AustralianSuper members are increasingly turning to digital channels to lodge insurance claims, with new data showing the shift has significantly reduced processing delays and improved access to support services.
Twelve months after introducing an online claims experience with TAL, more than one-third of disability-related claims are now being submitted digitally across income protection, total and permanent disability, and terminal illness cover, the fund said.
The uptake has materially reduced claim lodgement times, with TAL receiving digitally submitted income protection claims around 80 per cent faster than paper applications. Terminal illness claims were also arriving around 60 per cent faster through the online channel.
The faster turnaround has also changed member behaviour, with claims now being lodged earlier following a claimable event. AustralianSuper and TAL said this was helping members access recovery programs, care services and financial support sooner.
Rather than relying on manual paperwork and back-and-forth processing, the integrated system enables claim information and validations to move directly between AustralianSuper and TAL in real time.
Digital usage outside standard operating hours has also risen, with around 30 per cent of claims now lodged after business hours. The firms said members valued the flexibility to upload documents and track claims progress at their own convenience while still having access to human support if needed.
AustralianSuper head of insurance product, Richard Land, said simplifying the process was critical during periods of financial and personal stress.
“When a member needs to make a claim, they are often going through one of the hardest periods of their life. Our job is to make sure that accessing their cover is easy and they feel supported throughout the process. Seeing members lodge claims in hours rather than weeks – and engage earlier in their recovery as a result – tells us we are doing better at meeting them where they are.”
TAL general manager group partnerships, Paul Wallis, said the broader focus was improving recovery outcomes rather than simply reducing administration times.
“The goal was always more than a faster claims process alone – it was getting members to the support, recovery services and care they need as quickly as possible, and whenever we can, helping them return to health and work. These early results tell us we’re achieving that for members; but we’re not done. Further investment in the claims and underwriting experience is planned, and both teams continue to capture member feedback to drive ongoing improvement.”
The digital rollout has also extended to underwriting, with AustralianSuper members now using updated mobile-friendly Cover Assist pathways and simplified workflows as part of TAL’s online insurance application process.
