Welcome to TAL News & Views
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Welcome to TAL News & Views
Recognising our partners among this year’s finalists
Next month’s 2026 Super Fund of the Year Awards will celebrate excellence across Australia’s superannuation sector in areas such as innovation, insurance and member outcomes. A special shout-out to this year’s finalists among TAL’s Group Life & Retirement partners: AMP Super, AustralianSuper, Aware Super, Brighter Super, CBUS, MLC Super, NGS Super, Prime Super and Rest, whose continued leadership and commitment to members have earned them well-deserved recognition.
Supporting innovation with AMP
Congratulations to AMP on the launch of North Protect. TAL is pleased to support this new offering, helping give advisers greater flexibility to support their clients’ insurance needs alongside super and investments.
Claims trends – APRA update October 2026
The latest APRA data points to a changing claims environment across the industry, with TPD acceptance rates falling, decision times lengthening and disputes rising. A significant driver is the growth in mental health claims and the trend towards younger members claiming TPD. Both make assessment more complex: these conditions are often subjective and/or episodic, and take longer to diagnose, so establishing permanency requires more evidence and more careful judgement.
Against this backdrop, TAL’s service has held up well. We’ve invested in our claims processes, added support for our claims consultants and for members through the claims journey, and continued to invest in digital and technology capability. Our performance on time to decision and disputes has remained comparatively stable and ahead of the industry, although no single measure tells the full story.
As TPD claims become more complex, careful assessment and fair, well-supported decisions remain critical to delivering good outcomes for members.
TAL Daiichi Life Australia Pty Limited proposed acquisition of remaining shares in Challenger Limited
TAL Daiichi Life Australia Pty Limited (TDA), an Australian subsidiary of Daiichi Life Group, Inc., confirms that it has submitted a non-binding indicative proposal to the Board of Challenger Limited (ASX: CGF) regarding a potential acquisition of the remaining 79.5% of ordinary shares it does not already own in Challenger for A$11.80 per share via a scheme of arrangement.
No binding agreement has been reached. The proposal is non-binding and any transaction would be subject to, amongst other things, satisfactory exclusive due diligence, negotiation and agreement of final terms, and the receipt of all required regulatory approvals. TDA will make further announcements as and when there are material developments to disclose.
TAL’s position on genetic testing
Earlier this month, we introduced updated messages across our online insurance application journeys to make TAL’s position on genetic testing clearer for members. TAL does not ask members to undertake genetic testing or provide genetic test results when applying for insurance. The new messages explain this upfront, while also helping members understand the other health and family history information they still need to provide. This will give members greater clarity and confidence when completing their application and support a fair and consistent experience across online and paper applications.
Putting mental health at the heart of resilience
On 12 October, TAL brought a life insurance perspective to Community Resilience Week at Parliament House in Canberra. Glenn Baird, TAL’s Head of Mental Health, joined the Hon. Dr Daniel Mulino MP, Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services, and Davina Dressler, SANE’s General Manager of Strategy, Growth and Engagement, to put mental health at the heart of the resilience conversation. With mental health driving 80% of the increase in total and permanent disability claims over the past decade, supporting members to stay well, connected to work and financially secure requires a coordinated effort from funds, insurers, government and specialist partners.
Looking ahead to ASFA 2026
The ASFA Conference is just around the corner, taking place from 17–19 November in Melbourne, with TAL participating in two panel sessions. Engaged by design: how digital readiness shapes the member experience will explore how digital capability can support engagement at scale and create more connected member experiences at key moments. TAL Group CEO and Managing Director Fiona Macgregor will also take part in the Insurance CEO panel to discuss how the sector is responding to members’ needs in a changing and challenging environment. You can also watch Paul Wallis share how TAL is helping to deliver for members in a changing world in his ASFA Conference teaser video. We hope to see you there, so don’t forget to come by the TAL expo stand and say hello.
The next phase of financial advice reform
The Government’s proposed financial advice reforms aim to make guidance more accessible and affordable while strengthening protections for super fund members. The article outlines what measures such as the proposed New Class of Adviser (NCA) and targeted member communications could mean for funds and their members as they make retirement and insurance decisions.
Meet our team: Shane Bennett
This month we speak with Shane Bennett, TAL’s Head of Digital Propositions, about how TAL is evolving its digital capabilities to create more connected experiences for fund partners and their members. Shane shares how TAL Connect is simplifying the claims experience, improving operational efficiency and laying the foundations for more personalised digital support.
Mental Health Month: The power of connection
New TAL research shows Australians value their relationships but often struggle to make time for them. This Mental Health Month, we explore how simple, low-pressure ways to connect can support everyday wellbeing, and how TAL’s mental health services support members before, during and after a claim.
Learn about the power of connection
Helping members make sense of retirement
Throughout September, TAL hosted specialists from TAL, AMP, MLC Expand and Aged Care Steps to explore retirement income strategies, the Age Pension and aged care. The article looks at how guidance and stronger connections between super funds and advisers can help members understand their options and approach retirement with greater confidence.