{"id":7944,"date":"2023-04-17T12:02:30","date_gmt":"2023-04-17T02:32:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adelaideprivatewealth.com.au\/understand-the-insurance-claims-process\/"},"modified":"2023-04-17T12:02:30","modified_gmt":"2023-04-17T02:32:30","slug":"understand-the-insurance-claims-process","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adelaideprivatewealth.com.au\/understand-the-insurance-claims-process\/","title":{"rendered":"Understand the insurance claims process"},"content":{"rendered":"
It\u2019s easier to make a claim on your life insurance if you gather the right information for your insurer.<\/p>\n
To make a claim on your insurance, speak to the person or company you bought the policy from.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
If you bought insurance through:\u00a0<\/p>\n
an insurer<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 contact the insurance company\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/li>\n an insurance broker or financial adviser<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 speak to them first<\/p>\n<\/li>\n a superannuation fund<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 contact your fund<\/p>\n<\/li>\n an employment arrangement<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 speak to your employer<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Ask how the claims process works and what forms you need to fill out. Make sure you have your policy number available.\u00a0If you\u2019re struggling physically or emotionally, ask a trusted friend or family member for help with the claims process.\u00a0<\/p>\n The insurer will ask for information to support your claim. Depending on the type of insurance, you may have to provide:\u00a0<\/p>\n medical reports and medical test results from your doctor<\/p>\n<\/li>\n details of your work duties, including physical requirements, and the number of hours you work each week<\/p>\n<\/li>\n payslips and tax returns, or financial statements if you are self employed\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/li>\n if a person has passed away, a death certificate or medical report listing the cause of death<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Your insurer may ask for permission to contact your doctor about your claim. You may also have to go to an independent medical examination with a specialist, who then reports to the insurer.\u00a0<\/p>\n If illness or injury continues to affect your ability to earn an income, you may need to have regular assessments and complete progress claim forms.\u00a0<\/p>\n Depending on the circumstances, an insurer will let you know their decision for:\u00a0<\/p>\n income-related claims<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 within 2 months of being notified about your claim, or 2 months after the waiting period has expired<\/p>\n<\/li>\n other claims<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 within 6 months of being notified about your claim, or 6 months after the waiting period has expired<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n To find out the average time your insurer takes to finalise a claim, see the\u00a0life insurance claims comparison tool<\/a>.<\/p>\n The\u00a0Life Insurance Code of Practice<\/a>\u00a0sets out what insurers should do when handling your claim, including timeframes for making a decision and keeping you updated. If they do not meet these standards you can complain to the insurer.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re not satisfied with the claims process or decision,\u00a0make a complaint<\/a>\u00a0to the insurer or super fund. Do this as soon as you can.<\/p>\n If you can\u2019t reach an agreement,\u00a0contact the\u00a0Australian Financial Complaints Authority<\/a>\u00a0(AFCA) to make a complaint and get free, independent dispute resolution.\u00a0<\/p>\n If you need urgent financial help while a claim is being assessed, speak to the insurer or super fund. They will consider your circumstances and may be able to:<\/p>\n speed up the assessment and decision about the claim<\/p>\n<\/li>\n make an advance payment to help you<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n You will have to provide your insurer with documents that support your need for urgent financial help. These could include bank statements or Centrelink statements. Payments for urgent financial help may reduce your claim payout.<\/p>\n Contact us to find out more. Call on [phone].<\/p>\n Source: Important note: This provides general information and hasn\u2019t taken your circumstances into account.\u00a0 It\u2019s important to consider your particular circumstances before deciding what\u2019s right for you. Although the information is from sources considered reliable, we do not guarantee that it is accurate or complete.\u00a0You should not rely upon it and should seek qualified advice before making any investment decision. Except where liability under any statute cannot be excluded, we do not accept any liability (whether under contract, tort or otherwise) for any resulting loss or damage of the reader or any other person.\u00a0 Past performance is not a reliable guide to future returns.<\/span><\/p>\n Important<\/span> The post Understand the insurance claims process<\/a> appeared first on MLC Contemporary<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n
What information you need to provide<\/h3>\n
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How long the claims process takes<\/h3>\n
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Complain about an insurer\u2019s claims process or decision<\/h3>\n
Urgent financial help<\/h3>\n
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Reproduced with the permission of ASIC\u2019s MoneySmart Team. This article was originally published at\u00a0https:\/\/moneysmart.gov.au\/how-life-insurance-works\/making-a-life-insurance-claim<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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