lifePLUS auto—we've got you covered
We’ve made applying for insurance easy. There are no forms to fill in or medical tests to go through.
Three types of cover, automatically
If you meet eligibility conditions when you join PSSap, you’ll automatically be covered by lifePLUS auto. With lifePLUS auto you get:
- Income Protection cover, supporting you financially if you can’t work for a period of time due to sickness or injury.
- Total and Permanent Disablement (TPD) cover, covering you if you’re sick or injured and can’t return to work.
- Death cover, financially protecting your dependants if you die.
If you’re eligible for auto cover, it’s generally available without having to complete application forms or take medical tests. And if you’re not eligible, you can apply for cover through lifePLUS choice.
To be eligible for lifePLUS auto, you must be at least 14 and 9 months and less than:
- 67 for Income Protection; and
- 65 for Death and TPD cover.
Who’s eligible for auto cover?
Your age, employment status and your account balance determine if you’ll need to opt in to get cover or if it’s switched on automatically.
We’ve summarised some key points here, but like all insurance policies, lifePLUS auto cover is subject to you meeting the policy terms and conditions, which includes eligibility criteria, age-based and account-balance rules, restrictions and exclusions. Find out the full story in our Insurance and your PSSap super booklet.
Eligibility
New customers
When you join PSSap as a new customer—as a permanent employee, an employee with a contract of more than three months or a casual employee—you’re eligible for lifePLUS auto cover.
Returning customers
If you’re a PSSap customer who was in APS employment before 1 November 2017 and you haven’t had lifePLUS choice cover since then, you may be eligible for lifePLUS auto when you start working for an APS employer again.
And if you’re a PSSap Ancillary customer and you’ve claimed your PSS or CSS benefit and re-joined the APS, you can choose to become an PSSap customer within 180 days of joining your new employer. If you do this and you haven’t had lifePLUS choice before, we’ll switch your PSSap Ancillary account over to a PSSap account, which may make you eligible for lifePLUS auto.
Non-Australian residents
Opting in to or out of auto cover
Who has to opt in?
| Opt in within 60 days of joining if you're... | And your age is... | And your account balance is... |
|---|---|---|
| A permanent employee | under 25 | any amount |
| A non-ongoing employee with a contract of more than three months | under 25 | any amount |
| A permanent employee or non-ongoing employee with a contract of more than three months | 25 or over | under $6,000 |
| A casual employee | any age | any amount |
If you’re a new or returning customer and you see yourself in the table above, let us know you’d like to opt in. You’ll need to do this within 60 days of receiving your welcome experience, and within 180 days of starting with your Australian Government employer.
How to opt in or out
You can opt in to or out of Death, TPD and/or Income Protection cover within 60 days of receiving your welcome experience. Simply click the link in your digital welcome experience or log into your PSSap account.
Not eligible for auto? Apply for lifePLUS choice
If you’re not eligible for auto cover—for example, you’re a PSSap Ancillary customer—you can apply for any combination of Income Protection, Death and TPD, and Death cover through lifePLUS choice.
Use our LIFEapp insurance calculator to work out how much insurance you may need, or call 1300 725 171.
Income Protection cover helps if you’re injured or sick for a period of time. It can supplement lost income, and could give you access to rehab and career support.
lifePLUS auto Income Protection gives you more cover when you’re likely to need it and less when you don’t.
Offers financial support…
If you’re seriously sick or injured and you have lifePLUS auto, you may be eligible to claim monthly Income Protection benefit payments, including super contribution payments. Here’s a snapshot of your cover by age.
| 14y 9m–34 | 35–54 yrs | 55+ yrs | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benefit payment period | 2 years | 5 years | 2 years |
| Maximum monthly benefit | $15,000 | $15,000 | $15,000 |
| Waiting period | 90 days | 90 days | 90 days |
| Super contributions | 15.4% | 15.4% | 15.4% |
| Benefit payment (based on base salary) | 75% | First 2 years: 75% Remaining 3 years: 50% | 75% |
| Total benefit | 90.4% | First 2 years: 90.4% Remaining 3 years: 65.4% | 90.4% |
…and rehab and retraining
If you can’t work because you’re seriously sick or injured, you have access to a broad and experienced network of rehabilitation providers who can tailor rehabilitation programs and/or provide retraining services to help you get back to where you’d like to be.
