As Australia’s leading medical defence organisation and a mutual not-for-profit organisation, we have a proud heritage of protecting and supporting doctors that spans over a century. This means that absolutely everything we do is driven by the aim to support Australian doctors through our understanding of their specific needs. This is why we have chosen to develop a range of life insurance products tailored specifically to the needs of today’s medical professional.

Life insurance products are typically one size fits all, designed for everyone from professionals, trades people, unskilled workers to homemakers. In trying to meet the needs of everyone, we believe they have become overly complicated, have many forms of cross subsidy built in and policy holders often pay for benefits and features they don’t need, nor understand.

The Avant Life Insurance offering is different, it is designed by doctors for doctors, to meet the unique needs of doctors with tailor-made benefits to protect doctors in a way that other products in the market currently do not do.

Life insurance products are typically designed for a broad range of occupations, including everyone from professionals, trades people, unskilled workers to homemakers. We believe that in trying to meet the needs of many, they have become overly complicated, and can often have many forms of cross subsidy built in and policy holders often pay for benefits and features they don’t need, nor understand.

The Avant Life Insurance offering is different. We have been able to introduce many new benefits and features to the industry that provide additional value for doctors because our offering is not available to other occupations or where insurers would be reluctant to offer these benefits to some occupations as they would be considered an un-acceptable risk for an insurer to underwrite. This means that our insurance products are better able to focus on the features that matter most to doctors, without having to pay for those that don’t. Importantly, it also means that our products are better tailored to fit the stages of a doctors life and career; whether you’re single, have a family, and if you’re a doctor in training, an established doctor or the owner of a private practice.

With most other product providers compete for the broad insurance market; Avant has decided to continue to offer tailored products for doctors. Through thorough research and consultation with doctors to find out what is most important to them, Avant’s insurance products have been tailor made to offer comprehensive cover with benefits that are truly unique to a doctor’s needs. Our cover has specifically designed benefits that truly bridge the gaps of the products offered by traditional insurers.

Avant Mutual Group Limited (Avant Mutual) has chosen to work with NobleOak Life Limited (NobleOak) to provide this insurance cover to you. NobleOak is a friendly society and similar to Avant Mutual, NobleOak has been protecting its members for over 100 years. NobleOak and Avant Mutual have a shared philosophy of providing tailored insurance solutions and personal service to all members.

Avant’s Income Protection is jointly issued by NobleOak and Avant Insurance Limited. Avant Insurance Limited is the insurer for the Litigation Support Benefit and NobleOak is the insurer for all other benefits.

As a part of Avant’s partnership with NobleOak, Avant has become a cornerstone shareholder of NobleOak, and holds a seat on its Board.

There are two ways to apply for Avant Life Insurance. If you know the level of cover you require, you can call AFS and request a quote and one of the team will assist you with implementing your required cover. Should you need advice on the type and level of cover you require, you are able to make an appointment with an AFS financial adviser who will complete a financial needs analysis with you, recommend the type and levels of cover you require and help you to implement it.

Call us on 1800 128 268 or email us to organise a time.

If you’re not completely satisfied that your Avant Life Insurance plan will meet your needs, you may cancel it within 30 days of the commencement date for a full refund. After 30 days, you are able to cancel your cover whenever you wish but will not receive reimbursement of your premiums.

Personal advice is where we AFS will analyse your unique financial situation, taking into account your personal needs, assets, income and current portfolio and then provide advice that is tailor made to you.

You can apply for insurance cover from age 20 to age 60 (or 70 for Life Cover). We also provide a range of options for insuring children and grandchildren from age two to 16.

Sick leave provides paid time off work only for a limited amount of time. Should you suffer a more severe illness or accident that results in your being off work for an extended period of time, sick leave will more than likely not suffice. Income Protection insurance will replace up to 75% of your income should you be unable to work for an extended period of time including if you are permanently unable to return to work. Income Protection is able to replace your income up to age 70, not just temporarily like sick leave will.

There is also the ability to insure up to a further 10% for contributions into super (to a maximum benefit of $2,667).

Yes, you are able to change your level of cover at any time (subject to age and maximum cover limits). Our products include a feature. Future Needs Guarantee, which allows you to change your cover each year as your needs change over time without the need for additional medicals. You just need to be aware that increasing your cover outside of the Future Needs Guarantee is subject to additional underwriting requirements.

You are able to reduce your level of cover at any time.

When applying for cover, you need to select a waiting period for your Income Protection. You can choose a waiting period of 30, 60, 90 or 180 days. You may also choose a waiting period of one year or two years. The longer the waiting period you choose, the lower your premium will be.

