If you need to take time away from work for treatment for cancer or due to the ongoing and permanent impacts that the cancer and the associated treatment has on your health, you can probably claim income protection and TPD insurance benefits from your super.
Cancer is one of the most prevalent medical conditions in Australia.
Often, due to better screening techniques and the increased efficacy of early intervention, cancer is not the death sentence it once was. However, the impact of a cancer diagnosis on an individual’s life can still be significant. Medical procedures such as surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy can all mean that you have to take a significant period of time away from work to recover.
Income protection benefits if you can’t work due to cancer
Income protection benefits can be a great source of replacement income when you are recovering from surgery or undergoing treatment. This is because income protection benefits can be paid even if your medical condition is only temporarily impacting your capacity to work.
Total and permanent disability (TPD) claims
Also, we know from our experience working with people who claim super and insurance benefits, that sometimes the ongoing effects of cancer treatment (chemotherapy and radiotherapy) can have serious long-term and disabling side-effects. People describe to us pain and limited movement in their joints and symptoms like brain fog and difficulty concentrating.
If this is your experience and you have had to cease work as a result, you may be entitled to total and permanent disability (TPD) benefits in addition to any income protection benefits.
Terminal illness benefits
If you are not expected to live for more than 24 months because of your cancer, you may be able to claim a Terminal Illness benefit held in your superannuation account.
A terminal illness benefit is usually the early payment of any death insurance benefit plus your superannuation account balance. These payments are generally not taxed and can be easier to claim than income protection or total and permanent disability benefits. To be successful with a terminal illness claim, you will need the support of two different doctors, one of which may need to be a specialist.
Get help from a TPD and income protection lawyer
We are experts in superannuation and insurance claims. If you have been diagnosed with cancer, are undergoing cancer treatment or are considering your options in your battle against cancer, we recommend that you get in touch for some free advice about your superannuation/insurance benefits.
We can also help you find all of your superannuation funds and confirm if any insurance claim can be made on those funds. We do this for free. If we work out that you are entitled to bring a claim, we can help you with the claim on a 'no win, no fee basis' and with no upfront fees.
You can contact us directly by phone or email for free. It costs you nothing to find out what your rights and entitlements are.
Contacting Berrill & Watson
📞 Melbourne: 03 9448 8048
📞 Brisbane: 07 3013 4300
📞 Anywhere else in Australia: 03 9448 8048
How we charge
We are Australia's best-value superannuation/insurance law firm. Other law firms charge nearly double (& sometimes more than double) what we charge. So, if you get a quote from them, or have a cost agreement, ask us what we will charge you.