Group vs Individual Life Insurance policies

There are a number of differences in the types of policies and considerations your need to review to find the solution that is best for you. Here we have provided you with some great information to help you in navigating this question.

Firstly you need to understand the different categories of life insurance options currently available in the Australian market which we have illustrated for you below:

As you can see form this brief illustration in general “retail” policies are favoured over “Group” and “Direct” polices however this is not always the case as each person’s circumstance is different to everyone else’s therefore it is always best to understand your options and decide which one best meets your requirements.

If you still want to understand more about the differences between Group and Retail polices we have put this great resource together for you to read!

Alternatively if you would like to further understand the differences between the different types of individual polices (Retail vs Direct) available we have put together this amazing resource which is called 10 things you need to know about direct life insurance, here we compare premiums between a number of “retail” and “direct” policies, review premium structures, exclusions and many more points you should consider before you deciding on what type of individual policy you prefer.

Group vs Retail Life Insurance

The difference between Group and Retail life insurance policies is that Group policies are provided by superfunds and employers to their members or staff, the superfund or the employer controls the policy. However Retail policies are provided to individuals through advisers or comparison sites and the policy ownership is determined by the individual taking out the policy.

There are a number of considerations you need to be aware of when making this decision.

When would Group Life Insurance be available?

Group Insurance may be available in the following ways:

Through Employer

Group insurance may be offered by an employer as a way to add value to an employee’s remuneration package.

Through Your Super Fund

Often policies available through your super fund will be group insurance policies, as rates are negotiated by the super fund on behalf of its members.

While group insurance is designed to be offered to thousands of members such as in a super fund, select policies may be able to cater for companies with as little as 20 people.

What cover is available through Group Life Insurance?

Generally the following types of cover are available:

Death and terminal illness Cover

A lump sum benefit is paid if you pass away or are diagnosed with a terminal illness

Salary Continuance

A monthly benefit paid to you if you are unable to work due to temporary incapacity

TPD

A lump sum benefit paid to you if you become totally and permanent disabled.
*TPD may only be offered as an optional benefit

Underwriting and Automatic Acceptance

Generally a new person joining a group insurance policy will not be required to undergo underwriting and will be eligible for cover up to Automatic Acceptance Limit (AAL).

The AAL is a set if criteria or conditions that you must meet in order to be eligible for acceptance. If you want cover above the AAL or you do not meet the criteria, you may be required to submit additional medical information for underwriting.

Comparing Group and Retail Life Insurance

The key difference between group and individual insurance is that an individual insurance policy is taken out by an individual and is customised to suit their situation. This is compared to a Group policy which is taken out by an organisation on behalf of its employees or members and is often a one size fits all approach.

Retail life insurance definition

Retail Life insurance is a type of fully underwritten policy distributed to customers through financial advisers, comparison websites or brokers. They are generally cheaper, have more features, benefits and generally have a higher claim success rate.

The advantages of Retail Life Insurance policies is that they can be customised in the following ways:

1. Insured Amount

You can choose the amount of cover so it suits your circumstances and budget. Typically insurers have no maximum cover limit.

2. Premium Style

A number of premium styles are available:

Stepped

Increase each year due to a change in your age but starts off more affordable than level premiums.

Level

Start off more expensive than stepped premiums but do not increase each year due to a change in your age.

Hybrid

Start off on a stepped level plan but convert to level premiums.

3. Ownership Structure

When taking out a retail policy, you can generally choose a number of different ownership structures:

Self Ownership

You can select to own your policy yourself, giving you control over the policy.

Joint Ownership

Joint ownership is when two or more people own the policy such as a husband and spouse.

Cross Ownership

Cross Ownership allows a husband or wife to own their spouse/partners policy.

Superannuation Ownership

If you elect to take out cover through your super fund, the super fund becomes the owner of your policy.

4. Policy Structure Option

If you are looking at taking out multiple cover types, you generally have two options:

Combined Policy

Take out a combined policy where multiple cover types are combined into the one policy with one premium i.e. a combined life, trauma and TPD policy.

Stand Alone Policy

Take out individual policies for each cover type i.e. stand alone life, trauma, TPD and income protection policies.

5. Policy Options

One of the major advantages of an individual retail policy is the ability to customise it to suit your needs, including choosing adding any policy options. Typical policy options for life insurance include:

Child Cover

Select insurers offer free child cover of up to $10,000 covering death, terminal and critical illness. You can generally also elect to take additional cover out for your children of up to $250,000.

Accidental Death Insurance

Pays out a benefit if death is caused by an accident. This can be a stand alone policy or it can be an additional option to a life insurance policy.

Business Future Insurability

Business Future Insurability allows you to increase your level of insurance if a significant business events occurs.

6. Income Protection Policy Options

Bed Confinement

Pays 1/30th of your monthly benefit for each day you are confined to your bed during your waiting period.

Day 1 Accident Cover

If you are totally disabled as a result of an accident and continue to be totally disabled for at least 3 days, you will be paid 1/30th of your monthly benefit each day you are totally disabled.

Increasing Claims Benefit

If you go on claim, your monthly benefit will increase, allowing your benefit to keep up with inflation.

Lump Sum Benefit

If you are totally disabled to an extent that you meet the totally and permanently disabled definition, you may elect to receive a lump sum rather than monthly benefit.

Superannuation Contribution Option

This option allows you to insure an additional 5% of your income to go towards superannuation contributions.