I stopped work five years ago due to illness. Are there time limits for making a TPD claim?

As we always say, insurance policies, including the fine print, will differ between super funds.

For example, some insurance policies or fund rules require that:

· you must make a claim before you cease work or your employment is terminated, and/or

· you must make the claim within a specified period after you cease work.

However, insurers are not there to represent your interests. They won’t always tell you what you need to know – when you need to know it. That’s why Littles strongly recommends getting high quality legal advice early. When is the right time to do this? We say:

· if you’re working and struggling because of injury or illness and considering stopping work, or

· you’re working and struggling because of illness or injury and considering reducing the number of hours you work, and/or

· if you’ve already stopped work as a result of illness or injury, as soon as possible!

Even if your insurance policy or super fund rules don’t prescribe time limits or otherwise preclude late claims, it’s generally the case that the sooner you make your claim, the stronger it will be. Why is this? Well, for example:

· medical and employment records may be lost, or much more difficult to access, and

· your memory fades over time and you may forget important details.

These and other factors make it harder to make a strong claim that your illness or injury was the reason you ceased work.