Insurance Is Scarce For Chronically Ill
The Age
Monday December 14, 1992
COULD you please advise how I can protect my mortgage via insurance if I am chronically ill? And how I can obtain travel insurance, salary- loss cover, life insurance (with early death and disability cover) and superannuation (with early death and disability cover)?
I have had Crohn's disease (a chronic, debilitating, auto-immune gut disease) for 30 years _ my entire working life. I am about to have my fourth major operation (removal of small intestine) which, with minor operations from side effects at the rate of one every two or three years, has meant that I take approximately one week's sick leave per year. On the credit side of my employer's ledger is that I have taken no other sick leave for minor ailments such as colds, flu, etc, and in my present job have worked consistent 70 to 80-hour weeks for 15 years with only one or two weeks' holiday per year.
I do this to ensure that if and when ``the big one" comes, I will have a positive balance to cover me for those eventualities the healthy are able to gain insurance against.
Name and address supplied MY investigations show that, indeed, there are onerous conditions imposed for people with Crohn's disease. For example, no private income protection (or ``disability") is ordinarily available if the client has had an attack within four years, which appears to be the case here.
Life insurance is typically available at twice the normal premium if an attack has been experienced within 12 months and lower if it has been a longer time.
You may have accumulated substantial assets over time, which would help tide you over. Ordinary sick leave may also be accumulated with some employers. Also, my inquiries with the Department of Social Security indicate that you could apply for sickness benefits.
Chris Hanson, Godfrey Weston
© 1992 The Age
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