform Owned
• Joint Owned
• Company Owned

To register for My TAL:

1. Go to our registration page and enter your email address
2. Click on ‘send confirmation email’
3. Go to your email and click on the link within the confirmation email
4. Complete the registration details

 

If you’re having any trouble with My TAL, just call us on 1300 209 088 (Mon-Fri, 8am-7pm AEST) and we’ll help you over the phone.

Once we’ve received your claim forms, a Claims Consultant will contact you to discuss your claim and answer any questions you have. We feel it’s important that you always speak to the same person, so we assign you a dedicated Claims Consultant to help you throughout the process.

If you have provided your Australian bank account details to us, we'll make the payment into this account. Otherwise we will send you a cheque.

In some instances, for example where your cover is purchased through you super fund, we may make the payment to the fund.

We can start assessing your TPD claim after you have been out of work for three months in a row. In some cases you may qualify immediately, such as due to blindness or loss of limb.

The Waiting Period is the period of time that you must be Totally Disabled. The Total Disability Benefit and Partial Disability Benefit are not payable during the Waiting Period. You can choose a waiting period of 2, 4, 13 or 26 weeks. Generally, the longer the Waiting Period, the cheaper the premiums.

We make your first payment one month after the waiting period ends. For example, let’s say you chose a 4 week waiting period. If you were injured and stopped work on 1st April, your waiting period would start on 1st April and end 28 days later on 28th April.

You would then qualify for your payments from the 29th April. And your first payment would be paid one month later, on the 28th May.

This can depend on when you lodge your claim. Once your claim has been approved, we aim to make your payment as soon as possible. If you remain off work because of illness or injury, and you’ve provided us with the claim requirements, you’ll start to receive payments one month after the waiting period  ends.

If you qualify to receive Total Disability payments and you return to work on a partial basis earning less than you were before your claim, you may be eligible for a Partial Disability Benefit. This allows you to receive some Income Protection payments on top of the partial income you’re able to earn.

We use a formula which is set out in your policy to calculate your Partial Disability Benefit. Your Claims Consultant will use your payslip (or other proof of income) to understand what your regular income is. They will also show you how your benefits reduce as you receive income from sources such as Workers’ Compensation, Centrelink, other insurance policies and, in some cases, sick leave.

You must let your Claims Consultant know if you return to work, or are receiving income from other sources, so we can make sure you receive the correct payments.

We have processes in place to ensure that all our claims decisions are fair and consistent. If you disagree with the decision we've made about your claim, you can request a review. You can also make a complaint to us. 

We will aim to provide you with a complaint outcome within 30 days for standard non-superannuation related complaints or 45 days for products/services involving superannuation trustees. If we are unable to resolve your complaint within that period, we will inform you of the reasons for the delay and let you know when we expect to provide a response to your complaint.

If an issue has not been resolved to your satisfaction you can lodge a complaint with the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA). AFCA provides fair and independent financial services complaint resolution that is free to consumers.

Website: www.afca.org.au
Email: info@afca.org.au
Telephone: 1800 931 678 (free call)
In writing to: Australian Financial Complaints Authority, GPO Box 3, Melbourne VIC 3001

Time limits may apply to complaints to AFCA. You may wish to consult the AFCA website or contact AFCA directly to find out if there is a time limit on lodging a complaint with AFCA.

Yes, if you disagree with the decision we've made about your claim, you can request a review. You can also make a complaint to us. 

If you’ve made a claim, you can generally access copies of the documents and information we have relied on to make a decision in relation to your claim. There are some limited exceptions under privacy legislation. In some circumstances we may need to provide the information to your doctor instead of providing it directly to you. We will let you know if this is the case.

We take the protection of your personal and sensitive information very seriously. So, we ask that you make your request in writing to help us to identify you. All requests for information from your claim file should be addressed to:
The Privacy Officer
TAL Life Limited
GPO Box 5380
Sydney NSW 2001

Let us know which information you’re looking for, the name of the person it should be sent to, as well as their full contact details. It’s also useful if you can provide your policy number(s) with your request. We will aim to provide the information that you have requested within 30 days.

