insurance changes
an overview of insurance changes and new non-lapsing binding nominations from 1 July 2026
We're making some important changes to our insurance arrangements from 1 July 2026, including reducing insurance fees. This applies to HESTA Super and HESTA Personal Super members eligible for insurance cover.
We're also adding a new feature that all HESTA members will soon be able to access – non-lapsing binding death benefit nominations.
These changes start on 1 July 2026. For full details on all changes, read the Significant Event Notice (PDF).
some highlights
Reduced insurance fees
You'll pay less for the same insurance cover and this means more money stays in your account to invest for your future.
Faster access to full cover
Full cover starts sooner, after 10 consecutive days of Active Employment, down from 30 days.
Easier to apply for extra cover
You can apply to increase your Death or Income Protection Cover at any time, subject to insurer acceptance.
Non-lapsing binding death benefits
No more renewals and convenient online nomination.
More support for parents
We’re extending the insurance fee waiver for members on parental leave.
insurance changes in detail
We’re reducing insurance fees for:
- Death Cover
- Total and Permanent Disablement (TPD) Cover
- Income Protection (IP) Cover.
This means more money stays in your account to invest for your future.
Example
Bev is a 40-year-old HESTA member and nurse in the General occupation category who has default Death and IP Cover. This means she has 2 units of Death Cover and 2 units of IP Cover paid for up to 5 years with a 90-day waiting period to age 67.
Before 1 July 2026, Bev paid:
- Death Cover: $2.41 per week
- IP Cover: $2.44 per week
From 1 July 2026, she will pay:
- Death Cover: $2.26 per week
- IP Cover: $2.12 per week
From 1 July 2026, insurance fees are reducing for all HESTA Super and HESTA Personal Super members across all cover types.
View the updated insurance fees (PDF) >
From 1 July 2026, eligible HESTA Super and HESTA Personal Super members can apply anytime to increase:
- Death Cover up to a total of 6 units (including any existing cover)
- IP Cover up to a total of 12 units (including any existing cover).
To do this, you’ll need to log in to your account, select the amount of cover you want and complete a Short Personal Health Statement.
When applying to increase your IP Cover, you must also choose from either a:
- benefit payment period of 2 or 5 years
- a waiting period of 60 or 90 days
- Cover Expiry Age of 60 or 67.
Changes are subject to acceptance by the insurer. Please ensure you have enough money in your HESTA account to pay for your insurance fees.
Extended parental leave fee waiver
If you take employer-approved parental leave, you can apply to keep your insurance cover without paying fees for:
- 12 months, or
- 24 months if your baby is born before 37 weeks.
Self-employed members are not eligible.
Changes to pregnancy-related disability cover
We're improving your IP cover to better support members experiencing pregnancy-related disabilities. Up until 30 June 2026, disability related to pregnancy, childbirth or miscarriage was generally not covered under income protection.
From 1 July 2026, we’re making changes to the pregnancy related disability exclusion meaning more members may be eligible to receive an IP benefit.
When your Default Cover begins or restarts, you're initially covered for new illnesses or injuries that occur after your cover starts — this is called New Events Cover. From 1 July 2026, you’ll generally move to full cover after just 10 days of Active Employment, reduced from 30 days. That means less waiting and broader protection, sooner.
We're also updating the Active Employment definition. From 1 July 2026, receiving income support benefits — such as workers' compensation or social security — will mean you're not considered to be in Active Employment.
From 1 July 2026, we’re strengthening the TPD definition and assessment process. TPD claims will be assessed using the most up-to-date medical and work information — helping ensure decisions are made fairly and consistently. For claims assessed under the 'unlikely to do a suited occupation ever again' definition, you must be unable to work for three consecutive months from the Date of Disablement and remain unable to work until the claim is concluded by the insurer.
we're introducing non-lapsing binding death benefit nominations
From 1 July 2026, you’ll have the option to make a non-lapsing binding death benefit nomination. This is different to a binding death benefit nomination where you have to renew your beneficiary nomination every three years.
A valid non-lapsing binding nomination means we’re legally bound to pay your super to those beneficiaries you’ve nominated and your nomination stays in place until you decide to change or cancel it. You will be able to do this in your online account from 1 July 2026.
The Binding Death Benefit Nomination form remains available at hesta.com.au/bindingnom now and always.
With the incoming changes, it’s a great time to review your nomination or make one if you haven’t already. If you already have a valid binding beneficiary nomination, it won’t change unless it expires, otherwise becomes invalid, or you cancel it.
Read about it in the Significant Event Notice (PDF) or find out more about your current beneficiary nominations.