AFL players will no longer have head trauma included within their superannuation plan.
In an email obtained by SEN’s Tom Morris, insurance giant Zurich — which covers more than half of the AFL players — informed AMP — the super plan trustee — that “they cannot continue to support this high level of claims”.
SEN reports that the change will impact “more than 500 players”.
“We’ve considered Zurich’s proposal and have assessed a variety of other options,” the email from AMP read.
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“Of the options we looked at, the changes we’re communicating in this letter were considered by the trustee, acting in the best financial interests of members of the plan, to be most appropriate when compared to the alternatives.
“There have been a significantly higher-than-expected number of claims being paid over the last 5 years.
“The insurer has informed us that they cannot continue to support this high level of claims, when compared with the insurance charges they’ve received.”
More than half of the current AFL playing group and some AFLW players are insured by Zurich after the company won a tender process in late 2020.
SEN reports that the change has been made after a significant influx of claims following Angus Brayshaw’s career-ending head injury at the end of the 2023 season.
As a result of the change, hundreds of footballers are now set to search for their own cover, given the importance put on brain health and the increasing understanding of the dangers of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) — a progressive, fatal neurodegenerative disease caused by repeated head trauma.
In an email obtained and shared by Morris on X, AMP states that from May 1, changes to head trauma coverage will come into effect, with a huge decrease in the level of cover for all injuries.
Currently, if a player suffers a career-ending injury, they are entitled to as much as $1.1 million through their superannuation. But after May 1, that number drops substantially to just $450,000.
Conditions such as concussion, CTE and post-concussion syndrome that are diagnosed after May 1 will no longer be covered.
Players will still be able to access significant financial support following head trauma as a result of the injury, thanks to a support fund that is run and managed by the AFL Players Association.
However, the additional safety net of insurance within superannuation will no longer exist for head trauma.
It comes amid news that medically retired Melbourne premiership player Angus Brayshaw is still waiting on a Zurich payout worth roughly $1 million.
According to Morris, seven doctors have approved his claim — with a Zurich-hired doctor the only one who hasn’t, after his career was taken from him due to repeated concussion issues.
While dozens of other players have applied for the injury and support fund already.
Email sent to players, obtained by SEN’s Tom Morris.
The following terms and conditions changes will apply from 1 May 2026:
TPD exclusion for head trauma
The following exclusion will only apply to new claims where disablement (i.e. the condition or event giving rise to the claim) occurs on or after 1 May 2026.
No TPD benefit will be payable for any claim where the condition or event giving rise to the claim is directly or indirectly related to any one or a combination of the following, where medically-diagnosed as being related to a professional or amateur sporting injury (or related activities) at any time prior to the claim, including prior to the Policy start date:
• Concussion or traumatic head injury, related complications, treatment, or complications arising from treatment thereof;
• Chronic traumatic encephalopathy;
• Post-concussion syndrome; or
• any other diagnosis, cognitive impairment or mental disorder (as defined by the most current DSM manual as at 1 December 2022) linked to head trauma.
The above exclusion will not apply where the condition or event giving rise to the claim occurs:
• completely outside the work environment with the Plan employer; and
• outside the participation in professional or amateur sporting activities.
