It's always good to know your people have the protection they need. Our insurance is flexible, so employees can change it to suit their needs. And when you need us, we'll be right by your side.

Benefits of QSuper insurance

Focus on your business, knowing we have you covered.

Convenient protection

Most employees with a QSuper account have insurance cover automatically included if they're eligible.

Tailored plans for claims

Employees get a tailored plan with regular check-ins and ongoing support throughout the claim process.

Return to work programs

Enjoy personalised support for your employees, to help them transition back to work after illness or injury.

Insurance for employees

We offer three types of insurance for your employees with a QSuper account:

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Income protection if they're unable to work for months or years because of serious illness or injury
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Total and permanent disability (TPD) cover if an illness or injury leaves someone unable to work again
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Death cover (also known as life cover) if your employee dies or has a terminal illness.

New employees who join QSuper will receive automatic insurance cover when they meet all eligibility rules. For details, see the Accumulation Account Insurance Guide (pdf).

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Education sessions for your employees

Book a workplace seminar or webinar to help your employees understand their insurance options in super.

Find out more

How to help your employee make an insurance claim

We aim to make the claims process as simple as possible and get the best outcomes for all involved.

QSuper income protection has the fastest average time for making claim decisions when it comes to cover provided through super. And we approve 97% of claims.1

What your employee needs to do

To make a claim, your employee should:

  1. Check what they're covered for by logging in to Member Online
  2. Contact us to make an insurance claim
  3. Complete the relevant parts of the claim form.

Find out more

What you need to do

Income protection claim

  • Fill out the Employer's Statement (part B of the claim form) in the Income Protection Benefit Guide (pdf).
  • Tell us if your employee returns to work or leaves your employment before we approve the claim.
  • Read our factsheet (pdf) for more information on the process.

Once the claim is assessed, we'll let both you and your employee know the outcome and next steps.

Total and permanent disability (TPD) claim

  • You may be asked to fill out the Employer's Statement (part B of the claim form) in the Permanent Disability Benefit Guide (pdf).
  • Tell us if your employee's situation changes, e.g. if they return to work.

If they no longer work for you:

  • Make sure they're noted as a leaver on your first contribution payment file after the effective date.
  • The leaver code should show the actual date of termination after all contributions and adjustments are made.
alt-text Have a question about the claims process?
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Support for employees returning to work

A graduated return to work program is a great way for a sick or injured employee to ease back into normal hours. This might include working less hours or reduced duties with your support.

Your employee's claims manager will consider all medical evidence and let them know whether this option is right for them, with an aim to:

  • Return your employee to normal duties and hours, taking into account their medical barriers
  • Increase their hours and duties over a set time period
  • Use up-to-date medical information to give them the best support possible.
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Download the QSuper Graduated Return to Work Agreement (pdf)

Insurance in super FAQs for employers

Find an answer to common questions employers ask us about insurance in super.

If one of your team has passed away, please contact us. We'll reach out to whoever is handling your employee's estate to let them know what we need.

If your employee had a Defined Benefit account, State account, or Police account, you need to fill in the employer certification section of the relevant claim form:

Also, make sure they're noted as a leaver on the first available contribution payment file (after all payments and adjustments are made), with a leaver code showing the actual date of death.

Your employee can lodge a claim for both their QSuper account insurance and WorkCover or their state's relevant Workers' Compensation scheme.

Any WorkCover claim payments they get reduce how much we can pay them in income protection benefits. And the time they're on a WorkCover claim will count towards how long they can receive income protection payments with us (their income protection benefit period).

If your employee doesn't know what their benefit period is, they can find out in Member Online.

If they have a QSuper Defined Benefit account: Having a WorkCover claim approved for the condition or illness may mean we have to reduce or stop their income protection benefit. They'll need to let us know about this as soon as possible.

Find out more about insurance for QSuper Defined Benefit accounts.

Yes, they can switch as long as they have completed their income protection waiting period.

Any WorkCover claim payments they get reduce how much we can pay them in income protection benefits. And the time they're on a WorkCover claim will count towards how long they can receive income protection payments with us (their income protection benefit period).

If your employee doesn't know what their waiting or benefit periods are, they can find out in Member Online.

If they have a QSuper Defined Benefit account: They'll have to finish their waiting period by using all of their paid sick leave, and then 14 days in a row of unpaid sick leave, before getting income protection payments. Any Workcover payments they get may reduce or suspend their income protection payments. If we need to suspend payments, this won't count towards the income protection benefit period.

The differences are outlined below. Your employee can check their QSuper income protection details in Member Online.

  QSuper income protection WorkCover Queensland payments
Waiting period/leave requirements

30, 60, or 90 days (depending on the member's cover) or accrued sick leave, whichever is greater.

Police: 180 days or accrued sick leave plus approved Queensland Police Service sick leave bank, whichever is greater.

 Special leave without pay.
Rate of benefit payment

For salary based cover: 87.75% of insured salary, which includes a payment of 12.75% of insured salary to their QSuper account.

