Can I hold Income Protection insurance inside my superannuation fund?

Yes, many Australians hold Income Protection insurance through their superannuation fund, which offers both advantages and disadvantages compared to holding it outside super (retail policies). The main advantage is that premiums are paid from your super balance using pre-tax money, making it more affordable in the short term as it doesn't impact your take-home pay. However, there are significant trade-offs: super fund IP policies often provide lower coverage (typically 70% of income vs 75-85% for retail policies), may have shorter benefit periods (2 years is common), and the benefit payments are made to your super fund rather than directly to you, creating tax complications. When benefits are paid from super, they may be taxable when you withdraw them, depending on your age and components of the payment. Super fund policies often have more restrictive definitions of disability and may not include some features available in retail policies. You also have less control over the policy, as the fund's trustees make decisions about coverage levels and features. If you change jobs and super funds frequently, maintaining continuous cover can be challenging. For comprehensive, long-term protection, a retail policy outside super often provides better coverage, despite the higher after-tax cost. Many people benefit from a combination of both.