Many Australians work overseas or move abroad while maintaining superannuation accounts in Australia. If you become permanently disabled and unable to work while living overseas, your Australian super fund's TPD insurance may still apply — subject to your policy terms.
Key considerations for overseas Australians
- Cover may continue overseas — most super fund TPD policies don't restrict cover to Australia only, but check your product disclosure statement for any geographical exclusions
- Medical evidence from overseas — you'll need specialist reports from qualified medical practitioners, which can be provided by overseas doctors. Some funds require reports to be translated if not in English
- Currency and tax — payouts are made in Australian dollars. Tax implications may be complex if you are also a tax resident of another country
Was cover active when you became disabled?
The usual rules apply — you need to have had active TPD cover at the time you became unable to work. If contributions to your Australian super stopped when you moved overseas and cover was later cancelled due to inactivity, this is a potential complication worth investigating.
Check your Australian super accounts
Use the ATO's online services (via myGov, which can be accessed from overseas) to locate all your Australian super accounts. Start a free eligibility check to explore your situation.