If you return to work in your full capacity after receiving an Income Replacement Benefit or Limited Capacity to Work Benefit and you suffer a relapse of the same or a related illness or injury within 12 months of your claim ending, we will waive the waiting period and treat the relapse as a continuation of your original claim and benefit period.

As soon as we have received your completed application, you may be eligible for complimentary interim cover. All benefits, features and options of the Income Protection plan you have applied for are provided to you under your complimentary interim cover, subject to and in accordance with, the other provisions of the Income Protection plan.

Many of the benefits and features of Avant’s Income Protection insurance cannot be offered within superannuation due to legislative restrictions. Generally, income protection held within superannuation is not as comprehensive as cover held outside of superannuation and in most cases does not offer the same benefit term that cover held outside of superannuation does. We recommended that you seek personal advice on this matter. Please call AFS on 1800 128 268 for assistance.

Many of the benefits and features of Avant’s Income Protection insurance cannot be offered within superannuation due to legislative restrictions. To ensure you still have access to the full range of benefits whilst utilising superannuation to help pay for your premiums, Avant have created the Super Splitting Option which allows you to purchase the same fully featured cover. It does this by splitting your cover into two plans –- one within superannuation (‘Income Protection Super’) and one outside (‘Income Protection Super Linked’).

Your insurance plan will end on the earliest of:

• the plan anniversary date following your 70th birthday
• your death
• your request to cancel your plan is received by us
• we cancel your plan due to:
• - non-payment of premiums
• - your failure to comply with the duty of disclosure
• - a fraudulent claim.
• Not meeting the eligibility requirements of your cover
• Any other date applied under a special condition as shown on your plan schedule

Injury, illness or litigation can be stressful enough without having to worry about premium payments. Should you be entitled to receive a benefit under your Income Protection plan, your premiums will be waived for the period you receive that benefit, including the waiting period. We will also refund any premiums you have paid which cover the same period.

Yes, you are able to insure your income, so long as you are employed for at least 20 hours a week.

As soon as we have received your completed application, you may be eligible for complimentary interim cover. All benefits, features and options of Life Cover, as well as the TPD Cover plan you have applied for are provided to you under your complimentary interim cover, subject to and in accordance with, the other provisions of Life Cover and TPD Cover.

Premiums for Life Insurance and TPD Cover held outside of superannuation are not tax deductible but this means that any claim payment that is made is tax free if the plan is held in an individual capacity.

Wherever your medical career or personal life takes you, World Wide Cover means that you can rest assured you’re protected, regardless of where or when your death, illness or injury occurs.

When applying for life insurance cover, your health at the time of application plays a big part in whether cover will be offered and also what insurance premium will be charged for that cover. Therefore, it is beneficial to apply for cover while you are healthy to ensure you get the cover you require. Applying for cover when you already suffer from an illness or injury can result in loadings to your premium being applied or the cover being declined altogether.

There is no limit to the amount of Life Cover you can apply for. The maximum amount of TPD Cover that can be applied for is $5 million.

Yes, if you own your Life Cover plan, you are able to nominate beneficiaries for your insurance plan to whom the benefits will be paid in the event of your death. All other benefits will be payable to the plan owner.

As soon as we have received your completed application and payment authority, you may be eligible for complimentary interim cover. All benefits, features and options of Trauma Cover and Children’s Cover you have applied for are provided to you under your complimentary interim cover, subject to and in accordance with, the other provisions of Trauma Cover.

The premiums for Trauma Cover and Children’s Cover are not tax deductible and therefore, in the event of a claim being paid, the payout is not taxable.

Wherever your medical career or personal life takes you, World Wide Cover means that you can rest assured you’re protected, regardless of where or when illness or injury occurs.

If your spouse is a doctor they can also get cover. If your spouse is not a doctor AFS can help by recommending another life insurance provider.

The Trustee of your Self-Managed Super Fund may purchase Life, TPD and Income Protection, however Trauma, Practice Expense and Children’s Cover cannot be held within superannuation.

With TPD Cover and Income Protection, not all benefits features and options are available through super, so you will need to purchase these separately outside of super. Please see Super Splitting for more details.

Yes, this is possible but we recommend you seek professional advice and consider the tax implications of doing so.

You can, but this could have tax implications when a claim is paid. We recommend you seek professional advice on this matter.

You are able to pay your premiums, monthly, quarterly or annually.

No, there is no restriction on how you can use the payment received from your insurance claim.

Yes, if you own your Life Cover plan you are able to nominate beneficiaries for your insurance plan, to whom the benefits will be paid in the event of your death. If your Life Cover is owned by a third party death benefits will be paid to the plan owner. All other benefits will be payable to the plan owner.