The pageant has been, the Magic Cave is open, and the shops are full of decorations, gift ideas, and specials. Yes – the holidays are nearly here.

The summer break in Adelaide is a great time of year, with the chance to take a breather, relax by the pool or the river, have a few friends over for a barbie and catch up with family.

But, it’s not all presents and parties…

Unfortunately, the holidays are also a time when visits to the emergency department are all too frequent. Common accidents include barbeque burns, swimming pool incidents, breaks and fractures from trying out new toys, and falls from horses or quad bikes when visiting rural rellies or friends.

And at the more unusual end of the spectrum, silly season mishaps include eye injuries from stray bits of glitter, foot injuries from stepping on toy parts, and accidents combining water and fairy lights.

Check your insurance cover

So, although your mind might be on upcoming festivities, now is a good time to check that your insurance cover is in place and adequate.

Private health cover is an obvious consideration; however, less front-of-mind for many people are income protection insurance, total and permanent disablement (TPD) insurance, and life insurance. The good news is that superannuation funds generally offer these to their members, so you may already have some level of cover, paid for through your super account with no out-of-pocket expenses.

Income protection insurance pays a proportion of your salary if you are injured or too ill for work for a period. This may assist in keeping up with mortgage payments, bills and other expenses in the new year if holiday mishap strikes. Life insurance and TPD insurance by contrast pay a lump sum in case of death or disablement.

Before the holiday season is a good time to ring your super provider and check or increase your level of cover. Many super providers also offer different scales of cover depending on your occupation – if you’re an office worker or professional, you may qualify for increased cover at the same cost.

We’re local and we’re here to help

Statewide is the leading South Australian-based profit-for-members industry fund. We look after the needs of over 120,000 South Australians.

We’re based in the heart of Adelaide, with offices on Victoria Square, so we’re always available to answer any questions you may have about super or insurance. You can also call us on 1300 65 18 65 or visit our website: www.statewide.com.au. And, we’ve got a great range of cost-effective insurance.

Statewide Superannuation Pty Ltd ABN 62 008 099 223 AFSL 243171 trustee and RSE Licensee of Statewide Superannuation Trust ABN 54 145 196 298. The information provided is of a general nature. It does not consider your specific needs nor is it intended to be financial product advice. You should obtain independent financial advice and consider the applicable product disclosure statement before making an investment decision.