Personal Injury Claim: Have You Also Checked TPD in Your Super?

If you've been injured and are beginning to look into a personal injury claim, there's a second question worth asking: have you checked whether you hold TPD cover in your super?

It's natural to focus on the accident itself first. But depending on your circumstances, a personal injury claim may not be the only avenue worth reviewing.

Super can carry insurance — life cover, TPD cover, and sometimes income protection — and many people don't realise that cover may already be sitting in their fund. Moneysmart notes most funds offer life, TPD and sometimes income protection, with eligible members often provided some cover automatically.

What is a personal injury claim?

Broadly, it's a claim for compensation after a physical or psychological injury.

In Australia the rules and process vary with the type of injury and where it occurred — motor vehicle accidents, workplace injuries and other negligence-based matters among them.

Why TPD in super gets missed

Many people never took out a standalone policy, so they assume they have no insurance at all. But cover through super is common: Moneysmart notes most funds offer life and TPD insurance, with income protection in some cases, and TPD insurance can pay a lump sum if you become totally and permanently disabled through illness or injury.

So someone can be researching a personal injury claim without realising a super-related insurance pathway may also be worth checking — particularly where the injury or illness has seriously affected their ability to return to work.

A key prompt: have you also checked your super?

If the injury has affected your ability to keep working, your super is worth reviewing.

A useful rule of thumb: if you were over 25, held more than $6,000 in super, and were receiving employer contributions, it's worth checking whether insurance was attached.

It's not a guarantee — funds and policies differ — but it's a strong enough sign that many people should check before assuming there's nothing there.

Lost or forgotten accounts can matter too

Old accounts from previous jobs are another common blind spot. The ATO notes you can use its online services to track super and find accounts you've lost touch with, including lost member accounts and ATO-held super.

That matters because an older fund may have carried insurance that's still relevant when you review your position.

Here's the simple process CantWork uses to help people understand where they stand:

1. Fill in the form

Start with a quick Free Claim Check and tell us a little about your situation.

2. We call to confirm the details

We talk through your injury, work history and current position.

3. We help locate your super

We help review your current fund and any lost or forgotten accounts.

4. We review your options and next steps

We look at whether a TPD, life insurance or other super-related pathway might be worth exploring, and explain the next step in plain English.

Why this matters after illness or injury

When you're managing pain, treatment, lost income or uncertainty about work, it's easy to fix on the most obvious claim pathway alone. A wider review can still be valuable.

A personal injury claim and TPD through super aren't the same thing — they follow different rules and turn on different facts. In some situations it's worth understanding both rather than just one. That's why checking your super can be a sensible extra step where your condition has seriously affected your ability to work.

When it may be worth checking TPD in super

Consider checking if:

• illness or injury has stopped you working
• you're unsure whether you have insurance through super
• you've changed jobs several times
• you may have old or forgotten accounts
• your condition has had a long-term impact on your ability to return to work

Start with a Free Claim Check

If you're already looking into a personal injury claim, it's worth checking your super as well. CantWork can help you talk through your situation, identify relevant accounts, check whether insurance through super exists, and understand whether a TPD or life insurance option might be worth exploring.