How much cover do you need?
It can be confronting to think about, but making a plan for our loved ones in case the worst happens is important. Read on for helpful information when considering how much insurance you need for your circumstances, plus where to go if you want more help.
Thinking about serious injury, illness, or dying can be confronting. So, it’s no surprise that while Australians are great at insuring our cars and homes, we often overlook insuring ourselves.
Insuring your income and your life is an important step in making sure you and your loved ones are financially secure if the worst happens.
Most Media Super accounts come with a level of automatic default insurance. But we know that one size doesn’t fit all, so we've made it easy to tailor your insurance to suit your needs now and in the future.
How much insurance do I need?
We all have different financial situations, so our insurance needs are different too.
Other factors can have a big impact on these numbers. Such as your age, relationship status, whether you have kids or look after other family members, and your financial responsibilities.
Members under 25 no longer automatically receive insurance when they join. However, if you are under 25, depending on your financial commitments and life situation, you may want to consider applying for cover. For example, if you're married (or in a de facto relationship) you may have joint financial responsibilities (including rent, mortgages, or other loans) that will still need to be paid if one of you is unable to work. And if you have kids, you want to ensure your family is looked after.
How much Income Protection do I need?
This is based on a percentage of what you earn, so it’s as simple as letting us know your income and we aim to provide you with information on the types of insurance cover available and any premiums charged.
How much Death and TPD cover do I need?
It’s hard to see into the future and estimate what different injuries, medical therapies, or providing for your loved ones could cost. Our default level of cover is based on your age and will be updated at certain milestones.
The below three steps are a good starting point to help you work out what level of cover you might need.
Costs you may need to pay for
Step 1
Costs you may need to pay for
First, add up the costs of everything that needs to be paid for. Consider things like:
- One off cost, like medical bills, physical rehabilitation, changes to your home, funeral expenses, paying off the mortgage or other debts like personal loans or credit cards.
- Ongoing costs or living expenses like rent, utilities, food, loans and education. Do you want to cover these costs for a year or longer?
Step 2
Assets you can use to cover costs
Next, what assets do you have that you could use to cover some of these costs? This may include:
- Money you could access such as savings (remember your super balance can only be used in limited circumstances, like being paid to your beneficiaries if you die)
- Existing insurance or funeral plans
- Property, like a home you could downsize or an investment property you could sell
- Other assets like shares, a car, artwork or jewellery
- Other support like annual leave, family support, government benefits or Workers Compensation.
Step 3
How do they compare?
Finally, take your total costs from Step 1, and subtract them from your total assets from Step 2.
The difference between these provides you with an estimate of the amount of additional insurance you may need.
All insurance (excluding the Accident and Sickness Insurance) is provided by TAL Life Limited ABN 70 050 109 450 AFSL 237848. The information in this insurance section provides a brief overview of the insurance types available through Media Super. It does not include all eligibility conditions for acceptance or payment of insurance benefits
Member Advice Services
Don’t feel you have to make these decisions alone. Our Advice team can help you understand your options and offer different levels of guidance depending on what you need.