Your benefit is linked to your reported income
We calculate Income Protection benefit payments on whichever of the following is lower:
- Your actual income at the time of your total disability.
- The income you advised to PSSap.
For lifePLUS auto customers, it’s your employer’s responsibility to tell us your salary when you join PSSap (excluding casual employees, who must tell us). If we haven’t been advised of your salary, we’ll use an income amount of $47,000.
If you’re a casual employee who has opted in to lifePLUS auto cover, you must tell us what your salary is when you join, and also let us know if it changes using the Application and variation form.
Check your reported income at any time by logging into your account and going to the Insurance section.
More information about Income Protection
What is a benefit payment period?
If you make a successful Income Protection claim, the benefit payment period is the maximum length of time you’ll get monthly Income Protection payments and contributions to your super account from the insurer.
What is a waiting period?
Can I change my Income Protection cover?
If you’d like to tailor your Income Protection cover to better suit your needs—for example, to shorten your Waiting Period, fix the amount of cover you have or include additional sources of income—you can apply to change your cover under lifePLUS choice.
No matter what happens, Death and TPD cover can support your financial security.
lifePLUS auto Death and TPD cover helps to protect you and your family if you’re permanently injured or ill.
And if you die, benefits are paid to your PSSap account and distributed to your beneficiaries or legal personal representative along with the balance of your PSSap account.
Keeps step with your life stage
Automatic Death and TPD cover changes with your age so that your cover is:
- Higher when you need it most—during life stages where you might face bigger costs or more expenses, like when you buy a home or start a family.
- Lower when you’re likely to rely on insurance the least—during life stages when your income is highest, when you’re contributing more to super and when your mortgage decreases.
Offers a lump sum benefit payment…
If you’re permanently ill or injured and you have lifePLUS auto Death and TPD cover, you may be eligible to claim a lump sum benefit through your insurance. Use the benefit to help pay for:
- Living expenses and debts you may have.
- Customising your home and/or car if you’re with permanent disability.
If you also qualify for the release of your super balance under superannuation law, we will pay the balance of your PSSap account to you (or to your beneficiaries or legal personal representative if you die).
If you die and you have Death cover, we pay the lump sum to your beneficiaries—that is, the person or people who are legally dependent on you.
…or you can convert it to an income stream
You can convert a TPD lump sum benefit into an income stream through a product like our Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation retirement income (CSCri). An income stream lets you to keep some or all of your super invested while you receive regular income payments.
May include Terminal Illness benefits
If you have a Terminal Illness, you may be eligible to claim a Terminal Illness benefit that’s equal to the amount of your Death cover. If you successfully claim a Terminal Illness benefit, your Death cover stops. Find out more in the Insurance and your PSSap super booklet.
More information about Death and TPD
How do I make a claim?
If you let us know you’d like to consider claiming, we’ll pair you up with a dedicated case manager who personally oversees the process. Find out more about making a claim.
What happens when your TPD claim is accepted
When a TPD benefit is paid, your Death cover will cease unless Death cover is greater than TPD. Remaining Death cover will be reduced by the amount of the TPD Benefit paid and your cover will change to fixed lifePLUS choice cover.
Are there any claim waiting periods?
The waiting period for TPD cover (also known as the qualifying period) is the amount of time you have to wait before you can make a claim. lifePLUS auto TPD cover has a Waiting Period of 0–24 months depending on the nature of the injury, sickness or disease.
A waiting period does not apply to Death and Terminal Illness claims.
Who gets my super when I die?
Generally, you can’t leave your super to a particular person in your will. And while you don’t have to nominate a beneficiary, it helps us to know who you want to look after financially if you die.
To find out more visit Nominate a beneficiary.
More information about lifeplus auto
How much is my cover and who pays for it?
Insurance fees and premiums are deducted from your PSSap account each month. See:
- fees and premiums for an overview; and
- download our Insurance and your PSSap Super booklet for pricing and calculations.
