EBS Helpline: 0800 268 3763 Email: ebs@crombie.co.nz www.ebs.org.nz
Autumn Newsletter 2014 Welcome to our Autumn newsletter, we hope that you‟ve all had a relaxing summer and are now thriving on the challenges of the new school year. Have a read through your newsletter below to be informed and inspired. Our union bargaining power enables us to offer you discounts and products not generally available to the public. Check out our website: http://ebs.org.nz/
EBS Helping People Like You
A reminder from the team at EBS
EBS Standard Plan
Don‟t forget to put in your Standard Plan claims!
Although you may think of your EBS Standard Plan covering the smaller costs of GP visits and prescriptions, the reimbursements under this policy when added together can be a sizeable sum. In recent years through their Standard Plan members have been paid over $2000 from one claim form. Combinations of claims including optical, orthodontics, hospital, major diagnostics and bereavement often result in high claim reimbursements.
You can claim as often as you like, as soon as you have accrued $10 or more of eligible expenses – this way you will be sure to get the greatest value from your subscription payments!
Did You Know?
EBS Hospital Plan We currently have an EBS Hospital Plan member who is undergoing Chemotherapy for cancer and her policy has covered the $38,000 cost of this treatment, she has also had the costs covered for flying to Australia for diagnostic testing that she required.
EBS Trauma An EBS Financial Adviser recently arranged an EBS Trauma policy for a teacher and her partner and within 6 months of arranging the policy the member was unfortunately diagnosed with Breast cancer.
The teacher‟s comment was that when she rang her adviser to notify her diagnosis she thought her husband would be the first to make a claim on their insurance not herself! The insurance company Partners Life has paid the claim promptly and this has meant that she can have most of term one off work while she undergoes chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment, not having to worry about monetary problems whilst having treatment.
The EBS Standard Plan is free for Trainee Teachers if they are members of their union? You can have this valuable protection at no cost while you are training – so why wouldn‟t you? If you have an EBS Hospital Plan (arranged through an EBS Financial Adviser), the excess on any surgical claim (excluding oral surgery) may be refunded by EBS up to 50% of the total procedure cost to a maximum of $500 per calendar year, providing you also have the EBS Standard Plan. If you are retiring, you can still retain your Standard Plan for on-going claims, by contacting your union and changing to an honorary membership
Disclaimer: The information and opinions contained in this newsletter are of a general nature and may not be relevant to your situation
5 Good Reasons to Choose an EBS Financial Adviser
This is an „advice‟ based service which focuses on the personal needs of you and your family Our advisers are local and can come to your school or home We offer a wide variety of insurance solutions and are not restricted to any one company or product Your Adviser will be able to help you in the event you need to make a claim Your Hospital Plan Excess may be reimbursed by EBS if you have arranged this policy through an EBS Financial Adviser in conjunction with your Standard Plan
Call 0800 268 3763 to talk to an EBS Financial Adviser now!
New Benefit for EBS Members A new opportunity for those who work in the education sector this year is the ability to access „Home Insurance‟ at preferential EBS rates. You can insure the place you live and your personal possessions including your cars and boats. EBS „Home Insurance‟ insurance is underwritten by Vero and is easy to arrange by phoning 0800 505 905. Remember to mention that you are an EBS member and advise which education union you belong to.
How much does it cost to raise a child? IRD came up with a round figure in 2009 for raising a child until the age of 18 of $250,000, or about $14,000 per year. The figures, released in 2009, only cover expenses for “average” parents raising a child to the age of 18. They do not count stay-at-home parents‟ loss of income or child care costs. The average costs of children vary widely depending on the age of the child, the households' income and the number of children per home. The study found that the more parents earned, the more they spent on their children. These figures highlight the importance of having the right insurance in place should a parent not be able to work due to ill health including disability or death. Have you considered what would happen to your family if either of the income earning parents were unable to work for an extended period? Having an EBS Hospital plan could ensure you get the treatment you need and get you back to work (& earning) earlier, an EBS Mortgage Protection policy could make sure that your family can continue living in your home if you can‟t return to work. Call the EBS Helpline to talk with an EBS Financial Adviser who will help you identify the risks for your family and how best to protect these.
[1]Business Day (Monday 26 September2009) How much do kids cost? [Online] Available from http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/5674787/Howmuch-do-kids-cost [Accessed 26 September 2011]
To find out more on any of the benefits available to you as a union member, please call the EBS Helpline on 0800 268 3763. You can also go check the website www.ebs.org.nz or email ebs@crombie.co.nz