The Meat Industry Employees' Superannuation Fund (MIESF) will replace its "self-insured" death benefit with group insurance cover by TAL mid-year.
Previously, MIESF was not insured through an insurer but provided an additional death benefit under a "self-insurance" arrangement funded from member accounts at a cost of $5 per week and paid as $260 each fiscal year.
The new arrangements will increase the cost of cover to $5.60 per week paid as two payments of $145.60 in December and June of each year.
Rising group insurance premiums have been widely reported and are occurring due to the increase in claims, according to Australia's leading group insurance providers.
MIESF said members could opt out of death and total and permanent disability cover but could not ditch one without the other. Opt-out members then became ineligible for insurance at any time in the future.
Under Stronger Super reforms, super funds will not be able to offer members insurance without the backing of an insurer.
Vanguard Super has reported strong returns across most of its investment options, attributed to a “low-cost, index-based approach”.
The fund has achieved double-digit returns amid market volatility, reinforcing the value of long-term investment strategies for its members.
Australian super funds notched a third consecutive year of strong returns, with the median balanced option delivering an estimated 10.1 per cent over the 2024-25 financial year, but an economist has warned that the rally may be harder to sustain as key risks gather pace.
AustralianSuper has reported a 9.52 per cent return for its Balanced super option for the 2024–25 financial year, as markets delivered another year of strong performance despite the complex investing environment.