Testimonial: Jennifer’s story

On the recommendation of her financial adviser, Jennifer signed up for a BPE policy in October 2011. She remembers, “My broker recommended it. I had a few small hospital and medical policies with other companies and he suggested I replace these with one complete IP offering that would cover me if I was booked off work (whether hospitalized or not).”

 
Because she is self-employed, Jennifer knows that if she doesn’t work, her business will not survive and that’s why she sees IP as an essential cover – “It’s truly irreplaceable – my business can’t survive if I’m not at work. All working people need to have this cover.”

In 2012, Jennifer had to have a hysterectomy and was booked off work for 6 weeks. She claimed with FMI and her pay-outs allowed her to recover without having to worry about her business. Two months after returning to work, Jennifer went for her daily walk and slipped down a wet bank, damaging her wrist and breaking her left arm. She was booked off work for 6 weeks and, after x-rays showed she needed more time to heal, she was booked off for a further 4 weeks. When it comes to temporary disability, FMI pays multiple claims so Jennifer was able to claim her full benefit pay-out with no fuss. She explains, “I was really stressed the second time round, especially as I needed to claim so soon after my first claim. But it was so easy and the claim went through without any compilations.” Jennifer also warns that disclosure upfront is key to a hassle-free claims process, “If you declare your earnings and medical issues upfront, you will get proper cover and a sufficient pay-out when you claim.”

Jennifer was also pleasantly surprised by the fact that premium payments are waived while she was in claim, “I actually have no words to describe how relieved I was when I received my benefit pay-outs. My FMI policy means I was able to pay my bills and keep going while getting better. That policy saved my business.”

Impressed by FMI’s product and speedy service, Jennifer recommends FMI to her friends – “When people ask me how I managed to keep my business even though I was off work for so long, I tell them about FMI’s Income Protection. Now, some of my friends have contacted their financial advisers to find out about this essential cover.”