Conditions covered by trauma insurance

Posted by: Tim von Dadelszen on 31 May 2007

Although it does differ from one insurer to the next, most trauma insurance polices cover a similar selection of serious health problems.

Insurers tend to offer two types of trauma insurance policy - a "basic" policy and a "comprehensive" policy.  As you can no doubt guess, the comprehensive version covers a much larger list of conditions.  Inform recommends that you get a comprehensive policy as it provides you with the best protection.

For each health condition a certain "severity" is usually required. To give a simple example, you wouldn't usually be able to claim for a very mild heart attack.

So, what type of conditions are covered?  Here is a typical selection:

(Please note again that it does depend on the policy).

• Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
• Aplastic anaemia
• Cancer
• Chronic liver failure
• Chronic lung disease
• Chronic renal failure
• Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
• Heart attack
• HIV (only for emergency services professionals)
• Major burns
• Major transplant surgery
• Stroke

Loss of functionality
• Loss of independent existence
• Permanent blindness
• Permanent loss of speech, hearing or limbs

Major cardiovascular disease
• Aortic surgery
• Cardiomyopathy
• Coronary artery bypass surgery
• Heart valve surgery
• Out of hospital cardiac arrest
• Pulmonary hypertension

Major neurological disease (other than stroke)
• Benign brain tumour
• Coma
• Encephalitis
• Idiopathic Parkinson’s disease
• Major head trauma
• Motor neurone disease
• Multiple sclerosis
• Muscular dystrophy
• Peripheral neuropathy

Paralysis
• Diplegia
• Hemiplegia
• Paraplegia
• Quadriplegia

Please keep in mind that this is only a quick list - and is only intended to give you a general idea of the types of conditions commonly covered. Within the insurance policy document each trauma condition is described in more detail (outlining the severity required before a claim is paid).