Yes, we appreciate any feedback about the way we do things. If you’ve had a positive experience with our claims team or have some ideas on how we can improve our claims processes or service, you can email us or send your suggestions to:

TAL Claims
TAL Life Limited
GPO Box 5380
Sydney NSW 2001

If you have no living beneficiary attached to your policy, your life insurance payment will be paid to your estate.

You do not need to update us if there are changes to your health or occupation once you have been accepted for the insurance. We will assess your situation at the point of application and your insurance will be based on your circumstances at that time. Your insurance cannot be cancelled by the insurer if your situation changes.

However, if your circumstances change for the better, for example because you have moved to a lower risk occupation or you have quit smoking, you could be entitled to a lower premium. In this case, you can request an alteration of policy based on the change in circumstances.

For example: John was a carpenter when he first took out insurance, however after a number of years he has transitioned to an office-based role within the construction industry. 

John is now eligible to alter his policy, which could decrease his premium as he has moved from a manual role to an office-based role.

You will never be singled out for a premium increase because you've made a claim. Your premiums will increase as usual according to the factors set out in the PDS, such as increases due to your age, general rate rises and increases due to indexation.

If you’re receiving payments for Income Protection, you will no longer pay these premiums while you are claiming a benefit. However, if you have other insurance policies (Life, Total Permanent Disability, Recovery Insurance), you will still pay these premiums unless you have selected the Premium Relief Option.

If you do not make a binding beneficiary nomination , the super trustee will decide who gets your benefits when you die. Usually benefits are paid to dependents, after taking your wishes into consideration.

See 'What is the difference between a non-binding and a binding nomination?'

If you’re holding your insurance within your super, you’ll be asked to nominate a beneficiary – the details of the person (or people) who will receive the life insurance money if you pass away. You have the choice to make a binding or a non-binding nomination.

Binding nomination – This is a legally binding statement which the trustee will use to know who your money should go to if you pass away.

Non-binding nomination – This is not legally binding. The trustee will take your non-binding into consideration when making the life insurance payment on your behalf, in addition to other aspects of the law.

It is not possible to set up Critical Illness and Trauma Insurance through your super. This is a legislative requirement aimed at ensuring your benefits do not get held within the superannuation system when you need to access them, so it applies to all insurance providers.

If the condition you claim for is excluded from the policy, then we will not be able to pay your claim.

TAL provides you with worldwide cover. If you’re travelling abroad, or you move abroad, you will continue to be covered by the terms you set up when you bought the policy.

However, if you have Income Protection Cover, please note that some terms of the cover may be affected if you are overseas when you need to make a claim. 

For information on how to make a complaint, please view the TAL Complaints Management Process and TAL Complaints Policy.

You can also contact:

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner

GPO Box 5218

Sydney NSW 2001

Phone: 1300 363 992

You can opt out of telephone marketing by contacting us on 1300 209 088 or via our online form.

We offer a range of services to make it as easy as possible for all our customers to engage with us. These include support for customers from non-English speaking backgrounds, those with speech or hearing impediments, travel assistance for customers in rural or regional areas, and help meeting timelines for your appointments or paperwork.

Please contact our Customer Service team on 1300 209 088 or your Claims Consultant if you have any other questions about accessing additional support services.

Yes. The Australian Government’s Translation and Interpretive (TIS) service means you can speak to us through a translator. Call TIS on 13 14 50 to connect with a translator in your preferred language, who’ll then call through to us. TAL will cover any costs associated with the service.

You can also pre-book an interpreter for any appointments you have with us through your Customer Service Representative or Claims Consultant.

Yes. If you have a hearing or speech impairment, you can contact us through the NRS. Have the TAL phone number you want to connect to on hand when you call.

