If you're thinking about life insurances, chances are you have something worth protecting.
These days HIV or diabetes doesn't have to be a life sentence
But most insurance companies still treat you like it is.
People with pre-existing well‑managed complex health conditions have, up till now, been prevented from accessing quality Life Insurances and Income Protection cover, simply because of their conditions.
Explaining Life insurance cover
Life insurance (also called term life or death cover) is designed to protect against the financial impact of unexpected death and pay a specified amount of money to your beneficiaries, helping to make sure they’re looked after in the event should that occur.
- The benefit payout is either paid to the owner of the policy, your nominated beneficiaries, or your estate.
- High-quality life cover can also payout upon diagnosis of a terminal illness in the final 24 months.
Practically speaking - don't leave your debt to people you love
Case Study
Meet John and David: partnered and paying a large mortgage together.
David’s $1.5 million life insurance policy will ensure his partner John is cared for in the event of an unexpected death or terminal illness, and the amount of cover is sufficient to pay off the mortgage and provide funds to invest to help replace David's income too.
- After driving home from a work event, David is injured in a multi-vehicle car accident, suffering a heart attack and passed away.
- His life insurance payout meant his partner John could remain in the family home they’d renovated together, could pay off the remaining mortgage, could continue to live close to their established network of friends and family of choice in the community they had both contributed to and live the lifestyle they had designed together.
It allowed John to face an unexpected major life change with the backup of significant financial options.
Why you may need life cover
Most people don't know that 30% of all life insurance payouts have been for terminal illness
Expenses to protect could include:
- How much would be needed to pay off all your debt upon your unexpected death?
- How much would your surviving partner (and any dependents) need to pay living expenses?
- How much do children need to complete education and how will this be funded?
- If you unexpectedly passed away, would you want your partner to need to downsize and move to a cheaper location?
- Would you want them to have the stability of being able to remain in a familiar environment and help any children complete their education with the advantage of having a parent at home to look after them?
- And what are the practical cost for end-of-life expenses and how will this be funded?
Real Life Statistics
- 30% of all life cover claims are for terminal illnesses.
- 43,477 deaths were attributed to cardiovascular disease in Australia in 2017 and kills one Australian every 12 minutes. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare – Injury, June 2017
This is not just about getting a Life Insurance policy, this is a human rights issue.
We believe that every Australian should have equal access to high-quality Life Insurance products, no matter what their sexuality, gender, race, age or beliefs. We believe this is not just about getting Life Insurance, this is a human rights issue.
Life Insurance can help you be certain your loved ones are provided for; your child's educational needs are taken care of and your chosen family won't have to worry about their future if you’re not there to continue to protect and provide for them.
When does life insurance payout?
Life insurance will normally payout upon the death of the life insured and can help their dependants cope financially after you die.
Many people don't know that high-quality life insurance can also pay out upon the diagnosis of a terminal illness in the remaining 24 months, as well making it a strong part of a backup plan.
A sad but all too-common experience
Often, when a couple establishes a life insurance policy to protect each other, one person has their application accepted, but the other is refused because of a pre-existing health condition.
Both are left feeling that a wedge has been driven between them and that their needs and choices were not understood, honoured or valued.
At Unusual Risks Insured our mission is to change this and be the change we want to see in the world.
How it works together with other insurance covers
This is how Life Insurance works alongside Disability Insurances
- Life Insurance can also payout upon a Terminal Illness in the last 24 months.
- Approximately 30% of all life insurance payouts are for terminal illnesses.
- This is referred to as a payment in advance and can be a significant financial help during the most difficult of times.
- Crisis Recovery insurance is designed to pay an immediate lump sum to help offset unexpected medical expenses and help you maintain your financial liquidity in the event of an unforeseen (and usually expensive) medical crisis specified in the policy. This can help stabilise debt obligations and boost your personal cash flow at a time when you are focused on recovery.
- Income Protection insurance is designed to protect up to 70% of your income after a waiting period of your choice, while you cannot work due to sickness or injury.
- Total & Permanent Disability insurance is designed to protect against long-term disability and pay a lump sum after a 6-month wait if you become permanently disabled, as defined in the policy and you can no longer work in your current occupation.
Life insurance can provide a safety net for you today against terminal illness and provide for your family tomorrow.
Questions people ask about ...
General Questions people ask about Life Insurance
Take a look at some quick questions people ask about Life Insurance.
What is it?The basic premise is simple:
- Life insurance gives you peace of mind while you're alive, and financial support for your loved ones when you're gone.
Life insurance can make a huge difference for you, your partner and your family, not just financially but emotionally too.
What's the chance of needing it?- There is a 1 in 10 chance of needing to claim for Life insurance or Terminal Illness.
Setting up a life insurance policy sooner, rather than later, will give you immediate security, more options and flexibility you'll need in the future.
Do I need Life Insurance?
Most probably, Yes.
It's something you should have if there are people in your life depending on you for everyday living expenses, renting a home or paying a mortgage and other major debts, protecting a family and even funding education costs or helping aging parents heading for retirement.
If you expect to have someone in the future who will be depending upon you, you might like to get things sorted now while you have confidence you can qualify for a life insurance policy.
How much does it cost?
The cost of Life Insurance is based on a range of factors: your age, gender, smoking (and vaping) status, current health, lifestyle, and general occupation.
Many people take a 'best to budget approach' and set a budget for insurance premiums.
How does it work?
If you were to unexpectedly pass away or become terminally ill, the policy is designed to payout to the nominated beneficiary or the estate of the life insured.
You can change your life insurance beneficiary nomination as often as you need.
How do you pay for it?
Life insurance premiums can be paid monthly or half-yearly and yearly by direct debit.
You may even be able to have the premiums paid from an existing super fund or SMSF as an automatic partial rollover, in certain circumstances.
How much life insurance cover do I need?
It depends on where you are in your life, what your big plans are and who depends on you financially.
If your single and self-reliant, you're probably interested in Income Protection for you now and Life Insurance for your future partner.
When you're in a relationship or have a family, you probably want to have enough to replace your income so your partner or spouse and children have the support they need.
- Use the Governments Money Smart Insurance Needs Calculator to find out how much life insurance you may need or we can help you talk through your options and prioritise your needs.
- You might also enjoy watching our fun explainer video called How Much is Enough? to help start your thinking about this difficult question.
Can they cancel the policy on me if I get sick?
No. A Guaranteed Renewable policy is an insurance policy feature that obligates the insurer to continue coverage as long as premiums are paid on the policy, regardless of changes in the policy owners health or occupation.
Can I upgrade the policy as I need later?
Yes. You can always apply to upgrade an existing policy to a higher level of cover.
You will probably need to make a fresh application and health assessment when seeking to increase your level of cover, so consider taking out a higher level of cover now with certainty, rather than running the risk later of not being able to increase your policy due to any unforeseen significant change in your occupation or your health.
Do I have to update them about changes in my health?
No. There is no requirement for you to update a life insurance company about any changes in your future health.
Once a Life Insurance policy is in force, any future changes in your health (or even your occupation), will not affect your cover while the policy remains paid up and in force.
Where to Now?
Continue your journey…
- Make sure you Browse through our Blog
- Have questions? See our Frequently Asked Questions
- Discover someone with a similar situation in our list of Case Studies
- When you're ready to know if we can work with you, take our Anonymous Pre-assessment
- Send us an Email or Jump the queue and Call for a Chat
