FAQs
We understand that sports insurance can sometimes be confusing and raise a lot of questions. To help, we’ve answered some of your most commonly asked questions about the Ice Hockey Australia National Insurance Program here.
Are non-members covered? What about Ice Hockey Australia members who are injured while participating in non-sanctioned events?
The short answer is no. Any participant in any event (including social events) who is not a registered player is not insured. In order to be covered, they must be a registered Ice Hockey Australia player and the event must be sanctioned by Ice Hockey Australia. If any Ice Hockey Australia member participates in an event that is not sanctioned by Ice Hockey Australia, or an affiliated state association or club, they will also not be covered. In that instance, members must check the insurance coverage offered by the event organiser.
What is the process for claiming for emergency transport expenses?
- Incident occurs: the club or organiser will have a log of the incident and is responsible for submitting incident report to Gallagher.
- Transport provided: the player is billed by transport provider.
- Player firstly claims costs via private/public insurance. Private/public insurance may not cover full cost of transport.
- The remaining gap after the private/public insurance claim can then be claimed against the Ice Hockey Australia National Personal Accident policy. The Personal Accident cover is conditional on the event incident report being received from organisers.
- Claims for emergency transport will occur after the account with the transport provider has already been settled.
Players are encouraged to settle their account directly with the transport provider before seeking reimbursement through the Personal Accident policy. This will ensure that the player does not incur any penalty charges.
However, the insurer can pay the emergency transport provider directly in some circumstances if private/public insurance exists. Once the player has claimed transports costs via private / public insurance, the benefit statement and emergency transport invoice can be lodged with the Personal Accident claim. The insurer will settle the gap directly with the transport provider.
Does this insurance cover the Medicare gap? In other words, the difference between the cost of medical treatment and the Medicare rebate for physicians, surgeons and anaesthetists?
Unfortunately no, as government legislation does not allow it. By law, this policy can’t cover medical expenses that are covered by Medicare, including the gap between the expense and the Medicare rebate. However, if an injured Ice Hockey Australia member is covered by private health insurance, the Personal Accident policy will pay the balance above the private health insurance refund on expenses not claimable through the Medicare system. This is subject to the percentage reimbursement, the limit per injury and the excess applicable.
If I am eligible, what is the ongoing timeframe for payments of the weekly benefit?
Once the initial paperwork has been received and processed and the benefit has been deemed as available to your situation, we will request that you provide a doctors certificate. This should outline the dates that you are unable to work and the condition from which you currently suffer. This certificate must not be longer than four weeks away from work and must be provided every four weeks.