Death and disablement
If you wish to make a claim for either death or total and permanent disablement benefits, you should call Customer Service on 1300 650 873. A customer service representative will explain the claim procedure and send you the necessary forms and other paperwork.
Death benefits
If you die while a member of the Fund, your benefit will normally be paid to one or more of your dependants or your legal personal representative. You can nominate to whom you wish your death benefit to be paid. The nomination may be either a "preferred nomination" or a "binding nomination". If you have an income stream, you can nominate your spouse as a reversionary beneficiary before your income stream starts.
If you have a non-pension superannuation account and an income stream account, a separate nomination is required for each account.
Where you have not made a binding nomination, the Trustee may exercise its own discretion in determining the beneficiaries of any death benefit.
Can I nominate my beneficiaries?
People who qualify as your dependants for superannuation purposes under Commonwealth law may be nominated as your beneficiary/s, as follows:
Your spouse:
- a person who is legally married to you, or
- a person who, although not legally married to you, lives with you on a genuine domestic basis as husband and wife. (It does not include a same sex partner).
Your children including:
- your spouse's children
- adopted and ex-nuptial children.
Your dependant*:
- a person whom the Trustee considers was financially dependent on you at the time of your death, or
- a person with whom you have a "interdependency relationship".
Your legal personal representative:
- the executor or administrator of your estate.
*Note: The definition of a dependant now recognises "interdependent relationships", which includes people with whom you:
- live, and
- have a close relationship, and
- provide financial support (or they support you), and
- provide domestic support and personal care (or they care for you).
Dependency can also occur where two people have a close relationship, but do not live together or provide each other with care, due to physical, intellectual or psychiatric disabilities. Where all these conditions are met, a same sex couple may qualify under the terms of "interdependency".
Binding nominations
A binding death benefit nomination (if valid) is a legal instrument that obliges the Trustee to pay your death benefit to the person/s you have nominated, and in the proportions you nominate, subject to superannuation law.
Please see the Accessing your super section of the Product Disclosure Statement for more details.
Non-binding (preferred) nominations
A preferred beneficiary is the person you would like to receive your superannuation and insurance benefits when you die. You may nominate more than one preferred beneficiary on the Nomination of Beneficiaries form. In determining to whom to pay your benefit on your death, the Trustee will take into consideration your preferred nomination, but it is not bound to follow it.
Please see the Accessing your super section of the Product Disclosure Statement for more details.
How much is the death benefit?
The death benefit will be your superannuation account balance at the time of payment (including any insured death benefit the Trustee receives from the insurer) less the applicable withdrawal fee and any tax that may apply. See your last benefit statement for details or check your account online.
When the Trustee receives satisfactory proof of death, your superannuation account balance will automatically be transferred to the Cash investment strategy until paid out in accordance with the Fund’s rules
Disablement benefits
Total and Permanent Disablement insurance cover and income protection insurance is available through First State Super. See Importance of Insurance.
What does "Total and Permanent Disablement" mean?
To find out what this means, click here. The insurer generally requires a waiting period of 6 months from the date of disablement before it will consider a member’s claim for TPD.
I have taken out Income Protection insurance - when is this payable?
To be eligible for income protection payments you must be accepted by the Insurer to be temporarily disabled or partially disabled.
Temporary disablement is when if solely as a result of illness or injury, you are:
- unable to perform at least one income producing duty, being one of your normal duties that generates at least 20% of your monthly income; and
- not working in any occupation, whether or not for reward; and
- under the regular care and following the advice of a medical practitioner.
Partial disablement is when you:
- have been unable to perform at least one income producing duty, being a duty at work that generates at least 20% of your monthly income, for at least 14 days out of the first 19 consecutive days of the waiting period or for the entire waiting period if the elected period is 14 days; and
- are unable return to work at full capacity as a result of the illness or injury resulting in disability; and
- are working in a limited capacity or working in another occupation; and
are earning a monthly disability income less than your Prior Monthly Income; and
- are under the regular care and following the advice of a Medical Practitioner.
More information
For more information read the Product Disclosure Statement for your Division.
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