Intention of Total & Permanent Disability Assist
The intention of Total & Permanent Disability Assist insurance cover is to provide support payments to you should you suffer an injury or sickness that permanently prevents you from working to retirement age.
Total & Permanent Disability Assist insurance cover is available to you regardless of your working hours or the basis on which you are employed. Regardless of your employment type, you will be provided with Standard cover when you are eligible after joining Australian Retirement Trust.
We believe in supporting you when you are first unable to work due to injury or sickness by offering an early intervention program to assist you back into the workforce. Where you remain unable to return to work we will help you achieve a suitable and safe return to work through occupational rehabilitation (provided through the Fund insurer), where applicable.
Your capacity to work is assessed by Australian Retirement Trust's insurer and is determined by your ability to perform any reasonably suitable occupation based on all of your education, training or experience, not just your usual occupation or job you were performing when you become sick or injured. Your usual job can include remaining at home and doing unpaid home duties. If this has been your choice, we may consider this your primary occupation.
When reviewing your education, training or experience, both we, and the insurer, may consider for example the level of schooling you completed, further studies undertaken since then and any subsequent qualifications and certifications you have obtained, the transferable-skills and abilities you have acquired through any work you have undertaken (both paid and unpaid), as well as any of your hobbies and interests.
Once you meet the definition of Total & Permanent Disability Assist, you may receive up to six support payments over a minimum of five years where you continue to meet the Total & Permanent Disability Assist definition. Should you suffer a specified Medical Condition which causes you to be unable to perform work ever again, you may receive a single lump sum benefit.
Intention of Tailored Total & Permanent Disability
The intention of Tailored Total & Permanent Disability insurance cover is to provide a payment to you should you suffer an injury or sickness that prevents you from working to retirement age.
Tailored Total & Permanent Disability insurance cover is available to you regardless of your working hours or the basis on which you are employed. Regardless of your employment type, you may be eligible for cover.
In the event of a disability claim, your capacity to work is assessed by Australian Retirement Trust's insurer and is determined by your ability to perform any reasonably suited occupation based on all of your education, training or experience, not just your usual occupation or the job you were performing when you become sick or injured. If you were unemployed at your date of disablement, the insurer may consider your domestic duties to be your occupational duties.
When reviewing your education, training or experience, we may consider, for example, the level of schooling you completed, further studies undertaken since then and any subsequent qualifications and certifications you have obtained, the transferable skills and abilities you have acquired through any work you have undertaken (both paid and unpaid), as well as any of your hobbies and interests.
If you are deemed totally and permanently disabled, the payment will be paid to you as a single lump sum.
Intention of Income Protection
If you are actively employed and working at least 15 hours a week, you may be eligible to apply for cover.
You may be able to claim a total disability benefit if you are unable to work due to injury or sickness. To be considered disabled, you must be unable to do one of the major duties of your regular occupation which involves at least 20% of your occupational tasks, and meet other requirements. If you are unemployed, a casual employee or working less than 15 hours prior to being sick or injured, a different definition will apply to you, or you may not even be able to apply for Income Protection cover.
You will be covered for up to 75% of the income you were earning prior to becoming disabled; this is known as your monthly benefit. You may receive an additional percentage of your income as a superannuation contribution paid into your super account. This helps you continue to save for your retirement. We will support you to return to work by providing occupational rehabilitation where applicable.
Where you are working in a reduced capacity while on claim and earning less due to injury or sickness, and satisfy other requirements, you may be able to claim a partial disability benefit to assist with your transition back to work in a full capacity.
If you are paid a monthly benefit, it will generally be reduced where you receive other disability benefits such as workers compensation or benefits from other Income Protection policies. This prevents you from receiving more income than you earned before you were sick or injured.
With Tailored Income Protection cover, we offer various waiting periods and benefit periods in order to provide you flexibility to suit your personal needs and financial situation. The waiting period is the length of time you must be sick or injured before a benefit is payable. The benefit period is the maximum period you can claim benefits whilst you are totally or partially disabled. With Opt-In Income Protection, we offer cover that eligible members can apply for when they join Australian Retirement Trust without the need to fill in complicated forms or provide medical evidence.