Understanding insurance cover

You might have insurance cover included with your account, depending on whether you are eligible, your employment arrangements, your age, and your account balance.

Find out more or check your current level of cover in Member Online.

One of the benefits of having insurance cover through your super fund is that the costs are paid directly from your super account, so your family are protected without affecting your day-to-day budget.

Keep in mind this may mean you'll end up with less in your super account for retirement.

QSuper insurance is designed to be flexible so as circumstances change, so can your cover. You can change your level of cover by logging into Member Online or by using the Change of Insurance form (pdf). If you need help, please contact us.

Use the Insurance Needs Calculator to get an understanding of how much cover you might need or read the QSuper Insurance Guide (pdf) for further details.

Yes, your insurance costs are paid monthly directly from your QSuper account. So you can have the peace of mind of knowing that you're protected without affecting your day-to-day budget.

This may also mean that you end up with less in your super account for retirement.

Yes, you can change how much you pay by applying an occupational rating to your cover. By doing this, how much more or less you pay depends on your job.

If you apply to join QSuper directly and apply for insurance at the same time, we'll ask you some questions for an occupational rating.

Our occupational ratings are:

• Standard rate
• Professional rate
• White collar rate
• High risk rate.

If you were under age 16 when you applied to join, and weren't asked any occupational rating questions, you'll pay your premiums at the standard rate.

To find out what your occupational rating is and how this could affect the cost of your insurance, use our Insurance Premium Estimator. You can also occupationally rate your premiums through Member Online.
More information about occupational ratings.

It is not compulsory to hold life insurance through your super, although it can have many benefits.

As part of opening a QSuper Accumulation account through your Queensland Government or default employer, you will be provided with death cover and TPD cover if you are eligible. You may also be provided with income protection cover depending on your circumstances.

If you said yes to insurance when you joined directly, you may receive death cover and TPD cover if eligible. You can also apply for income protection cover online.

Your cover won't change automatically if you start working for a Queensland Government or default employer after applying to join QSuper online.

While you may receive insurance cover automatically with your super account, you can cancel it any time via Member Online if it doesn't meet your needs.

When your insurance cover starts will depend on your employment arrangements, your age, and your account balance. Under current legislation, you also need to have received money into your QSuper Accumulation account in the past 13 months to be eligible for insurance.

Find out more about when insurance starts or refer to the QSuper Insurance Guide (pdf) for more information.

There are a few circumstances where your insurance cover will end. For example, your death cover, TPD cover, and/or income protection cover will be cancelled if we don't receive any money into your account for a continuous period of 13 months, or if there is not enough money in your account to cover the insurance costs. You can also cancel your insurance at any time via Member Online if you feel it is not right for your needs. Refer to the QSuper Insurance Guide (pdf) for more information about the circumstances when cover will end.

You can choose to have your death cover, TPD cover, and/or income protection cover continue even if we stop receiving money into your QSuper Accumulation account by permanently opting in to cover. This makes sure we won't cancel your cover if no money goes into your account for 13 months.

You can permanently opt in to cover in Member Online. For more information about what happens to your insurance cover if we are no longer receiving contributions into your account, read the QSuper Insurance Guide (pdf).

You may be able to transfer across existing death cover, TPD cover, and/or income protection from another Australian insurer held either directly or through an Australian super fund. For more information about bringing your insurance with you, read the QSuper Insurance Guide (pdf) or contact us.

We can't pay your insurance claim if it is caused directly or indirectly by certain things, including war, criminal activity, deliberately hurting yourself, or a pandemic illness that occurs within the first 30 days after getting insurance or increasing your insurance.

Please note the pandemic illness exclusion doesn’t apply to default cover you receive automatically as a result of starting work with a Queensland Government or default employer. The pandemic illness exclusion also doesn’t apply if you apply for default cover within the first 120 days of starting work with the Queensland Government or a default employer.

