How military leave affects your insurance

If you’re employed in Reserve or Active service in the Australian Defence Forces, taking military leave can impact your insurance with your GESB Super or West State Super account.

You are not covered while on Active Service

Active Service means, whether in Australia or overseas, participation in the armed forces of any country or organisation, War Service or engagement in a theatre of war but excludes operations authorised by the Australian Government to provide natural disaster and/or humanitarian relief where these operations are not undertaken while on War Service or in a theatre of war. For the avoidance of doubt, an Insured Member who is enrolled in the Australian Defence Force Reserve is only on Active Service where they have been called up for service, and then only if such service otherwise satisfies this definition of Active Service. However, if you die while on War Service for Australia, you may still receive a Death benefit. A Death benefit will not be paid for you if you die in War Service for a country other than Australia.

Note: War Service means service in a war (whether declared or not), revolution, invasion, rebellion or civil unrest.

Reservists taking leave, for the purposes of continuous full-time service of the regular Defence Force, will receive Defence Force salaries and employment conditions applicable to permanent members of the Defence Force. Therefore, insurance benefits may be available via the Military Super Scheme.

Death and Total & Permanent Disablement (TPD) cover continues in Reserve training

If you go on leave to take part in Reserve training, your Death and Total & Permanent Disablement cover will continue until your account does not have sufficient funds to cover your insurance premiums.

Salary Continuance Insurance (SCI) might not continue

Your Superannuation Guarantee (SG) employer contributions are based on your salary. When you are on paid leave, your employer contributions will be paid as normal. When you take leave without pay (LWOP) and no salary is paid, no employer contributions will be paid.

Your SCI cover will lapse if your account doesn’t receive an SG contribution for 180 days (previously 120 days prior to 1 October 2022). However, you can elect to continue SCI cover but will first need to contact us about this.

How unpaid leave affects your insurance

Check your details are up to date

It’s important we have your current contact details, so that we can contact you if we need to tell you important information about your account or your insurance cover.

To view or change your current details, login to Member Online or call us on 13 43 72.