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| Danielle Schuster enlists children Liam, 6, and Maya, 2, in a window-cleaning project. Picture: Dean Martin |
Housework insured for a tidy sum: They are the chores that, if paid for, would make Australian mums a fortune. From cleaning and washing clothes to cooking and grocery shopping, the housework of a mother is seemingly never complete. Now an insurance company is offering mums the chance to insure the housework they do - for $17.50 a week. If they become injured or ill, Million Dollar Woman, a member of Suncorp Group, offers them $900 a week to pay someone to complete these chores for a period of up to 13 weeks.
Financial Planning Association of SA former chairwoman Kerrin Falconer said while the insurance, claimed to be an Australian first, sounded promising, potential customers should read the fine print. "People really need to look carefully at what it does and doesn't cover, whether it might cross over with something else and if the money is really worth it," she said. "It's hard to think of an insurance that is the same, you can't get income insurance unless you're technically working, so that's not the same. But there is critical illness cover and it could come close."
Naturopath Danielle Schuster said the insurance seemed like a good idea to help with housework and caring for children Maya, 2, and Liam, 6, if she became injured. But the Gawler resident questioned whether she would actually sign up. "It does sound interesting, but I think it would be hard to prove, that there would be a few legalities that could make it tricky," she said. "Although, when you look at trying to work, raise the kids and you have a husband that works, if anything did happen, getting the housework done with throw up real problems."
A Newspoll survey found about 1.2 million Australian mums were injured so badly in the past six months they were unable to clean their house. Dislocations, sprains, torn muscles and ligaments were the most common injuries, followed by cuts, open wounds or bruising. The Million Dollar Woman Living Expenses Cover cost of $17.50 a week and pay out of $900 a week for 13 weeks is based on a woman aged 35.
Million Dollar Woman Living Insurance to provide cover for mothers' unpaid work: "This has taken 100 years, but the housework that Australian mums perform every day is finally being recognised and valued," Million Dollar Woman chief executive Lynette Argent said. "This unpaid work is crucial to the Australian economy as it has traditionally allowed the primary breadwinner to dedicate themselves to their paid job." While the insurance policy is aimed at stay-at-home mums, housewives with no children and stay-at-home dads can also be eligible.
But like most insurance policies, there is a catch. A woman must be sick and unable to perform domestic duties for at least 14 consecutive days before compensation will be paid. A doctor's certificate is also needed and smokers will have to pay a higher premium. Policyholders could choose to be covered for a weekly payment of either $500 or $750. For an additional premium, there was also a Bill Booster option that increased weekly payments by $150.
"For more than a century, products have been offered that cater for the main income earner of a household, typically men, if they get sick or injured," Ms Argent said. "We will pay women up to $900 a week if customers are hurt or ill, which could be spent on a cleaner, cook, nanny or to pay someone to do their grocery shopping while they rest and recover." Mother-of-two Allison Marler said the gesture was nice, but the cost might be too much. But she said insurance money would come in handy. On one occasion when she was ill her husband took three days off to care for her and their two children.
Financial Planning Association of SA former chairwoman Kerrin Falconer said while the insurance, claimed to be an Australian first, sounded promising, potential customers should read the fine print. "People really need to look carefully at what it does and doesn't cover, whether it might cross over with something else and if the money is really worth it," she said. "It's hard to think of an insurance that is the same, you can't get income insurance unless you're technically working, so that's not the same. But there is critical illness cover and it could come close."
Naturopath Danielle Schuster said the insurance seemed like a good idea to help with housework and caring for children Maya, 2, and Liam, 6, if she became injured. But the Gawler resident questioned whether she would actually sign up. "It does sound interesting, but I think it would be hard to prove, that there would be a few legalities that could make it tricky," she said. "Although, when you look at trying to work, raise the kids and you have a husband that works, if anything did happen, getting the housework done with throw up real problems."
A Newspoll survey found about 1.2 million Australian mums were injured so badly in the past six months they were unable to clean their house. Dislocations, sprains, torn muscles and ligaments were the most common injuries, followed by cuts, open wounds or bruising. The Million Dollar Woman Living Expenses Cover cost of $17.50 a week and pay out of $900 a week for 13 weeks is based on a woman aged 35.
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| Never done: Stay-at-home mum Allison Marler with her children Luke, 5, and Chloe, 8, agrees insurance cover for mothers is a good idea. Picture: Liam Driver |
But like most insurance policies, there is a catch. A woman must be sick and unable to perform domestic duties for at least 14 consecutive days before compensation will be paid. A doctor's certificate is also needed and smokers will have to pay a higher premium. Policyholders could choose to be covered for a weekly payment of either $500 or $750. For an additional premium, there was also a Bill Booster option that increased weekly payments by $150.
"For more than a century, products have been offered that cater for the main income earner of a household, typically men, if they get sick or injured," Ms Argent said. "We will pay women up to $900 a week if customers are hurt or ill, which could be spent on a cleaner, cook, nanny or to pay someone to do their grocery shopping while they rest and recover." Mother-of-two Allison Marler said the gesture was nice, but the cost might be too much. But she said insurance money would come in handy. On one occasion when she was ill her husband took three days off to care for her and their two children.
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