In addition, you might have a pre-existing condition - an illness or injury where you had signs or symptoms of it before your insurance started or increased. In that case, your insurance might have a pre-existing exclusion period (a time during which we won't pay a claim for the condition) or an exclusion (limited or no cover).

For the list of exclusions that may apply, please read the QSuper Insurance Guide (pdf).

Some of our insurance cover comes with a 'pre-existing exclusion' period where we won't pay out an insurance benefit if you had signs or symptoms of your illness or injury before your cover with us began.

In most circumstances, you will have no pre-existing exclusion period on your default cover once you have been at work for 30 consecutive days following your cover start date. Being 'at work' has a particular definition, which you can find in the QSuper Insurance Guide (pdf).

There are certain circumstances where your default cover will be subject to a 2 year pre-existing exclusion period. Read the QSuper Insurance Guide (pdf) to see if this applies to you.

If you have been diagnosed with a terminal illness that's likely to result in your death within 24 months, you may be able to access your superannuation balance and any death benefit insurance cover that you hold with an Accumulation account. For more information and the full definition of terminal illness, read the Claiming a Terminal Medical Condition Benefit factsheet (pdf).

If you need to make a claim, we aim to make the process as simple as possible. Find out how.

Our goal is to support you and your family in your time of need, with a member-centred, holistic approach to claims management.

To learn more about automatic insurance in a QSuper Accumulation account, read our Insurance in Super Key Facts Sheet (pdf). Or if you work for the Queensland Government or a default employer, read the Insurance in Super Key Facts Sheet for Queensland Government and default employers (pdf).

You may have Death, Total & Permanent Disability, Total & Permanent Disability Assist and/or Income Protection cover if you have both ART Super Savings and QSuper accounts.

Carefully consider your needs and review how much you're insured for, how much you're paying (your insurance premiums), and other terms and conditions like pre-existing exclusions, waiting periods, and benefit periods. You should also consider the impact paying insurance premiums out of your super will have on your retirement savings.

If you choose to consolidate your accounts, your insurance cover will not automatically be transferred from one account to another - but you can request for your insurance to be transferred over before you consolidate your accounts. If you consolidate your accounts before transferring your insurance cover, the insurance on the account you're closing will be cancelled. There are a few things to consider when consolidating your accounts.

You can also choose to change or cancel your insurance to meet your needs.

If you're affected by domestic or family violence, we'll support you.

Our Domestic and Family Violence Support Policy is to promote your safety and outlines how we can assist if you're affected by domestic or family violence.

Who to call when you need help

Your safety comes first. If you’re in danger or feel unsafe, call 000 right away.

For confidential information and support any time, call 1800 RESPECT.

You can get help interpreting or translating letters or emails from us. Please call the Australian Government's Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) on 131 450. It's open 24/7 (all day, every day).

We will pay if it costs money for you to use the translation service.

Or to read our website in your language, go to our Language page.

Links are provided to help you find health information and other support for culturally and linguistically diverse members, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples: 

• Head To Health: Support for people from different cultural backgrounds
• Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet
• Open Minds: Supporting Culturally and Linguistically Diverse people (CALD)
• WellMob: Social, emotional and cultural wellbeing online resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People
• Embrace: Multicultural mental health

Our insurer will treat HIV and/or AIDS like any other medical condition in determining the cover they offer. We do not have blanket policy exclusions for HIV and/or AIDS in our product terms and conditions.

Our insurer may ask you for more information about your condition and treatment plan as part of their underwriting consideration. Any questions asked will be done in a sensitive manner.

The Council of Australian Life Insurers (CALI) Board outlines this commitment in the Life Insurance Code of Practice . More information regarding CALI, their mission, strategy and purpose can be found on their website: CALI

Further information can be found in the CALI HIV and AIDS consumer fact sheet

Further information about the underwriting process can be found here

Default income protection cover (salary-based cover) is set at 87.75% of your insured salary,¹ capped at $20,000 per month. This includes a 12.75% contribution replacement benefit. We pay this to your QSuper Accumulation account while you’re getting an income protection benefit.

