Conference Report 2016

CENTRAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE REPORT
SERIOuS IllNESS SChEmE
Pay Code 6152
The Garda Representative Association's serious illness
scheme pays out more claims per capita than any other
scheme across the public service. There is insufficient
empirical evidence as to why this might be; but it
reinforces the need for such a scheme. A great number
of our colleagues have benefitted when they needed it
most.
The terms of the Garda Representative Association's
serious illness scheme, as with all such group insurance
schemes, have to be regularly (normally every three
years) renewed through a negotiation process with the
insurers. In the three years prior to the last renewal of
the scheme on 1st November 2013, the Underwriters,
Friends First, recorded a loss of €3.61 million which
resulted in an upwardly revised quotation to the
Association.
The Association raised this issue with members at
various seminars and meetings, and the feedback was
that the scheme is highly valued by members and that
the scheme be continued with sufficient and appropriate
benefits by increasing the premiums accordingly.
The Central Executive Committee agreed the following
terms for a three year period effective from 1 November
2013.
A new category of benefit referred to as “Partial
Payment” was introduced whereby the insurers, for less
severe illnesses, pay a reduced benefit of:
• €15,000 to serving members and their
spouses/partners
• €10,000 to retired members and their
spouses/partners
Benefits
Benefit Full Partial Category of
member
A lump sum of €85,000 €15,000 Serving members
A lump sum of €85,000 €15,000 Spouses/Partners
of members
where spouse/
partner cover is
chosen and
premium is being
paid.
A lump sum of €42,500 €10,000 Retired Members
A lump sum of €42,500 €10,000 Spouses of retired
members where
spouse cover is
chosen and
premium is being
paid
A lump sum of €25,000 € 5,000 Children of
members (child
cover will not
apply until their
1st birthday)
A lump sum of €25,000 € 5,000 Trainee Gardaí
(this covers the
period of training)
COST
The premium for the above benefits is €4.83 for a
member and children and €8.78 for a member/spouse or
partner and children. Trainee Gardaí are covered free of
charge for their term of training i.e. 64 weeks.
• €5,000 to Trainee Gardaí and Children.
84 Garda Representative Association