Superannuation fund trustees take too long to process claim payouts, falling short of member expectations, according to a consumer group.

Members expect total and permanent disability claims to take 2.2 months on average and death benefits to take 2.3 months, Super Consumers Australia says following a survey of 4815 Australians.

Available fund data shows TPD payments can take more than six months and a report last year from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission found the fastest trustee closed about 48% of death benefit claims in 90 days; the slowest trustee closed only about 8% of claims in that time.

A follow-up ASIC report in June on super trustees’ handling of death benefit claims found some progress but noted many trustees had not actioned basic plans to improve processes.

Super Consumers says the federal government should set enforceable payment deadlines and require every fund to track and publish the total time people wait for payments.

“Only a few funds currently publish how long payments take,” director of policy Jessica Spence said.

“Credit to them for stepping up and making themselves accountable to their customers. But we need to see all funds reporting this data and we need them reporting the same data so that people can compare and make a choice for good service.

“We need deadlines that count from someone’s first contact with their fund until they are paid, backed by consistent public reporting.”