The ongoing effects of a person suffering a stroke is quite profound. It is not only the patients who experiences sudden and devastating changes to their lives but also their close family members, friends and employers, in fact even the wider community in which they may previously have been involved. Stroke survivors left with a disability are more likely to suffer what is known as ‘profound core activity limitation’ than does another person suffering from a disability. This means that a stroke victim is not able to independently achieve adequate communication, mobility or self care levels without the help of others. Trauma insurance can often help during this period of financial need as the funds from such insurance can go towards paying for rehabilitation, general living expenses and medical needs. It can also help with any changes that may have to be made around the house to improve access etc.

Trauma insurance is paid out when a specified event occurs

Trauma insurance is much like life insurance except that it pays out on the event of a specified trauma occurring such as stroke, even though the insured does not die but is left considerably handicapped.

In Australia strokes are one of the top four medical occurrences that invoke a trauma insurance claim being made and according to the National Stroke Foundation it is the second leading cause of death following coronary heart disease. As such it is also a leading cause of disability. To put it in perspective, one stroke event occurs somewhere in Australia every 10 minutes according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).

The importance of FAST

Some strokes may be quite mild, in fact a person may not be aware that they even suffered a stroke, or they might recover quickly and go about their normal daily life without fully understanding the time bomb they have become. In an effort to increase stroke awareness the National Stroke Foundation conducts an ongoing campaign named ‘Strokesafe’. This campaign makes much of a simple test called ‘FAST’. It has purposely been made easy so that people can come to recognise and respond to stroke symptoms when they come across it. This simple test is as follows:

F – facial weakness.
A – arm weakness.
S – Speech difficulties.
T – time to act – fast.

Bad habits and certain illnesses can increase risk of stroke.

Life insurance companies who administer trauma insurance are conscious of the need to lessen the debilitating effects suffered by many stroke victims and are constantly making an effort to educate people on what habits help to increase the risk of having a stroke such as:

• Drug and alcohol abuse.
• Specific medical conditions such as atrial fibrillation; thrombocytosis.
• Diabetes.
• High blood pressure and or raised blood cholesterol.
• Poor nutrition.
• Physical inactivity.
• Being a male.
• Smoking.
• Family history of stroke.
• Advanced age.
• Personal medical history of previous CVA.

Urgent medical treatment is always needed to treat anybody suffering from a stroke. Sufferers should always, without exception, be taken to the nearest emergency care hospital as soon as possible. If the stroke victim is unconscious they may require airway support including mechanical ventilation in order to prevent respiratory failure.

Life insurance companies are aware that rehabilitation is costly and very often limited in accessibility. This is due, on many occasions, to a lack of sufficient specialized health care resources. A patient with trauma insurance provided by a life insurance company can often gain a successful outcome if they receive appropriate rehabilitation suited to their individual circumstances. Trauma insurance takes care of the gap between life insurance, income protection and total and permanent disability insurance. Trauma insurance benefits will be paid by the life insurance company if the insured should die due to the lack of blood to the brain, a loss of brain function and several potential impairments which include mobility limitations, thought process and the ability to communicate.

The benefits of trauma insurance

The benefits of trauma insurance can be used to help pay for a number of things which can include:

• Home modifications such as the construction of any necessary ramps or lifts to improve access conditions.
• Specialized medical attention in Australia or overseas.
• Pay off debts such as mortgage, loans, credit cards etc.
• Assist you financially with sufficient funds to allow your partner to take time off work while you are recovering.

Data supplied in 2003 showed that at that time 282,600 people were suffering a disability in Australia as the result of having a stroke. This represented seven percent of the Australian population with a disability of some manner. Stroke supersedes breast cancer as a leading cause of death in Australian women.