When someone passes away, their superannuation and any attached life insurance often form one of the largest payments their loved ones will ever receive. Yet for many grieving Australian families, getting that money paid out remains slow, stressful and confusing. A recent review by the corporate regulator confirms what many families already know firsthand: too many super funds are still taking far too long to handle death benefit claims.
If you are waiting on a deceased superannuation claim, understanding what is happening behind the scenes can help you advocate for yourself and know when to seek support.
What the latest ASIC review found
In June 2026, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) released a follow-up review examining how superannuation trustees handle death benefit claims. The findings were sobering. Two years after ASIC first pushed super funds to improve their death benefit claims handling, a follow-up review found very little to no improvement had been made.
ASIC’s review of 45 trustees found varying degrees of urgency, and some demonstrated no urgency at all in responding to its earlier criticism. The regulator was particularly concerned that some funds had not actioned basic process improvements, continuing to expose grieving beneficiaries to harm during periods of heightened emotional and financial distress.
Perhaps most striking was a single example cited in the review. One trustee took more than 500 days to pay a death benefit of around $100,000 to a First Nations woman grieving the loss of her husband.
Some funds are not even reviewing their own complaints
The review also revealed a worrying lack of self-awareness among certain funds. Early findings indicated that five of the ten trustees being reviewed had not identified a single systemic issue from their complaints data, and at least one trustee had not analysed their complaints data at all.
This matters because if a fund is not looking at where things go wrong, the same delays keep happening to family after family.
There has been some genuine progress
It is not all bad news, and that is worth acknowledging. The review found that internal dispute resolution complaints about death benefit claims delays dropped by 53 percent from the beginning of 2024 to the end of 2025. External dispute resolution complaints about these delays fell by more than 72 percent over the same period.
That said, complaints across superannuation generally remain high. Trustees received over 200,000 internal complaints in 2024-25, with more than half relating to service issues, and claim handling delays ranking among the top five service complaints.
What this means for your family’s claim
If you are claiming a deceased loved one’s super, the regulator’s findings highlight a few practical realities worth keeping front of mind.
Delays are common, but they are not always acceptable
Long processing times are widespread, but that does not mean you simply have to wait indefinitely. Funds are expected to handle claims in a timely, clear and respectful way, and ASIC has made clear it will continue holding trustees to account.
A valid binding nomination makes a real difference
ASIC wants trustees to do more to encourage members to make valid binding nominations. A binding death benefit nomination tells the fund exactly who should receive the money, which can significantly reduce delays and disputes. If you are still living, checking that your own nomination is current and valid is one of the simplest things you can do for your family.
You have the right to escalate
If your claim is stalling, you can lodge a complaint through the fund’s internal dispute resolution process, and if that does not resolve matters, through the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA). The sharp drop in complaints suggests escalation does prompt action.
How Accord Claims can help
Navigating a deceased superannuation claim while grieving is genuinely difficult, especially when a fund is slow to respond or unclear about what it needs from you. At Accord Claims, we help Australian families understand their entitlements, prepare the right documentation, chase up delays and challenge unfair decisions, so you can focus on what matters.
If you are waiting on a death benefit claim or feel your super fund is not treating your matter with the urgency it deserves, contact Accord Claims for a confidential, no-obligation discussion. You can also learn more about our Deceased Superannuation Claims service and our broader Life Insurance Claims support.
Disclaimer: This article contains general information only and does not take into account your personal circumstances. It is not legal or financial advice. Please seek advice tailored to your situation before making any decisions.