Should I buy cover with an adviser or straight from the insurer?

Both options have benefits to consider so it really comes down to your own personal preference...

I've already got life insurance in my Superannuation, is it enough?

Most superannuation funds provide members with a default level of cover which can be increased, decreased or cancelled altogether. Check with your employer if they are making contributions to a superfund for you.

Life insurance inside super vs standalone cover

Don’t want to overpay but don’t want to be under protected?

Here are some tips to get quality cover that won’t send you broke;

Useful things to understand

• Brand we review

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  A

  B

  C

  D

  E

  F

  G

  H

  I

  J

  K

  L

  M

  N

  O

  P

  Q

  R

  S

  T

  U

  V

  W

  X

  Y

  Z

  ---

  A

  • AAMI
  • AIA
  • Allianz
  • American Express
  • AMP
  • ANZ
  • Asteron
  • Aussie
  • Avant

  B

  • Bank of Melbourne
  • Bank of Queensland
  • Bankwest
  • Bendigo
  • BT
  • Budget Direct
  • Bupa

  C

  • CGU
  • Citibank
  • ClearView
  • CommInsure

  G

  • GIO
  • Guardian

  H

  • HBF
  • HCF
  • HSBC Bank

  I

  • ING Direct
  • InsuranceLine Life Insurance

  K

  • Kotak

  M

  • Macquarie
  • Max
  • Medibank
  • MetLife
  • MLC

  N

  • NAB
  • NIB
  • NobleOak

  O

  • OnePath
  • Ozicare

  P

  • Priceline

  Q

  • Q Super

  R

  • Real
  • Rest Industry Super

  S

  • St. George
  • Suncorp

  T

  • TAL

  V

  • Virgin

  W

  • Westpac
  • Woolworths

  Z

  • Zurich

• Life insurance terms to understand

  A

  • Actuary. A professional who compiles and assists with pricing policies for life insurance companies, helping to assess the level of risk involved with a variety of probabilities and statistics.
  • Assessor (or “loss adjustor”). An insurance professional who works for insurance companies and investigates claims to determine their validity – or lack thereof.
  • APRA (Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority). The chief regulatory body overseeing Australia’s industry of financial services, which includes superannuation funds, insurance companies and banks.
  • ASIC (Australian Securities and Investments Commission). Overseeing Australia’s largely corporate bodies, this is the regulatory organization focused on markets, businesses, and financial services. The ASIC also enforces regulations and laws in these sectors including, specifically, the Insurance Contracts Act of 1984.
  • Accidental Death Cover. This form of life insurance only pays benefits if the person insured dies because of an accident.
  • Automatic indexation. In insurance policies that have this feature, benefits and premiums increase each year to compensate for increases in the consumer price index (CPI) as well as inflation statistics.
  • Agreed value policy. A policy for income protection – the benefit is paid out based on the salary of the holder at the time of application, not the claim. This is separate from an indemnity value policy, wherein benefits are paid based on the income being received when the claim is filed.

  B

  • Benefit. A payment – either in ongoing payments or through a lump sum – that yields from a claim on life insurance. These benefits are generally agreed upon at the outset of the purchase of insurance.
  • Benefit period. This is the length of time during which an insurer will pay out the benefit of income protection if an insured individual is unable to work or generate income. The maximum is usually five years, but these benefits can vary from agreement to agreement.
  • Beneficiary. The person(s) denominated on a life insurance policy who will receive the benefits as outlined in said policy, upon the death of the insured. This individual (or individuals) is usually a partner or close member of the family.
  • Broker. In contrast to a stock broker, an insurance broker seeks to guide insurance holders to finding the right policy for them, in exchange for a broker’s fee.

  C

  • Claim. A request made by the beneficiary or holder of an insurance policy asking for monetary compensation for a legitimate loss covered by the terms of the policy. There are also uncovered claims, which can result in an insurance company rejecting those claims.
  • Capital. Financial assets an insurance company has to possess in order to cover liabilities like claims. This can refer to premiums, shares, and investments.
  • Cooling-off period. This refers to the length of time in which a policy holder may cancel their insurance policy due to changing their mind. This period is usually 30 days after the commencement of the policy itself, but may vary.

  D

  • Duty of disclosure. The responsibility of the insurance holder to provide accurate, truthful information when applying for cover. The risk factor, and the ultimate cost of the premium, is largely determined by this application, which means that inaccurate disclosures can give an insurer the legal right to refuse to pay a claim.
  • Disability. In the world of insurance, this term refers to the inability of an individual to perform their work duties following an illness or injury. “Total” disability means no work can be performed at all, while “partial” disability means that the individual can still perform work, albeit in a diminished capacity.

