The total and permanent disability (TPD) industry is becoming more customer and member focused, AIA Australia believes.
The insurer welcomed Sunsuper's launch of TPD Assist which focuses on assisting members to return to work where possible through early intervention and vocational rehabilitation.
AIA chief executive, Damien Mu, said "our recent experience has shown that getting early intervention right and helping to get claimants back to work can transform their lives and that of their families for the better".
"Like our partner, Sunsuper, we believe this is the next generation of TPD and will appeal to a great deal of Australians when they are considering their insurance options," Mu said.
"Australia's life insurance sector is undergoing unprecedented change and the design of benefits like TPD Assist — with members' best interests at heart — will help set the way we approach claims by looking to be far more focused on how we help claimants at their time of need in a more relevant way and will set organisations apart into the future."
The insurance company has joined this year’s awards as a principal partner.
The $135 billion fund has transitioned away from TAL Life Insurance following an “extensive tender process”.
The $80 billion fund is facing legal action over allegedly signing up new members to income protection insurance by default without active member consent.
In a Senate submission, the Financial Services Council has once again called for further clarification that the government will assess the consumer outcomes of group insurance against the enshrined objective of superannuation.