You’ll need to give us health and other information if you want to apply for cover above this limit.

If you aren’t eligible for default income protection cover, you can apply for unitised cover. Each unit is worth $500 of cover a month. This includes a contribution replacement benefit of $72.65 for each unit.

If you're employed on a full-time or part-time basis, the most cover you can apply for is $50,000 per month. If you're employed on a casual basis, the most cover you can apply for is $5,000 per month.

See the QSuper Insurance Guide (pdf) for more information on increasing your cover.

1.In summary, your insured salary is the salary notified to us by your Queensland Government or default employer for your permanent full-time or part-time employment. See the Insurance Guide (pdf) for full details.

If you have salary-based income protection cover, you can ask us to update your insured salary if your salary goes up or down during the year, as long as:

• You're employed by a Queensland Government employer or default employer on a permanent full-time or part-time basis
• You apply within 60 days of your salary change
• You haven't changed your insured salary in the last 12 months
• Your Queensland Government employer or default employer confirms your new insured salary.

Note: We'll update your cover amount automatically on 1 November each year based on your insured salary¹ as told to us by your employer.

To apply to change your insured salary, please fill out the Application to Change Insured Salary form.

Other situations

If you aren’t eligible for salary-based income protection cover (for example, you joined online or work on a casual basis) or you want to be covered for a different amount, you can apply for unitised cover.

With unitised cover, you buy cover in 'units'. Each unit is worth $500 a month. This includes a super contribution replacement benefit of $72.65 per unit.

You can buy as many units as you need (subject to maximum limits). You may need to permanently opt in to your new cover when you apply if you meet one of the following:

• You’re under age 25
• Your account balance is under $6,000
• There's been no money put into your account in 13 months.

1.In summary, your insured salary is the salary notified to us by your Queensland Government or default employer for your permanent full-time or part-time employment. See the Insurance Guide (pdf) for full details.

While you can't be covered for an agreed value with QSuper, you can apply for unitised cover.

If you're eligible to get an income protection benefit, there are 2 ways we calculate it.

For salary-based cover

Your benefit will be the lesser of:

• Your salary-based cover amount (expressed as a monthly amount)
• 87.75% of your pre-disability income¹ (includes a 12.75% contribution replacement benefit).

For unitised cover

Your benefit will be the lesser of:

• The insured value of your units
• 87.75% of your pre-disability income¹ (includes a 12.75% contribution replacement benefit).

Please note periods of no pay may reduce your pre-disability income.

1. In all cases, benefits are limited to 87.75% of your pre-disability income up to a monthly benefit of $30,000. This reduces to 62.75% of your pre-disability income on any further monthly benefit up to $50,000.

If you have QSuper Income Protection insurance, the cost of cover is not tax deductible. But it's offered through our group life insurance policy, which gives bulk insurance rates for our members.

Costs come out of your super account each month, so there’s no impact on your day-to-day budget. But it may mean you'll have less for retirement. If you take out income protection insurance with a private insurer, you could be eligible to claim a tax deduction on the cost of your cover.

If you're not sure which option is right for you, professional advice can help.

When you go on maternity or paternity leave, your income protection insurance will continue as long as you have enough money in your account to pay for the insurance premiums. If you have salary-based cover and your parental leave includes a period of leave without pay, we'll change your income protection to unitised cover if we don't get a contribution from your employer for 3 months.

If we don't get any money into your account for 13 months straight, we'll cancel your cover. To stop this from happening, you can permanently opt in to cover.

Check the QSuper Insurance Guide (pdf) for details on other circumstances when cover could end.

If you go on leave without pay, you may still be eligible to claim a benefit as long as:

• The time you are on leave without pay isn't longer than 12 months
• You had a documented return to work date before you went on leave without pay
• You have enough money in your account to pay the insurance premiums.

