A Queensland man continues to wait for an insurance payout, three years after a hit-and-run incident left him unable to work and facing significant financial and emotional challenges.
According to a 9Now report, Daniel Topfer was injured in a December 2021 road rage incident near Sunshine Plaza on the Sunshine Coast. He sustained multiple fractures and other injuries when a car struck him after performing an illegal U-turn, following an altercation captured on dashcam footage.
The driver involved, who was 18 at the time, has since served a jail sentence for the attack. However, Topfer has yet to receive compensation for the injuries and trauma stemming from the event.
Although the incident occurred following a work Christmas party, Topfer was not eligible for workers’ compensation.
His injuries prevented him from returning to work, forcing him and his wife to relocate to a less expensive area. The move also disrupted his family life, separating them from children shared under a custody arrangement.
“It massively changed our lives,” Topfer told 9Now. “I lost my income; we were forced to move.”
He expressed frustration at the length of time the claim process has taken.
“I understand them saying, ‘We have to give it 12 months to see how your injuries have turned out,’ but you know, 12 months was nearly two years ago, so it’s too long,” he said.
Suncorp Group, the insurer handling the claim, stated that delays were partly due to differences in medical evaluations of Topfer’s injuries.
“Given the two-year period required for Daniel’s injuries to stabilise, Suncorp believes it has handled his claim fairly and efficiently, progressing within typical timeframes for a claim of this complexity,” a Suncorp spokesperson told 9Now.
The insurer said that it has made several offers since legal proceedings began and has provided rehabilitation payments to Topfer.
Negotiations with his legal team regarding compensation for lost income and other damages are ongoing.
“Suncorp has provided rehabilitation payments to Daniel during the negotiations and is optimistic that a mutually agreeable settlement can be reached soon, which will include compensation for past losses, such as lost income, up to the resolution of the claim,” the spokesperson said.
Topfer’s case spotlights data from the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), current as of June 2024, highlighting trends in claims and disputes across various insurance products.
According to APRA, funeral insurance reported a 100% claims admittance rate for individual non-advised policies, while group death insurance reached 99%.
Disability income insurance (DII) showed an admittance rate of 95% for individual advised policies, and trauma insurance recorded an 86% rate for group plans.
However, DII policies had some of the highest dispute ratios. Individual non-advised DII policies saw 425 disputes per 100,000 lives insured, while individual advised DII policies recorded 334 disputes.
Other categories, including total permanent disability (TPD) and trauma insurance, also showed elevated dispute ratios.
Resolution rates for disputes varied. Death insurance disputes were resolved 86% of the time, while TPD disputes were resolved 81% of the time. These figures reflect ongoing challenges in settling more complex claims, which often involve lengthy medical assessments and negotiations.
