It can be difficult for people to understand the incredible difference an Income Protection policy can make particularly when life forces an unexpected and often tumultuous change. “I’m too active to get sick” or “I’m too healthy to be off work” is still the default mode of thinking for many. This is why it helps sometimes to hear first-hand from someone who has taken the journey…
In 2016 Gayle began feeling unwell. Despite staying extremely active and training for an ultra-marathon she couldn’t shake ongoing symptoms of fever and tiredness.
After a visit to the doctor didn’t find anything she initially put the issues down to “overdoing things”. However her health did not improve. It subsequently took a long time and many different specialists to diagnose what was really going on.
According to Gayle an occupational physician understood the condition and helped and, finally, very small tumours in her parathyroid gland were discovered and removed. The story doesn’t end there however.
While her kidneys recovered somewhat, other health issues, including hypoglycaemia, made going back to her original work unfeasible. Gayle says at this time the support from her insurance policy was “wonderful”, allowing her to explore other career options that will be “more sustainable”.
The decision to get income protection insurance was something she thought she “would never ever need, or use, as I keep a really healthy lifestyle”. However it’s now “the best decision I’ve ever made.”
Throughout diagnosis process Gayle needed many different tests and specialist scans, having to fly to Auckland for some of these procedures. All travel and testing was covered by her policy and she states there has been no stress or financial insecurity as she has managed the dramatic change in lifestyle.
Now she is enjoying a “significant improvement in quality of life”, and undoubtedly thankful she had the presence of mind in the past to take out a life and income protection policy.
You can watch Gayle’s story here.
