Claims FAQs

We get to work as soon as we receive all your income protection insurance claim documentation, to make sure your claim is assessed as soon as possible. Once your paperwork is in order, we’ll submit your claim to Pinnacle (the insurer) to be assessed. We’ll call you as soon as there is an update to keep you informed of how your claim is going.

To avoid any delays, please double check that you’ve filled out your claim form correctly and provided all the necessary documents.

If your claim is approved, we’ll make the payment promptly. If more information is needed to make a decision, we’ll reach out to you or your medical practitioner directly. In either case, we will consider any new information swiftly and inform you of the outcome.

You should make a claim as soon as possible after the sickness or injury incident that gave rise to the claim. We encourage you to lodge your claim within 120 days of the disabling event. Read more about making a claim.

Making an income protection claim can seem daunting, but we’re here for you. Head over to the income protection insurance claims page to get started. There are a few steps to follow, however if you’re unsure, you’re welcome to call us on 0800 005 806 0800 005 806 so we can run you through the process.

Your dedicated claims agent will provide you with a claim form as well as details of any other documents that may be required, which will include:

• Proof of identity
• Proof of income

Please send us certified copies of personal documents and don’t send us any originals – keep those safe with you!

All approved claims will be paid monthly in advance after the initial waiting period of either 30 or 90 days. Depending on the benefit period stated in your policy, you’ll receive monthly payments for up to 6 months, 1 year, 2 years or 5 years. Payments will be offset by any other income you receive such as paid sick leave, other insurance policies, ACC or any other government agency payments.

A certified copy is a photocopy of an original document that has been signed by an official witness, confirming that the copy matches the original. The official witness can be:

• Justice of the Peace
• Solicitor of the High Court
• Notary Public
• Deputy Registrar of the court

Certified documents also need to have the following on every page:

• The full name, date, signature, registration number (if any), title of the signing witness and qualification or occupation which makes them eligible to certify document on each page of the photocopied document
• The statement “I certify that this is a true copy of the original document” 

You’ll be asked to provide updates each month on your sickness or injury and its impact on your working status, so we can assess whether you still qualify for the income benefit. We’ll send you the progress claim form that you and your medical practitioner will need to complete and return in order for us to make the assessment. We’ll keep making monthly payments until the end of your selected benefit period or until you return to work (whichever happens first).

When you make an income protection insurance claim, we may ask you to provide us with your income tax return or employer issued pay slips to help us calculate your pre-disability income.

Pre-disability income refers to your average monthly pre-tax income for the 12 consecutive months immediately before the date of disability. If your income reduced by 15% or more in the 12 months leading up to the date of disability, compared to the 12 months prior, we’ll consider your average monthly income over the last 24 consecutive months.

Please refer to the Policy Document for more information.

Once your claim is accepted, your waiting period will begin. After you’ve completed your chosen waiting period of either 30 or 90 days, then your benefit period will start. Your monthly benefit payments will be paid in advance at the beginning of each month and deposited into your chosen bank account. Choice!

Once you receive the benefit, it’s entirely up to you how you spend it – whether it’s to make mortgage or credit card repayments or manage your day-to-day expenses, such as groceries, electricity or internet bills, or make sure your kids school fees and supplies are in order. You can also use the money to pay for medical or rehabilitation expenses to help with your recovery – the choice is yours.