Welcome to TAL News & Views
Industry -
Welcome to TAL News & Views
Welcoming First Super
I’m delighted to welcome First Super to the TAL partner community. With strong roots in the timber, furniture and pulp and paper industries, First Super is an industry fund supporting over 79,000 Australians. We look forward to working together to deliver valuable insurance cover that meets the needs of First Super members.
AFR best places to work
TAL has won the Belonging Award in the Australian Financial Review's BOSS 2026 Best Places to Work, and it's a great result. The category recognises organisations that create a culture of inclusion, empathy and connection where every person feels valued and safe to contribute. With 3,000 people across the business, from actuaries and claims teams to doctors and product specialists, the work we do only happens well when people with different perspectives feel they can bring them. That culture is part of what shapes the experience we deliver to partners and members every day.
AFR Healthcare Summit
Last month, TAL’s Jenny Oliver joined a panel at the Australian Financial Review Healthcare Summit to discuss the growing impact of mental ill health on Australia’s workforce. The conversation reinforced what we’re seeing in our claims data: mental health is a systemic challenge that no single sector can address alone. We’re committed to playing our part by investing in recovery and preventative health, and by designing products that better support recovery while continuing to provide strong protection for people who are permanently unable to work. It’s a conversation that will only become more important for the industry—and one we’ll continue to contribute to.
Champions of Change
TAL is joining leaders across the Australian insurance sector to launch 'Everyday Respect Starts With Us', a collective commitment led by CEOs from the Champions of Change Insurance Group to make respectful conduct a visible, practical standard across our sector.
The commitment focuses on setting clear expectations for behaviour, supporting early action when those standards aren't met, and applying consistent expectations across insurers, brokers, suppliers and partners. It's about strengthening trust with the people we work with and the communities we serve, and we're committed to supporting our partners to do the same.
Genetic testing laws pass Parliament – what this means for us
You may have seen that genetic testing legislation has passed Parliament, giving Australians greater clarity on how genetic testing information can be used in life insurance underwriting. For our Group Insurance business, this largely formalises what we already do. We don't ask members whether they've undergone genetic testing, and we don't use predictive results to place a member in a worse position. Where a favourable result would improve a member's position, we can take it into account if they choose to share it.
How insurance in super supports financial confidence
Last month I joined a panel at ASFA's Spotlight on Insurance to discuss a challenge most funds are grappling with: members know they have insurance in super, but many still don't understand how it works or what it means for them. We explored what's driving that gap, including financial literacy, communication and digital capability, and how Aware Super is already responding. We'll be sharing our Making Insurance Matter research paper later this month, which goes deeper into what's driving the confidence gap and how funds can respond.
Meet our team: Adrian Fortescue
We sat down with Adrian Fortescue, TAL's Head of Growth, Wealth and Retirement, to hear how a career that started in physiotherapy has shaped his approach to product design. Adrian shares how TAL works with fund partners to keep products affordable and sustainable, how AI and automation are already making a difference, and why innovation in group insurance often starts with refining what's already there.
When every day counts: how early lodgement is changing the IP claims experience
In 2025, 53% of digital IP claims lodged through TAL Connect arrived before the end of the waiting period, compared to 17% for paper-based claims. That earlier start is giving our claims consultants more time to gather what's needed, coordinate with treating practitioners and connect members with rehabilitation support sooner. The article looks at what that means for both claims assessment and recovery, and how early lodgement helped a member access coordinated cancer rehabilitation during treatment.
Claims Corner: The specialist network helping members through mental health IP claims
Mental health now drives one in five IP claims across the industry, with total payouts nearly doubling over five years. TAL has continued to build its in-house mental health capability and grow its network of specialist partners, to help coordinate clinical, vocational and community-based support that adapts as each member's needs change. This article looks at what that network includes, what it's delivering and where TAL is investing next.