The most common complaint among TPD claimants is delays. Claims that should take months drag into years — and most of the time, the delay is caused by problems that could have been avoided at the outset.
The core reason: incomplete submissions
Every time an insurer receives a submission with missing or inadequate information, they pause the assessment clock and issue a "request for further information." Each request adds weeks or months. Multiple requests compound. A complete, coherent submission submitted once is the single biggest factor in a shorter timeline.
Common specific causes of delay
- Inadequate medical evidence — GP letters rather than specialist reports; no explicit prognosis on permanence; missing treatment history
- Incomplete employment information — vague or missing work history triggering verification requests
- Inconsistencies in documents — conflicting information between the claim form, medical reports and employment records triggers additional scrutiny
- Insurer backlogs — without an advocate following up, your file sits in a queue indefinitely
- Internal review processes — most insurers have multi-stage assessment (initial assessor → medical reviewer → claims committee → sign-off), each adding time
How to compress your timeline
- Get specialist reports upfront — don't submit until you have detailed reports from every treating specialist
- Ensure every document addresses the policy definition — generic reports are returned; tailored ones are assessed
- Submit complete the first time — every gap is a delay
- Follow up actively — don't wait for the insurer to contact you; proactive follow-up keeps your file moving
Start on the right foot — our free eligibility check helps you understand what you'll need before you touch the form.