Accident, Sickness & Unemployment Insurance FAQs
Often overlooked, our extensive frequently asked questions section gives you information about accident, sickness and unemployment insurance (ASU insurance).
- Can I take out a policy at any age?
- How long will I have to wait before policy benefit payments will be made?
- How long will the policy keep paying?
- I am not a permanent employee, I am employed on a contract basis. Can I apply for a policy?
- I am self-employed with my own business. Can I claim if I have to cease trading?
- Can I claim for a medical condition I had before I bought the cover?
- Can I claim for pregnancy or childbirth?
- I took out ASU insurance because I knew it was likely that I was going to become unemployed. Can I still claim when this happens?
- If I am unemployed and can only get short term temporary work, will I be able to resume claim payments when the temporary work ends, without having to start a new waiting period before the claim is paid?
- What happens if I am claiming for unemployment and I become unwell and unavailable for work - will I have to go through another waiting period?
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Can I take out a policy at any age?
Policies usually cover you from age 18 up to a specified age of 60 or 65, but a higher age limit may be available.
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How long will I have to wait before policy benefit payments will be made?
There is usually a waiting period at the start of each claim before benefits are paid. This may be 30, 60 days or longer. Some policies may then pay benefits from that date or backdate to day 1 of the claim.
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How long will the policy keep paying?
Policies will typically pay out for 12 or 24 months, or until you return to work, if sooner. Permanent Health Insurance (PHI) will usually pay until you reach retirement age.
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I am not a permanent employee, I am employed on a contract basis. Can I apply for a policy?
Some insurers will you if you have been on a contract for at least 1 year, and had it renewed at least once, or have worked continuously for at least 2 years.
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I am self-employed with my own business. Can I claim if I have to cease trading?
Some policies may cover you if you have involuntarily ceased trading because you could not find enough work. However, voluntary insolvency would not be covered.
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Can I claim for a medical condition I had before I bought the cover?
Most pre-existing conditions will be excluded from the policy cover. However, some insurers may cover you if you have been free of symptoms for a certain length of time prior to taking out the insurance.
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Can I claim for pregnancy or childbirth?
No - not unless there is a serious medical complication which is diagnosed by a recognised obstetric specialist.
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I took out ASU insurance because I knew it was likely that I was going to become unemployed. Can I still claim when this happens?
No. If you are aware at the start date of the policy of any circumstances that may result in you becoming unemployed, the insurer will not accept your claim. This is whether you had official notice of unemployment or not.
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If I am unemployed and can only get short term temporary work, will I be able to resume claim payments when the temporary work ends, without having to start a new waiting period before the claim is paid?
Some insurers may suspend your claim whilst you are working and start again when the work ends without having to wait again. The insurer will then add up all the period of payment towards the maximum period for which benefits may be paid.
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What happens if I am claiming for unemployment and I become unwell and unavailable for work - will I have to go through another waiting period?
Not usually, many insurers allow you to switch from unemployment benefit to sickness benefit without having to go through another waiting period.