  E

  • Exclusions.Exceptions to an insurer’s responsibility to pay out a benefit. For example, extremely hazardous activities that result in injury or suicide may exclude the beneficiaries from being able to receive money on a claim.
  • Expiry date. The date on which a life insurance policy “runs out” meaning that the policy has expired.

  F

  • Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). An independent, non-biased service (usually free) that handles mediation between insurance and insurance holder disputes, helping to reach appropriate settlements.
  • Financial planner. A wealth adviser who is licensed by the government as being capable of rendering advice related to financial planning. Those who receive large “lump sum” style benefit payouts from an insurance company often retain the services of a financial planner to ensure proper strategizing.

  G

  • Guaranteed future insurability. A characteristic of insurance policies which ensures that the policy holder can increase the insured sum without underwriting or health checkups, usually denominated for specific events such as marriage, birth of a child or the increase in a mortgage.
  • Grace period. This refers to the timeline in which an insurance provider will maintain the coverage even if the premium is not paid in a timely manner. If the holder of the insurance still pays within the grace period, coverage will be retained. But the grace period expires after a predetermined amount of time, usually up to 28 days, and then the policy lapses.

  H

  • Home duties. A category of income protection insurance, which helps protect those who take care of a home full-time. (For more information see: Occupation categories).

  I

  • Income protection insurance. Insurance coverage that can replace some 75% of a holder’s income in the event of an injury or illness. This is also known as “salary continuance insurance”.
  • Interim cover. Temporary insurance coverage which extends during the waiting period while the insurance policy is underwritten by the insurance company. For life insurance, this interim coverage tends to cover death due to accident alone. When the coverage is approved, other types of coverage may kick in.

  J

  • Joint life insurance policy. This refers to life insurance coverage for more than one person – typically a couple – which then pays out on the death of one of the insurance holders.

  K

  • Key person insurance. A policy of life insurance in which a company may take out coverage on an employee against the negative consequences of that death on the operation of their business.

  L

  • Level premium. This is a fixed premium to be paid to the insurance company based upon the holder’s age when the policy started. These premiums will remain “level”, that is stable relative to CPI increases. In contrast. stepped premiums increase as an the policy holder’s age increases.
  • Lapse. Insurance “lapses” when a policy holder is incapable of making payments beyond the grace period result in the coverage being discontinued by the insurance company.

  M

  • Multi-policy discount. A discount offered by insurers to encourage purchasing multiple policies with the same company. This discount is usually found in the premiums paid every month.

  N

  • No claim period. This is the timeframe after a policy begins in which the insurance company will not pay out benefits yet. For example, critical illness coverage often doesn’t kick in until a 90-day period has passed.
  • No claim bonus. An insurance discount provided by the insurer when a claim has not been made over the course of time, usually several years, which earns a reduced premium cost.
  • Non-disclosure. Failure to disclose the proper, relevant information to an insurer, which can result in a claim then being denied and a policy cancelled.

  O

  • Occupation category. The method of organization an insurer uses to gauge the level of risk inherent in a policy holder’s occupation. For example, a “white collar” job may be perceived to be of lower risk than outdoor, “blue-collar” jobs.

  P

  • Pre-existing condition. An existing illness or underlying medical condition that the insurance holder either knew about or had been treated for prior to applying for the proper insurance. Without the declaration of this condition, it may not be covered by a policy, unless explicitly listed in automatically covered conditions.
  • Product disclosure statement (PDS). The terms and conditions of an insurance policy. Companies are required by law to provide this before beginning the coverage. It is vital that every insurance holder reads the PDS thoroughly to understand the terms and conditions of their coverage.
  • Premium loading. Extra costs incurred by the holder of an insurance policy if an insurance company deems the individual to be high-risk due to smoking, being overweight or having a high-risk occupation.
  • Premium waiver. An option present in some insurance policies where premiums are no longer required after a claim. This is usually a feature present in trauma insurance coverage.

  Q

  • Qualifying event. An occasion or specific occurrence explicitly covered by a particular policy. These are also known as “insured events”.

  R

  • Renewal. Engaging an insurance policy again – usually on the anniversary of first coverage – that extends the coverage for a new period. This is usually an ideal time for holders to review coverage to see if it continues to meet their needs.
  • Risk. The potential of an insurer that they will lose money after engaging with a policy holder because of legitimate claims. The higher the risk of insuring an individual, the more they’re “exposed” which means they’ll have to raise premiums as a result.

  S

  • Sum insured. The total amount of coverage, or maximum amount of potential payment, that a policy holds in the event of full, legitimate claims.
  • Stepped premium. An insurance premium that is recalculated based on age of the holder. The recalculation happens on every anniversary of the policy start date, with the premium “stepping up” as the holder advances in age.
  • Smoker. For the purposes of assessing insurance risk, companies define smokers as someone who has used a tobacco product of any kind within the last year. Non-smokers are defined as those who have not used a tobacco product within the previous 12 months.

