MLC Life Insurance has joined its peers in calling for legislative change to let the industry fund medical treatment for injured workers.

Life insurers are currently prohibited from providing benefits under continuous disability policies.

“The longer the wait for rehabilitative medical treatment, the more likely it is a person will be permanently off work,” Chief Claims Officer Natalie Cameron said.

“At the moment, we have customers whose best chance of returning to full health is via timely access to medical treatment, but who for legislative reasons are unable to access it.

“If laws were changed to permit a life insurer the option to fund a portion of medical treatment as part of a program of rehabilitation, all our customers would benefit.”

AustralianSuper and the Financial Services Council have also backed legislative change in their submissions to a parliamentary inquiry into private life insurance involvement in worker rehabilitation.