A spokesman for MetLife provides details of the global insurer's management of NSW Police Total and Permanent Disability claims
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In light of recent commentary about the incidence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) within the NSW Police Force and related Total and Permanent Disability insurance claims, MetLife Insurance Limited wishes to clarify aspects of its handling of those claims.
MetLife was the Total and Permanent Disability insurer to the Police Blue Ribbon Insurance (PBRI) Scheme, operated by superannuation fund First State Super Trustee Corporation, in the years 2005 to 2011. In 2012 the NSW Government replaced the scheme and new cover was issued by TAL Life.
MetLife is one of the world’s largest life insurers and brings deep global experience to Total and Permanent claims assessment. We seek to assess all claims with integrity, professionalism and promptness.
Total and Permanent Disability insurance is a discrete insurance protection designed to assist people in exceptionally difficult circumstances if they find themselves unable to ever work again in any capacity due to illness or injury.
As at December 2014 MetLife has received over 700 Total and Permanent Disability claims from former NSW Police officers who had been medically discharged and who claim Total and Permanent Disability arising from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder during our PBRI contract period. We have paid out more than $156 million in benefits relating to these claims.
Claims related to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder are extremely complex and each claim must be assessed thoroughly, with advice from independent medical and other specialists.
Claims relating to Total and Permanent Disability can require consideration of circumstances that span several years, adding to the complexity and duration of many assessments. In many cases there is also a delay of several years after an incident causing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder occurs before a claim reaches MetLife.
In the meantime, in the case of former police officers we understand that under the relevant industrial award the State provides a substantial Partial and Permanent Disability (PPD) lump sum compensation payment from the State upon their medical discharge.
Following an increase in claims in recent years MetLife has boosted the number of assessors assigned to the Police Blue Ribbon Fund claims assessment. This has helped reduce the volume of outstanding claims awaiting a determination to less than 200 as at Jan 2015.
In relation to the assertion that an independent panel should be set up to finalize the remaining claims assessments – we believe that with the additional resources now applied to assessing outstanding claims, all claims will be assessed well inside the proposed time frame of six months suggested by the Panel.
In fact there already exists an independent and cost-free panel chaired by a Senior Counsel known as a Claims Review Committee, which makes determinations on disputed claims in a transparent and expedient manner. We are not aware of any concerns with that panel.
We continue to work directly with the Police Commissioner and his team, First State Super, our reinsurer RGA, and other parties to ensure that all remaining genuine claims are assessed and paid as soon as possible.