Find out more about what happens to your cover on leave without pay in the Insurance Guide (pdf).

Some of the situations where your income protection payments will stop include when:

• You no longer meet the definition of total and temporary disablement or partial and temporary disablement
• You turn 65 (or 60 if you're a police officer)
• You come to the end of your benefit period.

For a full list of when your income protection payments will stop, read the QSuper Insurance Guide (pdf).

If you're currently receiving your full income protection benefit and receive Workers' Compensation payments, motor accident compensation, social security payments, or any statutory or government payments for loss of income relating to illness or injury, we will reduce your income protection payments by an equivalent amount. Read the QSuper Insurance Guide (pdf) for more information.

If your employer starts paying you any annual, recreational, long service, sick, or other personal leave, your income protection payments will be suspended. Read the QSuper Insurance Guide (pdf) for more information.

TPD cover is designed to pay a lump sum if you suffer an illness or injury that means you're unlikely to ever be able to work again. To get a payment, you'll need to meet the definition of total and permanent disablement. You'll find this in the QSuper Insurance Guide (pdf).

You may automatically receive unitised TPD cover when you join us through an employer, depending on your age, account balance, and eligibility. If you join online, you can choose to receive unitised TPD cover if eligible.

With unitised cover, how much you are insured for is based on multiple 'units' of cover. Each unit is worth a dollar value based on your age.

You can see your level of cover in Member Online.

Fixed cover is based on a fixed dollar amount that you pick and it remains unchanged until you tell us you want to change it. You can buy fixed cover in multiples of $1,000 of cover, with the cost based on your age.

From age 60, your TPD cover amount will go down every year from your 61st birthday, reaching zero on your 65th birthday.

Find out more in the QSuper Insurance Guide (pdf).

With unitised cover, how much you are insured for is based on multiple 'units' of cover. Each unit is worth a dollar value based on your age.

You can see your level of cover in Member Online.

Fixed cover is based on a fixed dollar amount nominated by you and will remain unchanged until you tell us you want to change it. You can buy fixed cover in multiples of $1,000 of cover, with the cost based on your age (up to age 69).

We provide eligible Accumulation account members with one of the highest levels of automatic insurance cover offered by an industry or public sector fund.² We offer automatic death and total and permanent disability cover, and many members also automatically receive income protection cover, with the ability to tailor cover to meet individual needs.³

To support our members employed by Queensland emergency services, we provide these members with automatic insurance cover regardless of their age and account balance, under the dangerous occupations exception.⁴ This includes all employees of Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, Queensland Police Service, and Queensland Ambulance Service. We also provide an income protection arrangement for sworn Queensland police officers that is tailored to their employment arrangements.

Our member-focussed approach to claims management supports members and their families in their time of need.

1. Eligibility conditions and criteria apply. For Accumulation account members only.
2. Chant West Product Research tool, as of September 2022. The Chant West data is based on information provided by third parties that is believed to be accurate. Chant West does not issue, sell, guarantee, or underwrite this product. The findings are based on levels of cover for death, TPD, and income protection default products, where included as default. Go to chantwest.com.au for further information about the methodology used and Chant West’s Financial Services Guide.
3. Subject to requirements for age, account balance, and receiving money regularly. See our QSuper Insurance Guide (pdf) for details.
4. Terms and conditions apply. See our QSuper Insurance Guide (pdf) for details.

We offer automatic cover for eligible members, and members can personalise cover to meet their circumstances.

Members who get automatic cover and are employed by the Queensland Government or a default employer are charged the default premium rate. They can choose to have an occupational rating applied to their cover and premiums, based on their job.

Sworn Queensland police officers with automatic cover pay the default Police rate, which is tailored to their occupation.

We carry out regular pricing reviews and assess the affordability of premiums.

We also do regular product reviews to make sure our cover is suitable for our current and future members.