  T

  • Term life insurance. Often used interchangeably with “life insurance” as it pays beneficiaries of the insurance a lump sum if the policy holder dies or is formally diagnosed with a terminal disease.
  • Total and permanent disability (TPD) insurance. Insurance that pays out benefits if an individual is permanently and totally disabled and unable to work in the future.
  • Trauma insurance (also known as “critical illness insurance”). Coverage provided by an insurance company for specifically defined trauma events including cancer, heart attack or stroke – although it’s important to know the specifics of each coverage policy.
  • Terminal illness. A condition, diagnosed by a licensed medical professional, wherein the prognosis for life is less than 12 months. This term is used to define specific illnesses as it relates to insurance and is no guarantee of prognosis accuracy.

  U

  • Underwriting. An insurance company’s process for assessing a potential policy risk based on various factors related to the individual who will hold the insurance, such as age, health, lifestyle and occupation. This helps determine the premium the holder will be charged.
  • Underinsurance. Also known as “undercoverage,” wherein a policy holder does not have the insurance necessary to cover the losses – for instance, not having enough money in funeral coverage to handle the advance costs of a funeral.

  V

  • Void. Invalidity of an insurance policy. A policy is rendered void if a holder breaches the duty of disclosure.

  W

  • Waiting period. The timeline, as outlined in the insurance policy, during which a holder must wait before the benefit will be paid out by the insurance company.

  X

  • X-ray/lab. Diagnostic lab services or X-Ray services performed in support of basic health coverage. These can include blood work and urinalysis, and X-Ray services tend to include skeletal X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, and ultrasounds.

  Y

  • You and your. A frequent term in an insurance policy referring to the holders of the said policy.

  Z

  • Zurich. Brand of life insurance available in Australia.

Still need help? Check out these answers to common questions

Whether you need it

• Q. I’m young, single and no one is dependent on me...why get cover?

  • A. You may not want to pass on outstanding mortgage debt, personal debt or final expenses i.e funeral costs to your family and friends. What about income protection or TPD? If you suffer a serious injury and can’t work for a few months or ever again, what would you do then?

• Q. Am I better off just putting funds into a high interest savings account?

  • A. Most people are not fortunate enough to have adequate funds invested in a high-interest account that would be enough to cover their outstanding debts and give their family support for the future. With some life and disability claims reaching up to $2 million … it’s a fair wad of cash to just have sitting around!

• Q. Aren't I already covered by my health insurance for illness and injury?

  • A. Not exactly. Health insurance covers medical expenses that are associated with sickness and injury but does not provide support for bills, debts or loss of income if you can’t work for an extended period or ever again. Life insurance covers the gap between the expenses covered by health insurance and additional costs of ongoing treatment, rehabilitation and loss of income.

Receiving a life insurance quote

• Q. How do I receive a quote?

  • A. You receive a quote for cover by entering your details in the form above. A certified insurance consultant will then call you to discuss different policy options and provide you with a preliminary quote based on these details.

• Q. Why can't I receive a quote online?

  • A. Life Insurance and Income Protection are not straightforward types of insurance and the cover that is available to you and what you will pay for it is greatly impacted by your own personal characteristics. Based on your Gender, Smoking Status, Age, Type of Protection, Occupation, Income and Level of Protection required a consultant can provide you with a preliminary quote for cover.

  This preliminary quote can then change based on a number of factors including;

  • Any pre-existing medical conditions that you may have.
  • Nature of activities carried out in your occupation.
  • The policy you choose.
  • Style of premium you choose.
  • The policy fee charged
  • Stamp duty that is charged

• Q. What companies can I receive a quote for?

  • A. The insurance consultants that finder.com.au work with have access to major life insurance brands in Australia and may have access to smaller specialist insurance groups as well. You can view the main panel of insurance brands that you can receive a quote for here.

Applying for cover

• Q. Who can apply?

  • A. Australian and New Zealand Citizens, and Australian permanent residents (those residing in Australia at time of application). Age restrictions vary between brands and cover selected.

• Q. What if I already have cover in place?

  A. An insurance consultant can help you review your current policy to help you decide whether you can benefit switching to another option or increasing/decreasing the level of cover in your current policy.

• Q. When will I be classed as a smoker?

  • A. Insurers class anyone that has smoked tobacco or any other substance in the last 12 months as a smoker.

• Q. Can I take out cover with my spouse/partner?

  • A. Yes. Generally, two people can be covered under a single policy. Discounts for multi-policies are offered by some brands.

• Q. Can I add my partner later?

  • A. No, generally they will be required to take out a separate policy.

• Q. Do I need to do a medical or blood test when applying?

  • A. Most insurers will only require medical or blood tests at application if the insured has a pre-existing condition that needs to be assessed further. Additional evidence may be required in the event of a claim.

