About Helen
Single parent Helen has two biological daughters aged 22 and 19, and one foster daughter aged 12. “All three children live at home with our myriad of pets – dogs, cats, chickens, ducks and birds”.
When Helen’s Stage 3 Cervical Cancer diagnosis landed, her packed to the rafters household was hit hard:
“I went from being employed as a full-time social worker, to relying on Centrelink benefits. This is extremely difficult to do. My two older daughters have picked up extra work shifts and are helping financially”.
Back in the beginning
When Helen split from her partner, the loan to buy her family home was “the first home loan I applied for after my divorce, as a single person”. She took out life insurance cover to protect herself, “especially when there’s only one person paying the loan”. It’s a subject Helen emphatically believes should be talked about with “all clients”.
Treatment and work arrangements
While Helen is one of those people who has a lot to give, her gruelling treatments meant she couldn’t physically attend work, let alone get through her caseload as a social worker. “My treatment plan included radiation each weekday, weekly chemotherapy, and brachytherapy”.
While fortunate enough to be able to take advantage of her employee entitlements like sick and annual leave, Helen’s finances were stretched to the limit. They were “not nearly enough to cover the six months of leave that is required for my cancer treatment”.
Making a claim
On getting in touch with ALI to make her claim, “the paperwork was not too onerous, communication was regular and the claim was paid out swiftly”. Without the prompt benefit payout, she continued, “I would have been left financially disadvantaged and possibly would have had to sell the family home”.
*Image featured above does not represent the actual policyholder.
*The current My Protection Plan has been available since 5 April 2021. The above is an example of a customer claim paid on a similar product distributed by Australian Life Insurance Distribution Pty Ltd ABN 31 103 157 811 AFSL 226403. Any advice provided is general in nature and does not take into consideration personal objectives, financial situation and needs. Consumers should consider these and the information in the Product Disclosure Statement (available along with the Target Market Determination, from www.aligroup.com.au) or speak to a financial advisor before making a decision about the suitability of the product. (c) ALI Group September 2022.