In 2021, the SDA will continue to financially assist members if they have been injured as a direct result of an accident outside the times they are covered by workers’ compensation. The SDA is the only union in Australia which covers our financial members with this FREE policy. It is a world wide cover and there are minimal exclusions such as participating in professional sports. (The Accident Insurance Policy is also featured on the SDA’s website).

From 1 July 2020 to 31 December 2020, the SDA Queensland policy paid out a further $61,825 across 74 finalised claims. Those claims ranged from broken toes, broken fingers, broken ribs, broken ankles, dislocated and fractured knees and also included three ACLs.

The amounts paid out varied in terms of the severity of the injury but for the three members who suffered ACLs, they were each paid $3,525. Of course, no sane person wants a fractured knee or an ACL injury, but accidents do happen and the harsh truth is that some injuries take longer to heal. Once the individual member’s sick leave is exhausted, how does the member pay his or her bills? The simple answer is ‘with great difficulty’.

This is why the SDA has been insuring our members for over 35 years at no cost to the member. Over those 35 years, the Union has helped thousands of members including deceased members’ families with claims totalling many millions of dollars. (The policy pays out up to $47,000 to a deceased member’s family if the member dies as a direct result of an accident such as a car accident).
Yes, it does pay to be a member of the SDA.