If you've changed jobs multiple times, you likely have lost or forgotten superannuation accounts sitting idle, potentially worth thousands of dollars. These accounts may contain valuable Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) insurance that you didn't know existed.
As of June, 2025, around 20% of Australians held two or more super accounts. In the same year, the ATO held almost $19 billion in unclaimed superannuation. A $1.1 billion increase from the previous year. It’s no wonder that Australians everywhere are asking if they have unclaimed funds.
Many Australians only realise they had TPD insurance after a serious injury or illness, but by then, their cover may have already lapsed due to inactivity.
This guide discusses:
- How to search for lost super and forgotten TPD insurance
- The risks of consolidation
- How to protect your entitlements before it’s too late
Understanding Lost Superannuation and TPD Insurance
What is lost or forgotten superannuation?
Lost super refers to accounts where you've lost contact with your fund due to changed addresses, inactive accounts, or simply forgetting contributions from previous employers. Unclaimed super is money the ATO holds from inactive accounts, waiting for you to claim it.
Common scenarios include:
- Changing jobs and opening new super accounts each time, without consolidating
- Moving house and not updating your address for the old funds
- Accounts sitting inactive for 5+ years, transferred to the ATO as unclaimed money
- Inheriting super from deceased family members you weren't aware of
Why TPD insurance matters
Most super funds automatically provide TPD insurance as part of your membership, covering you if you become permanently disabled and unable to work. Average TPD payouts range from $300,000 to $500,000, providing crucial financial support in times of need.
The hidden risk: If you’re unaware of these accounts, you may miss out on insurance cover worth hundreds of thousands of dollars at a time when it is sorely needed.
Your Rights and Things You Must Do
What you're entitled to:
- Access all your super accounts: The ATO must help you locate and claim lost super held in your name, including funds transferred to them.
- Insurance information: Super funds must disclose what insurance you hold, including TPD, income protection, and life insurance.
- Retain cover: You can opt in to keep insurance on inactive accounts by contacting your fund before the 16-month deadline.
Best practice:
- Update your contact details: Notify all super funds within 28 days of address changes to get regular updates.
- Act within 16 months: Make a contribution or rollover to prevent automatic insurance cancellation on inactive accounts (introduced under the Protecting Your Super Package).
- Review consolidation risks: Before combining accounts, verify that you won't lose valuable insurance cover that can't be replaced.
Key deadlines:
- 16 months of inactivity triggers automatic TPD insurance cancellation
- 5 years of inactivity may result in your super being transferred to the ATO as unclaimed
- 6 years from when you become unable to work to lodge a TPD claim (subject to policy terms)
Common Scenarios and Questions
How many super accounts might I have after changing jobs 5+ times?
The short answer: Australians who've changed jobs frequently have 3-6 super accounts without realising it. This has led to a push for Australians to consolidate their super funds into one manageable account.
What to do:
- Log in to myGov and link to the ATO to see all of your accounts instantly
- Check for both active accounts and 'lost' or 'inactive' super flagged by the ATO
- Request statements from each fund to verify balances and insurance details
Important note: Each account may have different insurance cover, fees, and investment options. Don't consolidate until you understand the losses you may incur.
How do I check if I have TPD insurance in old super accounts?
The short answer: Your myGov account shows insurance details for each super fund, including whether TPD cover is active.
What to do:
- Access myGov > ATO > Super > Fund details to view all of your accounts
- Look for 'Insurance' sections showing TPD, life, and income protection amounts
- Contact funds directly if insurance details aren't displayed online (older accounts may require phone verification)
- Request formal insurance statements showing cover amounts, definitions, and exclusions
Important note: Some funds show only basic insurance details online. Always call the fund directly to confirm full TPD cover details, especially whether they are labelled as own occupation or any occupation.
What's the 16-month rule and how does it affect my TPD cover?
The short answer: Under the Protecting Your Super legislation, super funds must cancel your insurance if your account receives no contributions or rollovers for 16 consecutive months, unless you specifically opt in to keep it running (this usually requires some form of contribution).
What to do:
- Check when your last contribution was made via myGov or fund statements
- Contact your fund immediately and ask for it to be kept running
- Make even a small personal contribution ($20-$50) to reset the 16-month clock
- Set calendar reminders every 15 months to verify accounts remain active
Important note: This rule applies to accounts opened after 1 April 2020, or existing accounts where cover would otherwise lapse. If you're injured and discover lapsed cover, legal advice may help challenge the cancellation.
Will consolidating my super accounts cancel my TPD insurance?
The short answer: Consolidating super accounts often results in automatic cancellation of insurance from closed accounts, and you may not qualify for the same cover in your receiving fund.
What to do:
- Compare insurance cover amounts, definitions, and exclusions across all accounts before consolidating
- Request product disclosure statements showing insurance terms in each fund
- Contact the receiving fund to confirm if you'll qualify for equivalent TPD cover (medical assessments may be required)
- Consider keeping multiple accounts if insurance in one offers better coverage or can't be replaced due to age or health changes
Important note: Funds must send you notices that warn about insurance changes before consolidation, but many people miss these letters. If you consolidate and require TPD cover at a later time, check if your old fund continues to offer cover despite account closure.
Can I still claim TPD insurance if I didn’t know I had cover when I was injured?
