Following is a realistic Case Study(1). It tells of a family who avoided financial distress amidst emotional trauma, by taking advice and finding trauma insurance beneficial:
The situation
“Peter and Jenny are like many other young couples in Australia. They have two great kids aged 11 and 14, and Peter works full-time and the main breadwinner for the family. Jenny has a small eBay store that she runs from home to make a few extra dollars.
Peter and Jenny were by no means wealthy, but because Jenny’s brother is a financial adviser, he has instilled the importance of personal risk insurance into both of them over a long period of time. Peter would later joke that they only took out insurance to shut her brother up!
The events
After complaining of stomach pains over a four-week period, Jenny finally decided to visit another doctor after deciding that her usual GP wasn’t providing much help in diagnosing the source of the pain. Neither Jenny or Peter thought it was too serious, but she was keen to get rid of the occasional pain.
It was a good thing that Jenny decided to visit another doctor, as one thing led to another and she was eventually told that she had liver cancer. Further tests revealed that the cancer was well developed, and that she had perhaps only nine months to live.
The consequences
Of course this news was completely devastating for Peter and the family. Peter spent hours speaking to different doctors and researching online to find out if anything else could be done. He quickly found a doctor in France who had been enjoying some success with his trials. Seemingly, a few emails and phone calls revealed that the costs were completely out of the question.
Peter then had the daunting task of calling their family members to let them know what was going on. Jenny’s brother was as upset as anyone about the news. He was also quick to tell Peter that Jenny had a $500,000 trauma policy that would cover this cancer event.
Trauma insurance benefit
Within a fairly short period of time the trauma insurance claim was settled, and Peter and Jenny found themselves with $500,000 sitting in their bank account. Peter no longer had to worry about the six figure cost of the treatment. He again made contact with the doctor in France, and immediately booked Jenny in for treatment.
The money from the trauma insurance payout meant that Peter could take indefinite leave from work and relocate to France with Jenny. Initially they planned to leave the children with Jenny’s parents. However, given Jenny’s limited life expectancy, they decided that the family should stay together.
The benefits experienced
In between treatments Jenny and the family were able to travel around Europe using money from the trauma insurance. They undertook as much travel as possible, knowing that this experimental treatment would take a major toll on Jenny. They were also conscious that enjoying travel would soon not be possible for her.
The family was very grateful for the time they were able to enjoy in Europe together. The trauma insurance money allowed them to enjoy the things they always wanted to do together. Jenny’s condition was always in the back of their mind, but they didn’t now worry about financial matters. They had prepaid their mortgage for twelve months, and had money in the bank for the rest of their bills.
There were also sufficient funds to fly Jenny’s parents and family over for the odd visit. That also made life a lot more enjoyable for everyone involved.
The outcome
There were a lot of ups and downs over the next six months as Jenny’s condition seemed to bounce between better and worse. However, on 28 January they received the news they’d been waiting for – tests showed that the cancer had been eradicated.
They weren’t quite out of the woods yet, but it was fantastic news. The doctor recommended that they remain in France for another three months for further tests. Financially this was going to be a stretch. They found that sufficient funds to remain in France and take occasional short trips to Italy and around Europe.
At the end of the three week period Jenny received a tentative okay from the French doctors, and was given the all clear to return to Australia with her family. She was to remain in contact via a local Australian doctor. Their great delight and relief was that she was returning home without the cancer cells she first left Australia with.
Reflections and outcomes
Without trauma insurance there is still a chance that Jenny may have miraculously survived the cancer, but undoubtedly the trauma insurance help. Similarly, the trauma insurance didn’t guarantee Jenny’s survival, but the overseas treatment wouldn’t have been possible without it.
Upon their return to Australia the trauma insurance payout had been pretty much exhausted. Peter was able to return to work within a month, and their mortgage and other bills were up to date. Their financial journey continuing in tact.
Jenny had survived the most challenging period of her life, and her loving family had been able to spend every moment by her side. And they had also made the best of a bad situation by enjoying time together travelling around Europe.
Generally this type of experience would only be available to the wealthy and famous, but thanks to their trauma insurance and the advice of Jenny’s brother, an average Australian family like theirs was able to make it happen. And fingers crossed, they will live happily ever after.”
Advice about insurance to protect your financial certainty is available here –
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(1) This Case Study has been extracted from an article published on LifePolicy.com.au
(This article was first posted by us in March 2012. It has occasionally been refreshed/ updated, most recently in January 2025.)
