Default cover and insurer
Mercer Super provides default Death and TPD cover for eligible members, with cover scaling by age. Default group cover is typically underwritten by MLC Life Insurance. Corporate (employer-sponsored) Mercer plans may have plan-specific arrangements with the same or different insurers.
Indicative default cover amounts (always check your Annual Statement for actuals):
| Age | Indicative default TPD cover |
|---|---|
| 30 | $80,000 – $160,000 |
| 40 | $140,000 – $250,000 |
| 50 | $120,000 – $220,000 |
| 60 | $50,000 – $90,000 |
BT super integration — what changed in 2023
In 2023, Mercer acquired BT's personal and corporate super businesses, transferring BT members to Mercer Super. Practical implications:
- Pre-transfer disablement — the BT policy in force on the date you stopped work governs your claim. See our BT super TPD claim guide.
- Post-transfer disablement — current Mercer Super arrangements apply.
- Cover preservation — most members had cover preserved at transfer with similar terms; transfer correspondence specifies any changes.
- Insurer changes — the insurer may have changed at transfer. Check your post-transfer Insurance Booklet.
The TPD definition that applies to you
Standard Mercer Super TPD uses an "Any Occupation" definition — unable to ever work again in any job for which you are reasonably suited by education, training or experience. Corporate plans and voluntary cover may have different terms.
How to claim
- Notify Mercer of intent to claim via the member portal or by phone
- Receive and complete the claim pack — member statement, employer statement, treating-doctor reports, authorities
- The relevant insurer assesses against the policy definition that applied at your date of disablement
- The Mercer trustee independently reviews and decides
- Approved claims pay out subject to condition of release
If your claim is declined
Common reasons Mercer Super TPD claims are declined:
- Insurer's view that you can perform alternative work under "Any Occupation"
- Pre-existing condition exclusions or non-disclosure findings on voluntary cover
- Disputes about which policy applied at the date of disablement (particularly across the BT transfer)
- Disputed connection between condition and inability to work
Dispute pathway is internal dispute resolution (45 days) then AFCA. See our guide to rejected TPD claims.
Mercer Super-specific tips
- Identify the applicable policy. If you're a former BT member, was your stop-work date before or after the 2023 transfer? This is the critical question.
- Retrieve historical Insurance Booklets. The PDS and Insurance Booklet at the date you stopped work governs.
- Corporate plan members — confirm whether your employer-sponsored Mercer plan has superior default cover.
- Multi-fund check. Mercer members commonly held cover at other funds previously. Check MyGov for a complete picture.