Australians discussing support after a change in health

Mental Health

Depression and TPD Claims

Depression eroding your concentration, energy and motivation at work? You don't need to know whether you're eligible before speaking with us. Reach out to Thrive Claims today.

Check Eligibility Call1300 059 888

$0 Upfront. Ever $0 If You Don't Win AU Nationwide Support 100% Confidential

Depression and work

When Depression Changes What You Can Do

Depression can affect a person’s mood, motivation, concentration, energy and ability to manage everyday activities, and its impact can extend into the workplace. For some people, symptoms may make it difficult to maintain attendance, perform usual duties or sustain the demands of ongoing employment. If depression has significantly affected your capacity to work, you may be eligible to make a Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) insurance claim through your superannuation.

Understanding Depression and Your TPD Claim

Severe depression can quietly erode your concentration, decisions, energy and motivation: the exact things a job depends on. When it becomes persistent or hard to manage, remaining in employment can become genuinely unsustainable. In those cases, you may have grounds for a Total and Permanent Disability claim through superannuation. A diagnosis alone won't guarantee a payout; what matters is how depression has affected your ability to work, and what your specific policy requires.

What an Insurer Actually Looks At

Every claim is different, but assessment usually covers your diagnosis, severity and duration; treatment history and response to treatment; your symptoms and functional limitations; your employment history and duties; attempts to return to work; and your ongoing capacity for employment. A diagnosis alone isn't enough. The strongest claims clearly connect the condition to what it actually stops you from doing at work.

“The real question isn't ‘Do I have depression?’ It's ‘How has it changed my capacity to work?’”

Work capacity

How Depression Can Show Up at Work

Depression affects everyone differently, but common work-related difficulties can include:

01Maintaining concentration for extended periods

02Remembering instructions or information

03Making decisions

04Communicating with colleagues or management

05Maintaining regular attendance

06Getting through a normal working day

07Coping with workplace pressure

08Maintaining motivation and productivity

09Managing deadlines and responsibilities

10Sleeping normally and maintaining energy

11Returning to work after an extended absence

Depression doesn't have to be work-related to support a claim. It can develop from life events, trauma, illness, or without any single obvious cause.

When Depression Fluctuates Rather Than Stays Constant

Depression doesn't always present as a single, unchanging state. Some people experience periods of relative stability followed by significant relapses, particularly under work pressure or after a life event. This pattern doesn't weaken a potential claim; if anything, a documented history of relapse and attempted recovery can help demonstrate the genuine, ongoing impact of the condition on your capacity to sustain employment over time, rather than a single isolated episode.

Still Working, on Other Support, or Managing More Than One Condition?

None of these rule out a claim on their own. Many people continue working reduced hours, on modified duties, or through repeated attempts to return before finding they can't sustain it; that history can actually support your case rather than undermine it. Receiving other income support doesn't determine your TPD entitlement either; each needs investigating separately. And depression rarely occurs in total isolation; it's often alongside anxiety, PTSD, chronic pain or a physical condition. If several things are affecting your ability to work, tell us the full picture; don't try to decide which condition “counts.”

What Actually Builds Your Case

Evidence typically comes from your treating doctors, psychiatrists and psychologists, covering your diagnosis, treatment, symptoms, functional limitations and capacity for work. Employment information rounds out the picture, showing the real-world effect of your condition. You don't need to work out exactly what evidence you need before contacting us.

How Thrive Claims Helps

If depression has made work difficult or impossible, Thrive Claims investigates your potential cover through your superannuation and manages the claim from there. You don't need to know whether you're eligible before speaking with us.

Check Eligibility

Questions, answered

Depression FAQs

Straight answers about depression, work capacity and TPD claims, written in plain English.

Can I claim TPD for depression?

Yes, potentially. Whether a claim can be made and whether it will be accepted depends on the terms of your TPD policy and your individual circumstances, not on the diagnosis alone. See Can I Claim TPD?

How severe does depression need to be for TPD?

There is no single severity threshold that applies to every policy. The relevant definition and the effect of your condition on your ability to work need to be considered together. See Do I Qualify for a TPD Claim?

Can I claim TPD if depression caused me to stop working?

Yes, potentially. If depression has resulted in an ongoing inability to work, it may be appropriate to investigate whether TPD cover is available through your superannuation. See TPD After Leaving Work

Can I claim TPD while still working?

Yes, possibly. Continuing to work does not automatically rule out a claim, particularly where you have reduced your hours, changed duties or struggled to sustain employment. See Can I Claim TPD While Working?

Does depression need to be caused by my job?

No. TPD insurance through superannuation is not generally limited to conditions caused by employment, so a non-work cause doesn't rule anything out.

Can anxiety and depression be considered together?

Yes, potentially. If you have multiple diagnosed conditions that affect your capacity to work, the overall circumstances may be relevant to the claim. See TPD Multiple Conditions

Can I claim TPD if I am receiving the DSP?

Receiving the Disability Support Pension does not automatically mean you do or do not have TPD cover. Your superannuation insurance should be investigated separately. See Do I Have TPD Insurance Through Super?

What if I have tried several treatments for depression?

Your treatment history and response to treatment may be relevant evidence when assessing your circumstances, particularly where symptoms have persisted despite genuine treatment attempts. See TPD Medical Evidence

What documents help build a stronger depression claim?

Records from your treating doctors, psychiatrists and psychologists tend to matter most, alongside anything showing how the condition has actually affected your work over time. See TPD Claim Documents

What if my depression claim is rejected?

A rejection isn't necessarily the final word. See TPD Claim Rejected and TPD Claim Appeal

When depression drains motivation, concentration and the energy needed to get through a working day, and this continues despite treatment, TPD claims may be worth considering. Our superannuation claims support helps you find out what cover your fund provides. An income protection claim may also apply while you are unable to work, and holding cover in more than one account may allow claims through multiple superannuation funds. Our services bring these options together.

Depression may follow bereavement, relationship breakdown, illness, bullying at work or no identifiable trigger at all. TPD depends on your policy definitions and capacity to work rather than where it began. It is assessed as a mental health injury or illness, and frequently overlaps with physical injury or illness such as chronic pain.

If depression contributes to receiving the Disability Support Pension or NDIS supports, checking your super insurance may be helpful. That support alone does not establish Total & Permanent Disability (TPD) claims eligibility, but it may have valid basis. If your depression followed a motor vehicle accident, Thrive Claims can explain which claims may be open to you.

Check Eligibility Call 1300 059 888

Specialist claim pathways

Explore Our Services

Australia wide support

TPD Claims Across Australia

Free and confidential

Has Depression Changed Your Ability to Work?

Start with a free assessment of your circumstances and any TPD cover held through superannuation.

Check Eligibility Call1300 059 888