Autumn 2013
Proactive about health
Campaigns such as Movember, where guys sprout moustaches of all shapes and sizes to promote prostate awareness and men’s health, and Breast Cancer Take Action month that encourages women to be proactive and make breast cancer awareness part of their life, are important in understanding symptoms and seeking help when needed.
Being proactive about our health, however, isn’t just about staying healthy and having regular check-ups. Unfortunately illness, whether it is a major trauma such as cancer, stroke or heart disease can strike anyone at any age, regardless of lifestyle.
Having the right insurance in place means having the funds available to make the best choices for our health should the unexpected happen.
Major Medical Cover provides funds for access to a private hospital and the treatment you need. It allows you to bypass the public hospital waiting list and it covers the cost of expensive surgery and treatments like prostate removal, mastectomy and reconstruction and radiation therapy.
Trauma Cover pays a lump sum in the event of a trauma condition such as cancer, heart attack or stroke. It also includes special cover for low-grade general-specific cancers like breast and prostate cancer. You decide how you spend the lump sum payment – whether it is to cover medical costs and treatment, subsidise a lost income, home alterations, rehabilitation and home help, paying off the mortgage or going on a holiday.
For more information, contact your Eric James & Associates advisor.
Did you know? Coronary heart disease kills almost four times as many women as breast cancer. Women need to be vigilant about the health of their hearts. Source: New Zealand Heart Foundation 2012
Make incidental exercise count
Even if you manage to fit exercise into your life, it’s still really important to lead an overall active lifestyle. We refer to this as incidental exercise and there are a number of ways it can be added in to your day on autopilot, e.g. gardening, household chores, walking to the shops, walking part-way to work, to name a few.
By adding short bursts of incidental exercise into your day you will end up feeling fitter, stronger and full of energy, plus you will burn more calories which will help you control your weight.
Health insurance and your knees
The knee is a workhorse when it comes to sitting and standing, running and jumping. Its ability to bend and flex makes it possible for us to do all the activities in a normal daily routine. The complicated nature and consistent level of stress placed on this joint makes the knee highly vulnerable to injury or long-term wear and tear. Supporting the entire weight of your body, it is the largest and one of the most complicated joints we have.
Damage can occur in many ways, for example ligament damage is often suffered while playing sports; torn cartilage through athletic activities such as twisting, decelerating from running, or being tackled. Arthritis such as osteoarthritis, where joint cartilage wears away in middle and older-aged people can occur; rheumatoid arthritis can destroy the cartilage at any age; and post-traumatic arthritis can develop after an injury to the knee, even years after a bone fracture.
Without health insurance, such conditions may involve months or years waiting for treatment. Surgical procedures such as knee arthroscopy (a minor procedure where a small fibreoptic camera is inserted into the joint through a small incision so surgeons are able to see in close detail the miniature instruments they use to perform surgery) come at a price ranging between $4500 and $7100. Knee arthroplasty (the partial or total replacement of the knee joint to relieve pain and disability from various types of arthritis or past trauma) can range between $19,000 and $24,000.
Knee surgery is an elective procedure and can be performed when you need it … providing you have health insurance. Talk to your Eric James & Associates advisor today.
Honesty best policy
Insurance relies on good faith. In other words, you are insured on the basis of what you tell your insurer, so it’s your duty to provide truthful and complete information about your health and medical history.
You should provide information relating to all and any conditions you currently have, or have had in the past. If you don’t disclose something that might affect your premium, the terms of your cover or an insurer’s decision to provide you with cover, this can lead to delays. At worst, your claim may be refused or your insurance cancelled.
By signing the declaration on your application or claim form, you are saying that you have answered all the questions truthfully and to the best of your knowledge and have provided any other information that may influence a decision to offer you insurance. It is important that, if you are uncertain about anything, you ask for clarity before signing the declaration.
If you are unsure of the relevance of any information it’s best to include it on your application form, just to be safe.
Happy winner
The winner of our December 2012 barrel draw was Jo Heathcote from St Albans in Christchurch.
If you’ve moved, let us know
Amidst the upheaval of moving house and navigating the potholes of life’s highways, it’s easy to overlook tasks that are vital to your well-being, such as having adequate insurance cover, and advising us of your change of address.
If you have relocated or plan to relocate, it is crucial you let us know. We will update your records, and advise your insurer/s, and leave you to deal with the myriad of tasks associated with moving.
