Do I need trauma cover as well as ACC?

Right, good question and this is one that we get often. First, let’s define the role of each cover.

Trauma Cover products pay out a lump sum of money if you are diagnosed with, or suffer from one of a large number of listed serious health conditions including cancer, heart attack, stroke and many more depending on your policy.

ACC provides compulsory insurance cover for personal injury for everyone in New Zealand. This means if you are injured by an accident in New Zealand, ACC may pay some of your medical and rehabilitation costs. It’s also vital to remember that if you do have an accident and your claim is approved by ACC, they only cover up to 80% of your income.

Can you see the major difference here? Trauma cover protects you in the event of a health condition whereas ACC may cover you if you are injured in an accident.

Sadly, nearly 70% of work absences are due to illness, not accidents. If you suffer from a medical event, you may end up needing months off work where unpaid bills will mount up. ACC will not cover any of these bills or even supplement your income as they only assist with injuries. 

“Don’t rely solely on ACC, spread your risk. If you are paying ACC levies, for many clients there is an option to reduce these levies and cover you comprehensively for illnesses as well. We want to help you feel secure knowing that you are actually covered. That sounds like a win-win to me.” 

That’s one less thing on your already overworked mind. Flick us a message or give us a bell, we would be happy to help.