Needlestick Insurance Cover can pay benefit if you become infected with occupationally acquired HIV, Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C as a result or an accident occurring during the course of your work. It is often only available from Life Insurers to certain occupations, like Doctors and Dentists and is provided in a range of different ways based on the specific Life Insurers. Some life insurers may offer the cover as an extra cost option and others may include it as a built in benefit. The Product Disclosure Statement issued by the insurer will describe the policy wording and the policy wording for each insurer may change over time and be dependent on when your cover commenced.
Some insurers may offer Needlestick cover as a standard trauma insurance benefit. Others may offer it as a stand alone insurance option and others may include it in their income protection cover.
Needlestick insurance may cover not only infections caused by needles, but may also cover infections caused through other means such as sharps accidents, splash back and inhalation of blood or bone dust.
Insurers will have specific requirements that must be met for a claim to be paid. For example, an insurer may have a definition in their policy wording that states :
Any accident giving rise to a potential Needlestick claim must be reported in accordance with any applicable exposure prone procedures (including reporting timeframes) issued by an appropriate governing body or industry association as applicable to your regular occupation or as required by your employer in connection with that regular occupation (such as AHPRA, the Medical Board of Australia, a hospital credentialing committee or other medical professional governing body) and the report is confirmed by negative test results of that infection taken during 7 days from the date of the accident.
There can also be exclusions such as if the HIV or the Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C virus is caused by any other means, including sexual activity, or intravenous drug use or tattooing.
Please speak with an Experien Insurance Services Adviser for further information.
Information on our website is general in nature and does not take into account your personal circumstances. You should consider personal advice that allows for your own goals and situation and always read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) issued by an insurer before considering buying cover.