• Q. Can I get cover if I have a medical condition?

  • A. It depends on the condition and treatment. Every insurer has different conditions for pre-existing conditions so it is best to check the PDS before taking out cover. If the insurer decides that your pre-existing medical condition presents to great a risk for them, they will generally exclude it from cover. As an example if you are applying for cover and have a history of back problems, your insurer may exclude all claims related to back conditions from your policy.

• Q. Is there anything I can do if I have taken out cover and my condition is not covered?

  • A. There are generally two options available to you:

  • It might be worth speaking with an insurance consultant to see if there are any other companies out there that are willing to provide you with cover. Assessment criteria is not the same for all insurers so it's always worth looking around if you have struggled to get cover due to a medical condition.
  • You may also be able to have your current insurer review your condition when it comes time to renew your policy to see if the exclusion can be lifted if your situation has changed.

Policy exclusions

• Q. When won't I be paid for life insurance?

  • A. Generally all deaths are covered except for suicide within the first 13 months of the policy. Accident only life cover will only provide cover for death that is the result of an accident. Some policies may exclude death related to pre-existing medical conditions for a set number of years from the start date of the policy.

• Q. When won't I be paid for TPD, Trauma or Income Protection Cover?

  • A. Most policies will not pay a benefit for claims arising from;

  • Intentional self-inflicted injury or self harm.
  • Acquiring HIV, AIDS, Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C unless if through performing duties of the your occupation.
  • Disablement caused during engagement in armed forces of any country.
  • Claims related to pregnancy, uncomplicated childbirth or miscarriage.
  • Claims caused by your engagement in unlawful acts.
  • Claims from aviation activity unless you are a fare paying passenger on a scheduled flight.

Your policy

• Q. Can I increase or decrease my level of cover?

  • A. Yes. You can apply to increase or decrease your cover at any stage to meet your needs. It’s worth noting that you will be required to undertake another round of assessments with your insurer.

• Q. Can I add/remove beneficiaries from my policy?

  • A. Yes. You can update beneficiaries at any stage.

• Q. Can I cancel my policy?

  A. Yes. Most policies offer 30 day cooling off period whereby premiums paid during this period will be refunded. No premiums will be refunded if you cancel your policy after the cooling off period.

• Q. Do life insurance brands still offer surrender value for policies?

  • A. No. Life insurance is not an investment product and is designed to pay a benefit for death, terminal illness, injury or illness.

• Q. Am I covered overseas?

  • A. Yes. Most policies provide cover 24 hours a day anywhere in the world. Countries that have been advised against travel are generally not covered.

Making a claim

• Q. If I pass away, how is my claim paid?

  • A. In the event of your death, your life insurance brand or super fund trustee will pay out the nominated death benefit to one or more of your financial dependents or to your estate. A “binding nomination” can ensure the benefit from the cover in your super is paid to the beneficiary of your choice. You should make sure your estate has the necessary documentation so that they can claim on your behalf (see below).

• Q. How can I make sure that cover from my super fund is paid to my beneficiary?

  • A. If you have life insurance through your superannuation and are concerned about who will receive the benefit payment, you can make what is known as a binding death benefit nomination. A binding nomination allows you to nominate exactly who will receive what in the event of your death, essentially making your Estate Planning more certain.

• Q. Who can be nominated with a binding nomination?

  • A. A binding nomination can be taken out on;

  • Your current spouse.
  • Child of any age.
  • People that are financially dependent on you at the time of your death.

  The benefit payment can be distributed among the different beneficiaries provided you give details of the share you wish to be given to each beneficiary.

• Q. What does a beneficiary need to provide to claim a benefit from a deceased policyholder?

  • A. Generally, the beneficiary will need to provide:

  • A completed claim form.
  • Original policy document and policy schedule.
  • A copy of the deceased’s birth certificate.
  • A certified copy of the deceased’s will.
  • Probate or letters of administration.

• Q. Do I have to keep paying premiums if I make a claim for injury or illness?

  • A. If you claim for injury or illness on a life cover policy, your benefit will be reduced by the amount paid and your premiums adjusted accordingly.

• Q. What happens if I can't make a life insurance payment?

  • A. If you're premiums are becoming to expensive or if you're going through financial hardship, there are options to freeze premiums for a short period of time.

• Q. How many people can I nominate to receive a benefit on my policy?

  • A. Most policies allow you to nominate up to 5 beneficiaries on your policy.

• Q. What happens if I don’t nominate anyone to receive the benefit?

  • A. The claim will be paid to your estate.

Receive quotes for life insurance

Disclaimer: Please read our Terms and Conditions to understand the services we provide and how we will use the information we hold. The product information on this website is not intended to imply any recommendation or opinion about a financial product listed. Consider your personal circumstances and obtain professional advice before you commit to, or purchase, any particular product.Picture: Shutterstock

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