• For TTY (Text Telephone) users: call 133 677
• For Speak and Listen (speech-to-speech relay) users: call 1300 555 727
• For internet relay users: visit the National Relay Service website

We understand that unexpected things can happen in your life and that this may leave you in a difficult financial position. Some of these events may include; losing your job or reduction of income, family breakdown, domestic violence or natural disaster.

If you require support or assistance during this time, please find more information here.

When we’re assessing an application or claim, we sometimes need our customers to have an independent medical exam or attend an appointment for a specialised service.

Whenever possible, we’ll arrange these close to your home, but if you live in a rural or regional community and a suitable provider isn’t in the local area, we’ll pay reasonable transport costs so you can attend the appointment. 

We’ll organise flights and accommodation if they’re required and, if you can’t travel alone for a medical reason, we may cover travel costs for your companion.

We must provide prior approval for any transport expenditure, so please speak with your Customer Service Representative or Claims Consultant to determine what we’ll reimburse.

If you require wheelchair access at your appointment, let your Customer Service Representative or Claims Consultant know so they can ensure there’s suitable access.

It’s important that you let us know if you’re having difficulty meeting your obligations to provide us with the documents we have requested or attending the medical appointments in the time frames we set. Your TAL representative will contact you regularly if we've asked for additional information. Make sure to keep them updated on your efforts as we may close an application or claim if there is no action on it.

If the application or claim time frames present specific challenges, your Claims Consultant will work with you to agree a reasonable timeline and help you gather the information required. 

 

Depending on the product you have with us, you may be able to make additional contributions by cheque, direct debit and BPAY® (Registered to BPAY Pty Ltd ABN 69 079 137 518). To confirm if your policy accepts additional contributions and the payment options available, please phone us on 1300 209 088.

Please contact us on 1300 209 088 or email us at customerservice@tal.com.au and we can send you a Benefit Payment Form.

An Income Protection Summary (IP summary) is a document which contains information regarding the amounts you have paid for your Income Protection policy during the financial year ending 30 June 2022. We recommend you take this IP summary to a registered tax agent when preparing your tax return. 

We expect to send your Income Protection summary by 28 July 2022.

You may be able to register for myTAL if:

• Your policy has only one Policy Owner
• The Policy Owner is also the Life Insured
• The Policy Owner is an individual, rather than entity or company
• For SMSF policies, there is only one life insured

We’ll email your Income Protection summary to you if you have previously provided us with your email address. Otherwise, we’ll send it via post.

A copy of your Income Protection summary should also be available for quick download in myTAL from the 28 July 2022. Check if you are eligible to register for myTAL.

To register for myTAL:

1. Go to the myTAL login page and select 'Register Now'.
2. Enter your policy details and select 'Submit'.
3. You will receive an email containing a verification link. By clicking the link you will verify your email address and be taken to the 'Create Password' form.
4. Complete the password form to view your policy details.

When registering, please enter your full name and date of birth exactly as they appear on your Policy Schedule.

No, you will not receive any payment summaries for any other policies, summaries are only available from Income Protection policies.

A copy of your Income Protection summary is expected to be available for quick download from the 28 July 2022. To access yours follow the steps below:

1. Login to MyTAL
2. Select ‘Statements’ on the left-hand menu 
3. Select a policy from the policy drop down box 
4. Select the statement from the statement from down box
5. Click on the statement you would like to download
6. If you do not see the statement you would like to download click on the ‘Show More’ link’
7. Select the financial year you would like to request a statement for, enter your email address and click the button ‘Request PDF Tax Statement(s)’

 

Yes, we anticipate that your adviser will be able to access a copy of your IP summary by 28 July 2022.

There are a few reasons you may not have received an IP summary including:

• Your Income Protection cover is funded through Superannuation
• You did not pay any premiums during the 2021-2022 Financial Year
• You made an Income Protection claim during the 2021-2022 financial year – and we expect to send your IP Summary by mid August 2022. 

You may choose to check with your financial adviser to understand whether any of the above applies to you.

Customers who have made a claim within the financial year will have their IP Summary issued by mid August 2022. You do not have to do anything.