Over the last 35 years, SDA members have greatly benefitted from the Union’s Free Accident Insurance Policy. In the early 1980s, the SDA leadership decided to insure our members if they had an accident outside the times they were covered by workers’ compensation.
Each year, hundreds of our members in Queensland are injured as a result of an accident outside of working hours and they subsequently need time off work. For example, many members have experienced arm or leg fractures which take many weeks to heal. Once the member’s sick leave ‘runs out’, many members find themselves in financial trouble. There’s the rent or the mortgage to pay, medical bills to pay and then the car registration is due.

It’s good to know that the SDA can help in such circumstances.

For those who don’t know or have forgotten, the SDA covers all our financial members for accidents outside the times they are covered by workers’ compensation. Of course, there are exclusions such as driving over the legal limit. It is a world-wide cover and it is FREE for all financial members of the Union. (The full policy is detailed on the SDA website).

Lenore’s story

Lenore from Coles Warwick is one of the many recipients of the SDA’s Accident Insurance policy over the last 35 years. She fell down the stairs at home and tore her meniscus in November 2017. Initially, Lenore had a week off work but was still having trouble with her knee. She had further scans in March 2018 and needed a further two weeks off work. In July 2019, Lenore had surgery on her knee and her doctor advised that she would need another two weeks off.

Lenore was reminded of the Accident Insurance Policy at a Shop Steward training course as she is a Steward at Coles Warwick.
Before long, Lenore received a cheque for $2,250 from the insurance company. The paperwork process was very quick and easy and Lenore used the money to cover lost wages and to help pay her doctors’ bills. It goes without saying that Lenore is so glad the union decided 35 years ago to insure its members outside the times they are covered by workers’ compensation. It’s a good thing that Lenore is an SDA member as we are the only Union in Australia that offers this FREE service to our financial members.

Lenore has always been a strong supporter of the SDA and she is more than happy to tell her story to all those who will listen. She has recently encouraged non-members in her store to join the Union as she strongly believes that the more members we have, the stronger the SDA becomes. There’s strength in numbers and a further four employees in her store have invested in their future by joining the SDA.