James Lassen
Legal Practice Director | Special Counsel
Stephen Browne Perth
English
Death Benefits & Life Insurance Claim Lawyers Perth & Western Australia
Our trusted death benefits lawyers can help with your life insurance claim if your loved one is diagnosed with a terminal illness or has died.
What is life insurance or death insurance?
Life insurance provides a lump sum payment in the event of the policy holder’s death. It’s usually part of a superannuation policy and may also include terminal illness cover.
Life insurance is known by a few different names:
Term life insurance
Death insurance
Death cover
Death cover insurance
Death benefits
Life insurance is different from accidental death insurance, which provides a payment only if a death is accidental (and not from e.g. disease, illness or suicide).
Who can make a life insurance claim?
A life insurance claim or death benefit claim in most cases is a request to the superannuation fund or insurance company, for death benefits to be paid after the policy holder has died. A death benefit claim can be made by anyone who was:
Nominated by the (now deceased) policy holder as a beneficiary
Financially dependent on the (now deceased) policy holder
Additionally, a life insurance claim can be made by the policy holder, on their diagnosis with a terminal illness with limited life expectancy.
People who were financially dependent on the death insurance policy holder can include their:
Spouse
De facto partner (including same-sex partners)
Children
Our dedicated and compassionate team of death benefits lawyers and insurance claim lawyers can review a life insurance policy and advise you on your specific circumstances.
What life insurance can I claim?
We understand that your life insurance claim comes at a challenging and emotional time. Your entitlement to a life insurance claim (death benefit claim) can depend on:
The policy wording
Your ability to show you were financially dependent on the life insurance policy holder
What you receive following a successful death benefits claim can depend on whether you were a named beneficiary or have claimed as an eligible dependent.
In most cases, a death benefit insurance claimant would receive a lump sum payment, which is the policy holder’s remaining superannuation account balance.
If you have any questions about your eligibility to make a life insurance claim or receive death benefits, our trusted and experienced team of life insurance lawyers can help.
Our No Win No Fee* service
At Stephen Browne, we believe all people should have access to legal services, no matter their financial status. For most death benefits claims, our trusted death benefits lawyers work on a No Win No Fee* basis.
With years of local experience in Perth and Western Australia, our top-rated team are the experienced, local life insurance lawyers you deserve.
*Conditions apply
What is the life insurance claim process?
At Stephen Browne, our experienced local life insurance claim legal team have been helping Western Australians for nearly 40 years. Each client and their life insurance claim circumstances are unique, and so the time for the process can vary. No matter the stage of your death benefit claim, we’re here to help, advise and support you. Below are the four key stages of a life insurance claim.
Obligation-free life insurance claim review
No matter what stage your life insurance claim has reached, Stephen Browne’s No Win No Fee* local insurance claim lawyers can review it to ensure you achieve the best outcome.
Complete the form and our Client Service Team will contact you.
What to expect from your obligation-free consultation
Your obligation-free consultation will be with an experienced insurance claim lawyer in Perth or Joondalup.
We are here for you
Our trusted insurance claim lawyers are here to advise you every step of the way. Our goal is to help you achieve the best outcome. During your consultation, your trusted insurance claim lawyer will:
Review the policy
Review your life insurance claim
Discuss your legal options and potential death benefits
Advise on the life insurance claim requirements and our fees
What to bring
You are welcome to bring a support person to your appointment. It’s helpful to bring along documentation relevant to your life insurance claim. This might include:
Photo identification
Life insurance policy
Copies of any correspondence from your loved one’s superannuation fund or insurance company
Proof of relationship records (e.g. birth certificate, death certificate, marriage certificate, letters of administration)
Proof of financial dependency records (e.g. bank account statements)
Our life insurance claim team
Death benefits FAQs
Can I claim superannuation death benefit payments before I die?
H3: Can I claim superannuation death benefit payments before I die?
Superannuation death benefits can only be paid to a policy holder’s dependents (or their legal personal representative / executor) once they have died.
You can potentially access life insurance benefits before death, if you’re diagnosed with a terminal illness with a limited life expectancy. If you have any questions relevant to your specific death benefits or life insurance claim situation, our compassionate insurance claim lawyers can help.
What do I need to submit when making a death benefit or life insurance claim?
In addition to the required life insurance claim form, you’ll likely also need several documents such as:
Life insurance policy
Proof of relationship records relevant to your relationship to the policy holder (e.g. birth certificate, loved one’s death certificate, marriage certificate, letters of administration)
Proof of your financial dependency on the deceased policy holder (e.g. bank statements)
Your life insurance claim lawyers can help you with this.
Why trust Stephen Browne to be my death benefits lawyers and life insurance lawyers?
Stephen Browne’s dedicated and compassionate insurance claim lawyers are experienced in advising on claims regarding death benefits entitlements. We recognise your life insurance claim is made at a difficult time. Our insurance claim lawyers are conveniently located in Hay Street, Perth and Reid Promenade, Joondalup and are ready to provide experienced life insurance claim support no matter where you are in Western Australia.
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