Group Personal Accident cover (Group PA) is designed to help protect the employees, members, students or voluntary workers of companies, educational institutions, groups and clubs (organisations) against financial loss due to death, disablement or injury.

Most claims made on Group PA policies are due to an unexpected event, such as one that has left an individual unable to work or participate in other activities for an extended period of time. Group PA also assists with employee recovery, getting them back to work faster through medical and rehabilitation providers.

What Group PA covers

The main risk exposures covered under a Group PA policy are accidental death, permanent disablement (such as paraplegia, quadriplegia and loss of limbs) caused by an accident, and loss of income due to an injury or illness.

The Group PA product suite includes the following scopes of cover:

• 24 hours a day cover applies 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.
• Working hours only cover applies during the insured’s normal business hours and excludes travel to and from work.
• Working hours only with Journey cover applies during the insured’s normal business hours and includes travel to and from work.
• Outside working hours with Journey cover applies outside of the insured’s normal business hours and includes travel to and from work.
• Voluntary Workers cover applies for non-paid insured persons while undertaking tasks at the direction and under the auspices of the insured.
• Journey cover applies while commuting from the insured person’s normal place of residence, directly to their normal place of work.

What to consider when discussing Group PA with clients

When setting up or changing insurers, the important areas of the policy and wording to focus on are:

• Pre-existing conditions – an ailment, illness or condition which has existed for a period of time. Definitions, conditions and wait times for pre-existing conditions differ from insurer to insurer. It’s important to check when moving or comparing quotes and policies that these are like for like to avoid any gaps in coverage.
• Takeover provisions – ensures continuity of cover for pre-existing conditions, this needs to be endorsed when moving a policy from one insurer to another to sustain consistency in coverage.
• Age limits – each insurer has different cut off points and reductions in coverage for different ages. If the company or organisation has younger or older people within its ranks, it is important to check that cover will extend to these individuals.

• Going beyond statutory requirements – the coverage of Workers’ Compensation and Transport Accident legislation varies widely between the States and Territories. Group PA provides consistent coverage levels across Australia and, in some of the

jurisdictions, an enhanced level of ‘journey’ coverage. Offering holistic financial stability is an appealing benefit, not just to retain existing staff, but to be more competitive in the employment market¹.

• Group PA can be provided as a contractual benefit to covered persons – it’s a sensible and invaluable means by which to help protect the organisation’s covered persons from the uncertainties of ‘time and place’ events, providing them with a measure of financial security and peace of mind.

Liberty’s Group PA

Watch this fun animation to see how Liberty’s Group PA is triggered and how it responds*.

*Subject to the terms and conditions of the Liberty Group PA policy

If you’d like to know more about Liberty’s Group PA insurance, contact Natasha Higgins at Liberty Specialty Markets

1. 2022, HR Industry Benchmark Report, Elmo Software & Australian Human Resources Institute

Liberty Specialty Markets is a trading name of Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, Australia Branch (ABN 61 086 083 605) incorporated in Massachusetts, USA (the liability of members is limited).