What they do not tell you about accessing your super
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They are not scared, they are buying time to cover their arses. The frustrating thing is that I figured 5 grand would bail me out for the moment. I'd say that most of the people currently scurrying around in damage control mode would be on substantial hourly rates and, by the time this is over, the cost will exceed what I was going to ask for. Who pays for that? Three guesses.
The other thing to consider that applications for hardship relief can only be made once a year, so if you bugger it up and underestimate what you need you are screwed for another 12 months.
I have nothing better to do at the moment so will spend some of my abundant spare time constructing carefully worded hand grenades to lob over their defenses. It will probably get me nowhere, but I'm up the creek anyway. Let's hope someone gets their butt kicked, unfortunately it's likely that willl be someone very low on the food chain.
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One of the problems seems to be that no-one is taught (or encouraged) to follow someone's problem through - basic customer service. If a customer has a difficulty with answers or information, you don't just brush them off with a standard reply. You help them, walk them through the process, take them to the other person who may be able to help, check back that they have received what they need, follow through. And if you have to put them off for some reason, and you can't give them an answer in the time frame you've said, you contact them and tell them that. And if it means getting a big boss involved, that's what you do. It takes time and it takes compassion, and if you haven't got that, you've no business being in a customer service role.2
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The battle continues at a glacial pace. I've submitted all the paperwork--the details required made me feel like I was standing nude in the middle of the street. I know I should be used to being examined and questioned about all the private aspects of my life, but this process has been particularly demeaning.
The information I'm receiving is very inconsistent. I had a call from one of the member services people on Monday who informed me that the amount likely to be released is roughly a quarter of that which I requested. By the time tax and medicare levy is deducted it will not cover half my current outstanding bills. I asked how they arrived at that figure and no-one could tell me. Then I had another call saying my case had been referred to 'senior management' for review. What does that mean and who are these people? Can I speak to them? No.
The only fun part has been responding to the constant emails asking for feedback about my experience with them. You want honest appraisal? Brace yourself, here it comes--complete with the names of everyone I have talked to and the contradictory advice I've been given. It would appear I've got a big red dot on my file as everyone is now being exquisitely polite and careful with me. They are still useless and evasive, of course, but I've come to expect nothing else. Who is paying for all this consulting and appraising, I wonder?
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Indeed @kmakm. The other conversation that no-one there wants to have concerns my income insurance. They have continued to deduct premiums even though I made no contributions for over 18 months. That's against their own policy which states the deductions stop after there has been no contribution to the fund for 6 months. No one can explain how that was allowed to happen. Current activity at the financial services royal commission might shed some light on that. Pure bloody greed and the belief that there will be no penalty for noncompliance.
Now they are offering to cancel the current policy. Why would they want to do that, I wonder? I've said no. Since I haven't been able to make a claim and the policy was taken out before my diagnosis, I want to know if I am still able to make a claim if I'm employed when the cancer returns or I suffer one of the multiple treatment related catastrophes that we know are lurking in the background. Like heart disease brought on by chemotherapy for example. I had no pre-existing condition when I took out the policy as I had no evidence of disease and hadn't had any cancer treatment for nearly 5 years. So, I should be still covered if I need to make a claim and I am employed at the time, yes? The product disclosure statement doesn't cover that situation--thus their desire to get rid of that policy. Oh, the wriggling and thrashing that is going on. It's costing me $30 a month out of my fund, but there is no way I'm going to roll over on this one. No doubt I'll get screwed over in the end, but I am not going to make it easy for them.
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Just wanted to point out to others reading this that the definition of terminal illness changed a few years ago and is now two years - so you now should be able to access your super and/or any life insurance if your doctors certify that you have less than two years to live.Pebbz1981 said:@Zoffiel, I tried accessing my super once i was diagnosed with metastatic, i though i can pay of the debts and spend some money on sprucing up the house and go on a holiday with my husband, you know enjoy the money before i am gone. My oncologist filled out all the forms and did everything possible to help me get the money which belongs to me.........There "doctors" said claim denied........WHY? a terminal illness has to have a lifespan f less than 1 yr...... I said to them well i am terminal and i hope i get to live longer then 1 yr , i hope i live 10 yrs and more.
So even though the money belongs to me and now i keep paying fees on it so each year it gets less and less, i am not enititled to pull it out. Eventually by the time i have left my husband will be left with nothing. Ridiculous. That and private health cover....Dont even get me started on them haha.0 -
Not yet, @kmakm I'll see how things pan out. The other thing I did once I realized my insurance was still current was start making small voluntary contributions--only a few bucks, but I means they can't suddenly decide to apply their own rule and cancel that premium. I hope I'm giving someone in that office nightmares
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So if you DON'T die within the 2 years (after getting your own money!) do they ask for it back?
This is SO WRONG - that they won't readily give you your own money for requirements NOW!!!0 -
@zoffiel I'm there with you. I'm amazed at my Super fund. I'm not sure if they've been difficult or just bloody incompetent. It took months to get money out of them, now because of their studios it's paid in the wrong financial year which has other flow on issues (which I flagged with them back in May), they never sent me a statement and when I finally got it - they've not pause me for January. Oh - and I have no case manager because mine left a few months ago and they haven't passed my file on to anyone else.1
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