How does TPD insurance work with superannuation?

TPD insurance through superannuation is extremely common in Australia - many super funds provide automatic default TPD cover to members. The integration works as follows: Premiums are deducted directly from your super balance, reducing your retirement savings but paid with pre-tax money (providing a 15% tax benefit). Coverage is typically 'Any Occupation' definition only, as regulations restrict super funds from offering the more generous 'Own Occupation' definition. If you claim TPD through super, the benefit is first paid into your superannuation account, increasing your balance, then you can apply to withdraw it based on permanent incapacity grounds. Default cover amounts are often based on age or account balance and may be insufficient for your needs, but you can usually apply to increase coverage (requiring medical underwriting). When changing jobs or consolidating super accounts, be careful - you might lose valuable insurance coverage. Premiums in super may be eating into your retirement savings, especially if you have multiple super accounts with duplicate insurance. The benefit of super-based TPD is affordability through tax advantages and automatic coverage without applications. The disadvantages are the restrictive 'Any Occupation' definition, potential taxation of payouts if you're under 60, and premiums eroding retirement savings. Many Australians have TPD in super without realizing it - check your super statements to understand your coverage.