Category: Coverage
Every panel insurer writes TPD under broadly similar three-month qualifying-period rules. What differs materially is the maximum sum insured, the definitions available by occupation category, the supplementary branches (loss of limbs, paralysis, ADL, cognitive loss, Home Duties), and the linking rules between TPD and Life cover.
The panel is AIA, Zurich, TAL, OnePath, ClearView, NEOS, Encompass, Acenda and Futura. Like-for-like premium comparison without comparing the underlying product is misleading because of these structural differences.
From the latest PDS and adviser guide for each panel insurer:
| Insurer | Maximum TPD sum insured | Source | |---|---|---| | OnePath OneCare | $10 million combined Any/Own. Business TPD $2m; Homemaker TPD $1m | PDS 1 October 2025, page 32 | | AIA Priority Protection | $5 million Own and Any Occupation, subject to occupation category | PDS 9 November 2025, page 221 | | Acenda Insurance | $5 million for professional occupations (surgeons, accountants, solicitors); $3 million for others | PDS 27 September 2025, page 19 | | NEOS Protection | $3 million Own Occupation; $3 million Any Occupation | PDS 6 December 2024 | | Encompass Protection | $3 million | PDS 26 September 2025 | | Futura Protection | $3 million | PDS 1 October 2025 | | ClearView ClearChoice | $3 million from age 65; higher pre-65 limits by occupation | PDS May 2024 (with update effective 5 June 2025), page 40 | | TAL Accelerated Protection | Multi-million for white-collar, subject to financial justification | Adviser rate tables | | Zurich Wealth Protection | Multi-million for white-collar, subject to financial justification | Adviser rate tables |
Every panel insurer offers Any Occupation. Most offer Own Occupation outside super (or via a split rider with Any Occupation TPD inside super). The supplementary definitions differ.
| Insurer | Named definitions | Notable branches | Source | |---|---|---|---| | TAL | Own Occupation, Any Occupation, ADL | Own Occ includes 25% Whole Person Impairment branch | PDS 12 December 2024, Section 9, page 88 | | AIA | Own Occupation, Any Occupation | Both include Loss of Limbs/Sight branch and Loss of Independence branch that bypass the three-month wait | PDS 9 November 2025, Section 12.1, page 221 | | OnePath OneCare | Own Occ TPD, Any Occ TPD, Business TPD, Home-maker TPD | Branches for Loss of Limbs and/or Sight, Loss of Independent Existence, Cognitive Loss. SuperLink design supports non-super Own-Occ rider with super Life cover | PDS 1 October 2025, pages 32 to 33 | | Zurich | Own Occupation, Any Occupation, Domestic Duties, Modified TPD | Modified TPD applies from policy anniversary when life insured turns 65 | PDS 1 November 2025, Definitions section | | ClearView | Own Occupation (outside super), Any Occupation, Non-Occupational | Non-Occupational applies after age 65 across all definitions. Includes flexi-linked TPD Super Solutions design | PDS May 2024 (with update effective 5 June 2025), pages 40 to 41 | | NEOS | Own Occupation, Any Occupation (inside and outside super) | Post-age-70 definition limited to loss of independent existence, loss of use of limbs, blindness | PDS 6 December 2024, page 67 | | Encompass | Own Occupation, Any Occupation, Super TPD | Super TPD mirrors Any Occupation plus the SIS permanent-incapacity test | PDS 26 September 2025, pages 16 to 17 | | Acenda | Own Occupation (outside super only), Any Occupation, Home Duties, TPD Severity, TPD Optimiser | Home Duties for those in full-time domestic duties at and for 12 months prior to disability. TPD Optimiser splits Any-Occ inside super + Own-Occ outside super | PDS 27 September 2025, page 19 | | Futura | Own Occupation, Any Occupation, Home Duties branch | Converts to Non-Occupational definition at plan anniversary after age 65 (loss of independent existence, loss of use of limbs, blindness in both eyes) | PDS 1 October 2025, pages 21 to 24 |
Own Occupation is generally restricted to professional and white-collar codes.
Linked TPD reduces Life cover by the amount of a TPD claim. Standalone TPD does not.
All nine panel insurers offer both structures, but the linking terminology differs:
The Life Buy Back rider (which lets you repurchase Life cover after a TPD or Critical Illness claim) is option-only and must be selected at application. See the difference between linked and standalone TPD insurance.
Four of the nine panel insurers price TPD on variable age-stepped premiums only:
AIA also offers a third 'Optimum' option that starts as variable age-stepped and converts to variable when the variable age-stepped premium exceeds the variable amount.
Level-premium products typically convert to stepped at the policy anniversary before age 64 or 65. See stepped vs level premiums for TPD insurance.
A $1 million TPD policy priced through Insurer A for the same client may use a tighter definition, a lower category-specific maximum, or a different post-65 conversion than the same nominal $1 million policy at Insurer B. The right comparison weighs:
For the per-condition placement view, see the IMFL health-conditions database. For the full structural primer, see what is TPD insurance and the TPD hub.
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