The short answer: Yes, discovering forgotten TPD insurance after injury is common. You can claim if your cover was active on the date of disablement, even if you didn't know it existed.
What to do:
- Again, use myGov and ATO searches to identify all super accounts you held when your injury occurred
- Request insurance status letters from funds showing cover dates and amounts
- Gather medical evidence confirming your permanent disability from doctors and specialists
- Contact the fund(s) immediately to lodge TPD claims, as 6-year limitation periods apply from the disablement date
Important note: 'I didn't know I had insurance' is actually a common and valid situation. Super funds can't deny claims solely because you were unaware of cover, as long as it was active and you meet the TPD definition in the policy.
Can I get help searching for lost super and TPD insurance?
The short answer: Yes, the ATO provides free searches, super funds offer tracing services, and lawyers like Smith's can conduct comprehensive searches linked to potential injury claims.
What to do:
- Start with myGov for immediate results showing all the super accounts the ATO knows about
- Call the ATO on 13 28 65 to request manual searches using your Tax File Number and employment history
- Use ASIC's unclaimed money search for funds not captured by the ATO
- Consider assistance from a legal firm if you've been injured, as lawyers can help identify TPD cover while assessing compensation claims
Important note: Free legal searches through firms like Smith's often uncover super and TPD that standard ATO searches miss, particularly older accounts or funds from deceased estates.
Step-by-Step Process to Find Lost Super and TPD
- Link myGov to the ATO - Create a myGov account at my.gov.au if you don't have one, then link it to the Australian Taxation Office using your Tax File Number and personal details. This gives instant access to all super accounts the ATO knows about.
- Check your super accounts online - Navigate to myGov > ATO > Super to view all active, lost, and ATO-held accounts. Note each fund name, member number, balance, and insurance details shown.
- Contact each super fund directly - Call every fund listed to verify insurance status, request statements showing cover dates, and confirm whether TPD insurance is currently active. Get written confirmation.
- Search for older employers - List all employers you've worked for, then contact their payroll or HR departments to identify which super funds received your contributions. Old payslips also show fund details.
- Use the ATO phone service - Call 13 28 65 and request a manual search for lost super accounts using your employment history, previous addresses, and maiden names if applicable. The ATO can find accounts not linked to your current TFN (Tax File Number).
- Check ATO-held super - If accounts have been inactive for 5+ years, your super may be transferred to the ATO as unclaimed. myGov shows these separately under 'ATO-held superannuation'.
- Consolidate strategically - Before combining accounts, make sure you won’t lose valuable insurance, lower fees, or better investment options. You can request an insurance comparison from your receiving fund.
Documents needed to find lost Super and TPD
- Tax File Number (TFN) - This is essential for all searches for your super accounts through the ATO and myGov. Without it, funds can't confirm your identity or link accounts.
- Employment history - Dates, employer names, and locations help trace super even if you don't remember fund names. Old tax returns should show employer details.
- Identification documents - Driver's licence, passport, or Medicare card for fund verification. Birth certificate if you've changed your name through marriage or for other reasons.
- Previous addresses - Funds use addresses to match lost accounts. List everywhere you've lived, as super may be held under old details.
- Super statements - Any old statements you've kept show fund names, member numbers, and contribution dates. Check old emails for electronic statements.
Legal Framework
Primary legislation: The Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 governs how super funds manage lost members, insurance, and TPD claims. The Protecting Your Super Package (2019) introduced the 16-month inactivity rule to protect members from balance reductions due to insurance fees.
When To Be Extra Cautious
- You receive a letter about insurance cancellation or account consolidation (you typically have 28 days to respond)
- Your super account balance is under $6,000 and you haven't received contributions for 14+ months (your insurance may already be cancelled)
- You've been diagnosed with a serious injury or illness that might prevent you from working permanently (search for all possible TPD cover immediately)
- You're approaching 15 months since your last super contribution and want to keep your insurance active
- A fund notifies you that they haven’t been able to contact you or lists you as a 'lost member'
When to Seek Legal Advice
- You've suffered an injury or illness that prevents you from working and you want to identify all possible TPD cover
- Your super fund denied a TPD claim or cancelled your insurance due to inactivity, without notifying you
- You consolidated accounts and discovered you lost valuable insurance coverage you didn't know about
- You're struggling to locate super from old employers or deceased family members, despite searching extensively
- Your TPD claim is complex, involving multiple funds, work injuries, or questions about whether you meet the 'permanent incapacity' definition
Get Help Now
If you've been injured and suspect you have forgotten TPD insurance in old super accounts, getting early legal advice helps identify all potential cover, understand your claim rights, and protect your entitlements before time limits expire.
Contact Smith's Lawyers:
- Call: 1800 960 482 for a free, no-obligation consultation about lost super and TPD searches
- No upfront costs: We operate on a No Win, No Fee, No Catch® basis for TPD and personal injury claims
- Free super searches: Our team can conduct comprehensive searches while assessing your eligibility for Queensland personal injury compensation and nationwide TPD claims
- Request a callback: Use the form below to have our experienced team contact you to discuss your situation
Our lawyers help clients across Australia locate forgotten superannuation and TPD insurance, particularly those who've suffered injuries in Queensland and may be entitled to both common law compensation and TPD super benefits.
