Trauma Claim Story

Darren, 34, an electrician employed by a national building contractor, worked mostly on major high-rise construction projects.

Six years ago on the advice of his older brother, Darren talked to a financial adviser about insurance protection. Although single at the time with no children or major financial commitments, he insured his life and took out income protection and trauma cover of $200,000.

Darren's main interest in life, aside from Kerry, his partner of two years, was cricket. Priding himself on keeping fit and healthy, he was a longstanding member of his local club side with a reputation as a reliable opening batsman.

One Sunday at an away match two hours from home, he was waiting to go out to bat when he suddenly blacked out and collapsed. He was rushed to hospital, semi-conscious. One of his team mates contacted Kerry, and she hurried to the hospital to be with him.

Darren regained full consciousness at the hospital, and after urgent and extensive medical testing, he was diagnosed as having suffered a minor stroke. This news came as both a relief and a shock to him and Kerry - relief that he had not suffered something even more serious, and shock that someone his age could have a stroke, a medical condition they had both previously thought only affected much older people

After a period of rehabilitation, he made an almost full recovery, but was told that he would be on medication for the rest of his life to prevent further strokes.

While he was convalescing, his brother reminded him to check with his financial adviser about whether any of the insurance policies he'd taken out a few years ago would cover him now. Darren did so and learnt he could claim under his trauma policy, since stroke was one of the stipulated medical conditions. With his adviser's help he made the claim and received the full payment of $200,000.

He and Kerry paid off a substantial part of the home loan they had only recently taken out. They also decided they needed a holiday, and used some of the money to take a luxury three-week trip to the USA and Mexico.

Darren also claimed on his Crisis benefit under his income protection policy while he was off work. This helped cover their everyday expenses such as their home loan and other bills.

Darren returned to work after four months, and resumed playing cricket two months after that, when the new season began. His team mates said the break appeared to have done nothing for his batting.

* Claim story courtesy of Asteron Life Solutions