When does my cover start?
If you don’t need to opt in, your cover generally starts the date you begin work with your Australian Government employer.
If you need to opt in, your lifePLUS auto cover starts on the date you let us know you want to opt in (this is the date you give us information about your Income if you’re a casual employee).
If you didn’t opt in, your cover will start when you turn 25 and your account balance reaches $6,000, or the date your account balance reaches $6,000 if you’re over 25.
How do I opt in to or out of auto cover?
You can opt in to or out of Death and TPD, and Income Protection cover.
If opting in, you’ll need to do this within 60 days of receiving your welcome experience.
Opting in/out online: Click the link in your digital welcome experience or log in to your account and use our LIFEapp insurance calculator.
Opting out using a form: Complete and return the Cancellation of cover form.
How do I change auto cover?
If you get auto cover, you can apply for any combination of Income Protection, Death and TPD and Death cover (you cannot hold TPD only cover). If your application is successful, you’ll get that cover through lifePLUS choice.
Log into your CSC Navigator account and use our LIFEapp insurance calculator to request the change. Or if you’d prefer, complete and return the Application and variation form.How do I cancel my cover?
You can cancel your Income Protection, your Death and TPD cover, or cancel your TPD cover and keep your Death cover (note, you can’t be insured for TPD cover only). To do this:
- log into your CSC Navigator account and use our LIFEapp insurance needs calculator to cancel your cover; or
- complete and return the Cancellation of cover form; or
- email members@pssap.com.au or call 1300 725 171.
We’ll refund insurance fees we’ve charged to your PSSap account if you cancel within 60 days of being provided insurance. After that, fees aren’t refundable.
If you cancel cover and want to be covered again in the future, you’ll need to apply and will be subject to underwriting and approval by the insurer. The insurer may not approve your application for cover, or they may offer cover on modified terms and conditions.
What happens if I leave the APS?
If you leave the APS to work for another employer, you can keep your cover going as long as your account does not become inactive, and there is enough in your account to cover the cost of monthly insurance premium deductions. Your cover will change to lifePLUS choice.
You must let us know your salary and you must tell us when it changes, because this affects Income Protection benefit payments if you need to claim.
Am I covered if I take leave without pay (LWOP)?
If you take approved leave without pay or leave with partial pay you must let us know the dates of your approved leave before your leave starts. As long as there’s enough in your PSSap account to cover monthly insurance premium deductions and your insurance doesn’t stop because of ‘inactivity’, your cover will continue for up to 24 months.
Need longer than 24 months? You can also apply for an extension as long as you apply before your 24 months is up or before the documented return-to-work date with your employer—whichever comes first.
If you don’t apply for an extension, the insurance policy rules change. You’ll be classified as having taken leave without approval or unauthorised leave without pay. This means that even though your cover continues, if you suffer an injury or illness during this period:
- you’ll have to meet a tougher disability test to access TPD benefits; and/or
- your Pre-Disability Income will be assessed differently.
Remember to keep your email and postal address up to date, so you don’t miss any important communications while you are on leave.
What happens if I'm not living in Australia?
If you’re posted or seconded or you move overseas, as long as there’s enough in your PSSap account to pay for insurance premium deductions, your lifePLUS cover will continue unless your account becomes inactive. And, even though your cover continues, you can’t apply to increase your cover or transfer cover into PSSap during your overseas posting/secondment.
Inactivity explained
To protect your super balance, under super law we have to make accounts inactive if we don’t receive any contributions for 16 consecutive months. Making an account ‘inactive’ stops your insurance cover.
If your account is made inactive but you want to keep your cover, you’ll need let us know in writing within 60 days of your account becoming inactive. Your insurance cover will continue as long as there’s enough in your PSSap account to pay for insurance premium deductions.
Document download
lifePLUS Insurance in Superannuation
This factsheet relates to our automatic insurance cover for customers of the Public Sector Superannuation accumulation plan (PSSap) & lifePLUS auto.
Make a claim
With CSC, the process of making a claim is simple. We guide you every step of the way.
Read more about Make a claimSickness and injury
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Read more about Sickness and injury