What you need to do
Call us
Call our Member Services team and we’ll let you know what’s involved in the overall process and the first steps required for your claim.
You’ll need to have the late member’s member number, date of birth, date of death, and contact details of all other possible beneficiaries.
We’ll also ask a range of questions about the member and their relationships to help determine how best to initiate the process for your claim.
What documents will you need
As well as completing a claim form, for most claims we’ll need you to provide certified copies of:
- The member’s death certificate (with cause of death)
- The member’s identification
- Marriage and/or divorce certificate/s
- The member’s Will
- Certificate of Probate or Letters of Administration
- Birth certificate of any minor children
- Identification for anyone who has a claim
We’ll also need bank details of the person to whom the benefit will be paid (once this has been decided).
Sometimes we’ll need additional information. If this happens we’ll always let you know what is required and why.
How is the claim processed?
We’ll assign you a dedicated case manager who’ll look after you for the duration of your claim. Your case manager will assess information as we receive it. If we need additional information, they’ll call you to let you know.
Once we get a copy of the death certificate, we move the whole balance of the member’s account to our Cash investment option. This is to help ensure that the amount remains stable so there are no surprises when it’s distributed.
Our insurer will assess any insurance benefit the member held at the time of their death. If they approve the claim, this benefit is paid into the member’s account and will form part of the balance that’s distributed to the beneficiaries.
Once a decision is made, all claimants are informed of the outcome.
If you disagree with our decision, you can submit additional information for consideration. We must receive your objection within 28 days of the decision, and we treat it as a complaint.
After we review the objection and any additional information, we’ll again inform all claimants of the outcome. If anyone still disagrees with the decision, they can make a complaint to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA).
There are strict timelines for when objections and complaints can be made.
Payments
Once a decision is accepted by all claimants, or if we are instructed by AFCA, we will pay the benefit electronically, or establish a Vision Super income stream account.
How long does it take?
Most death benefit claims can take some time from when we’re first notified and all information has been received to make a decision. Sometimes it can be drawn out, for example when:
- There are many potential claimants to find and contact
- We don’t get all the information we need straight away
- There are complicated family relationships and conflict
- There are objections to the decision with require new evidence and review
- A complaint is made to AFCA.
