Insurance for Aged Care Workers in Australia

As an aged care worker, your job can be pretty demanding. You are responsible for the well-being and safety of the residents in your care, and this extends to their finances too. In order to ensure that you are providing them with the best possible service, it is essential to have adequate insurance coverage for yourself.

Most aged care workers are not adequately insured.

While it's unclear how many aged care workers are uninsured, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) reports that only about half of aged care workers have an income protection policy in place. The AIHW also found that only about 15% of all workers in residential aged care facilities had an adequate insurance cover for their personal liability.

While some employees may hold their own personal or employer-provided work injury cover, this does not provide coverage for injuries sustained outside the workplace. That's why most employers will offer you some form of additional insurance when they employ you to work in their facility. But even if they do provide additional insurance, it is unlikely that your employer will offer enough coverage to meet your financial needs should something happen on the job and cause you permanent disability or death.

Why do aged care workers need insurance?

While the aged care industry is not an inherently risky one, it can be a high-risk industry for certain workers.

Many workers in the aged care sector are not adequately insured and, as a result, can be sued in cases of negligence or error at work. If you are found to be negligent, you may have to pay out of pocket for your legal fees and any other costs associated with the case. This can be financially distressing if you do not have adequate insurance coverage.

An aged care worker insurance policy protects your assets against legal action; even if someone does sue you for making a mistake at work and wins their claim, the cost of defending yourself will likely be covered by your policy’s limits of indemnity (the maximum amount that an insurer will pay out) and liability coverage (the maximum amount it will provide for damages awarded).

Most aged care workers are not adequately insured, and many have no protection at all. This puts them in a position of financial risk that is difficult to recover from if something goes wrong at work (even if it’s not their fault). Aged care worker insurance policies protect you against legal action; even if someone does sue you for making a mistake at work and wins their claim, the cost of defending yourself will likely be covered by your policy’s limits of indemnity.

What is covered in an aged care workers insurance policy

Aged care workers are at risk of injury and illness, which is why the work cover policy you choose should include cover for the following:

• Work-related injuries and illnesses
• The cost of rehabilitation services
• The cost of treatment for a work-related injury or illness
• The cost of replacing a worker who is injured or ill, including outplacement expenses if necessary. This could include temporary accommodation, travel costs, food allowance, etc. In some cases (for example, if someone is injured in an isolated area), you may be able to claim for hiring a helicopter to get someone to the hospital quickly.
• Legal fees associated with defending claims made against your business on the grounds that it failed to meet its health and safety obligations under workplace health and safety regulations

How much does it cost?

There are four main options for aged care worker insurance in Australia:

• Insuring with an insurance broker or agent. This is where you get a quote from someone who works for an insurance company.
• Getting a quote online. This option will require the most work on your part, as you’ll need to fill out a form detailing your needs and then wait for a response from the insurer(s) you choose to deal with.
• Going into an office and getting a quote in person from an agent or broker (this can also be done over the phone). This option requires less work on your part than getting it online but also means that some personal information will be shared before you know what kind of coverage you’re getting or how much it costs.

Every day, thousands of Aussies are entering the workforce in the aged care industry. The majority of these people are inadequately insured, which puts them at significant financial risk if they make a mistake at work.

Every day, thousands of Aussies are entering the workforce in the aged care industry. The majority of these people are inadequately insured, which puts them at significant financial risk if they make a mistake at work.

If you're in this situation and aren't sure how to get insurance for your job as an aged care worker, take a look at what we've put together below!

The health and social care workforce is growing year on year. It's estimated that by 2026 there will be more than 85,000 people working in residential aged care alone. This has created a situation where many workers are entering the industry without adequate insurance protection if something were to happen while they're employed at an organization.

Unfortunately, some employers don't take out insurance for their employees because they think it's too expensive or just don't see the benefit. This can leave workers unprotected in case of an accident which would have serious consequences on their lives and careers. Thankfully there are ways to get around this problem by purchasing your own professional indemnity insurance policy.

This is where Coverhero comes and saves the day! Coverhero is all about you and protecting your income. With all the risks of working as an aged care worker, Coverhero is here to protect you! 

Key Takeaway:

If you’re entering the aged care industry and want to be properly protected, then it’s essential that you get insurance. This is especially true if you work in an area where there are lots of elderly people who could potentially sue if they suffered any kind of injury at your hands. If this describes you, then contact us today so we can help set up an insurance policy specifically designed for your needs!

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