For unitised cover: The lesser of the insured value of the member's units or 87.75% of their pre‑disability income, which includes a payment of $72.65 per unit to their QSuper account.2

If an industrial award applies: The greater of the amount payable under that award, or 85% of normal weekly earnings (NWE) for 26 weeks.

If no industrial award: The greater of 85% of NWE or 80% of Queensland ordinary times earnings (QOTE) for 26 weeks.

After 26 weeks: The greater of 75% of NWE, or 70% of QOT for up to 2 years. Otherwise, an amount equal to the single pension rate.

Member contributions, including standard contributions Not paid by QSuper. The employee may choose to make contributions directly to their QSuper account. Not paid by WorkCover. The employee may choose to make contributions directly to their QSuper account.
Employer contributions We'll pay 12.75% of the member's insured salary (or $72.65 per unit if they have unitised cover) into their Accumulation account. Not paid by WorkCover. The employer may choose to make contributions directly to the member's QSuper account.
Graduated return to work benefits QSuper will pay a percentage of the difference between the member's insured salary (or pre-disability income if the employee has unitised cover), and their return to work income. This includes a payment to their QSuper account of 12.75% of insured salary (or $72.65 per unit if they have unitised cover). The employee gets a proportion of their WorkCover benefit, which depends how much they've lost in earnings because of the injury.

You can find more information about QSuper income protection in the Accumulation Account Insurance Guide (pdf). Visit WorkCover Queensland for more information about WorkCover payments.

The differences are outlined below. Your employee can check their QSuper income protection details in Member Online.

  QSuper income protection WorkCover Queensland payments
Waiting period/leave requirements Paid sick leave plus 14 days in a row of unpaid sick leave. They can’t take other paid leave during the unpaid sick leave. Special leave without pay.
Rate of benefit payment Up to 75% of salary.

If an industrial award applies: The greater of the amount payable under that award, or 85% of normal weekly earnings (NWE) for 26 weeks.

If no industrial award: The greater of 85% of NWE or 80% of Queensland ordinary times earnings (QOTE) for 26 weeks.

After 26 weeks: The greater of 75% of NWE, or 70% of QOT for up to 2 years. Otherwise, an amount equal to the single pension rate.

Member contributions, including standard contributions The employee's Defined Benefit will continue to grow at a ratio of 0.21. Not paid by WorkCover. The employee may choose to make additional contributions directly to their QSuper account.
Employer contributions The employer continues to pay employer contributions. Not paid by WorkCover. The employer may choose to continue making contributions.
Graduated return to work benefits The employee will get a proportion of their benefit, which depends on the hours they're unable to work. The employee gets a proportion of their WorkCover benefit, which depends on how much they've lost in earnings because of the injury.

Find out more about insurance for QSuper Defined Benefit accounts. Visit WorkCover Queensland for more information about WorkCover payments.

If your employee leaves, their income protection payments will continue as long as they meet our definitions of total and temporary disablement, and partial and temporary disablement. You can read the full definitions in our Accumulation Account Insurance Guide (pdf).

If they have a Defined Benefit account: They'll no longer be eligible for payments as their account will close. However, payments will continue if they start a new job with an employer who is eligible to contribute to their Defined Benefit account within 1 month of leaving their original employer.

Your employee should contact their QSuper claims manager to discuss their options. Their claims manager will consider the medical evidence and work with you, your employee, and their treating medical practitioner to develop a Graduated Return to Work Agreement (pdf).

When the plan starts, you'll need to deduct contributions at the employee's nominated percentage, based on the reduced salary. When the employee starts work on a reduced income, standard member contributions and compulsory employer payments must reflect the reduced salary.

On your contribution payment file, record:

  • Normal standard full-time hours
  • Reduced standard base hours
  • Reduced hours worked.

Income protection claims, including any graduated return to work period, continue up to the employee's maximum benefit period for a condition or related condition. (The benefit period means how long we can pay insurance benefits for them.)

If your employee doesn't know what their benefit period is, they can find out in Member Online.

The graduated return to work benefit aims to return your employee to their normal job, usually within 12 weeks of them starting the program.

Insurance may be different for your employees with a QSuper State account or Police account. They should contact us directly to discuss their options if they wish to make a claim.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared COVID-19 as a pandemic illness.

The insurance policy we have with our insurer, QInsure, includes a pandemic illness exclusion that took effect from 18 March 2020. But the exclusion depends on the type of account your employee has with us and who their employer is.

Find out more

Want to know more about QSuper insurance cover?

Get in touch with us if you have any questions about our insurance options and processes.

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1. Based on the average amount of time it took our insurer to decide whether to accept or decline a claim for payment in the period 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022. Source: Moneysmart Life insurance claims comparison tool. Data in this tool is reported by life insurers and friendly societies to the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA). Accessed 14 November 2022.

2. Cover includes a contribution replacement benefit of $72.65 per unit into their QSuper account. Benefits are limited to 87.75% of the member's insured salary (or pre-disability income), up to a monthly benefit of $30,000, reducing to 62.75% of insured salary (or pre-disability income) on any further monthly benefit up to $50,000.