Income Protection Claims Q&A

Step 1

You or your legal personal representative (if you are medically unable to) simply have to call us on 1300 307 297.

Or

Email claims@reallifecover.com.au to let us know that you will be lodging a claim.

Step 2

A dedicated claims agent will be assigned to your claim, and will contact you to take you through the claims process.

Step 3

Complete all forms provided by your claims agent or simply download the most appropriate form below. Send the completed form(s) along with all required documentation to:

Real Insurance
PO Box 6728
Baulkham Hills NSW 2153

• Income Protection Claim Form
• Income Protection (Homemaker) Claim Form

Step 4

Once completed documents are received, we’ll assess the claim and pay, subject to approval, without unnecessary delay.

If you continue to be disabled beyond the period paid, your claim will undergo ongoing assessment until you are no longer disabled or the end of your benefit period.

Claims should be made as soon as possible after the incident giving rise to the claim.

• A fully completed claim form
• The original Policy Document and Policy Schedule
• Completed Medicare and PBS form (supplied by us)
• A certified copy of evidence of date of birth – for example a Birth Certificate, valid Passport, valid Driver’s Licence
• Copies of your individual income tax returns and notice of assessments for the previous 2 financial years

A certified copy is a signed photocopy of an original document. The person signing it must see the original and the photocopy. It can be signed by a Justice of the Peace, Accountant, Solicitor, Doctor, Bank Manager or Police Officer. It means you keep the original document. The certified copy must include a statement “I certify that this is a true copy of the original document”. The certifier must also include their full name, signature, date, registration number (if any) and qualification or occupation on each page of the photocopied documents. Failure to do so may result in a delay in the claim being processed.

Once we receive all the documentation we have asked for, your claim will be submitted to Hannover (insurer) to be assessed. We will call you as soon as there is an update or within 10 business days of receiving your forms and every 10 business days thereafter to keep you informed of how your claim is progressing.

If your claim is approved, payment will be made promptly. Sometimes assessment leads to a need to obtain additional information. This may require you to provide the necessary information or we may seek it directly from your medical practitioner. In either case we will consider any new information promptly.

You’ll be asked to provide information updates each month for the Insurer to assess whether you still qualify for the benefit. We will send you the progress claim form to be completed by you and your treating doctor.

You will receive a monthly payment. You can start to accrue payments once you have been unable to work for longer than 30 or 90 days depending on the Waiting Period you have chosen. Payments are made at the end of the month and then will continue each month you are out of action up to 6 months, 1 year, 2 years or 5 years, depending on the Benefit Period you have chosen.

The payments will be made directly to the bank account you nominate on your claim form.

We need your income tax returns to calculate your Pre-Disability Income. Your Pre-Disability Income is the calculation of the highest average amount of monthly Pre-Tax Income for any period of 12 consecutive months during the 2 years immediately before you became disabled. The Income Benefit payable will be calculated as the lesser of either the Monthly Amount Insured or 75% of your Pre-Disability Income.

If your claim is accepted we will arrange for a benefit payment within 48 hours of the claim being accepted. Then we will complete an ongoing assessment for the life of the claim.

You can use the money you receive in any way you wish – to cover daily living expenses, pay your rent or mortgage, credit card and car repayments, medical and rehabilitation expenses or even a holiday!