“It gave me time and space to recover” — Luke on why income protection was worth every cent 

Burnout. Illness. Injury. When life throws something unexpected, it doesn’t just hit your health—it hits your income. That’s why income protection matters. 

Just ask Luke, who found himself facing down a serious mental-health crisis—with a family to support and no roadmap back. 

A Perth-based tech consultant, Luke had spent nearly two decades living at full tilt: big projects, family outings and community involvement.

“From 2000 to late 2018, everything was going great,” he says.  But by mid-2019, the gears had started to grind—slowly, then all at once. 

When ‘just push through’ stops working 

After a messy CEO shake-up, Luke’s workload spiked. Sleepless nights multiplied. Confidence vanished. Decision making became chaotic.

By mid-2019, he was “emotionally exhausted… unable to process almost anything.”

The tipping point came when his wife had to call his employer’s Human Resources Department. Luke was spiralling. Doctors agreed his condition was serious, he had to stop. They recommended making an income protection claim for mental health.

“That was the first time I really stopped and had to accept help,” he says. 

The claim that kept the lights on

Years earlier, on a mentor’s advice, Luke had taken out income protection. He’d not expected to need it, but thought it might cover something physical—maybe an injury or accident.

Instead, it kicked in where Medicare couldn’t: providing an income while he focused on treatment. 

“Someone came to my house, walked through the forms and just listened,” he says. “I was worried I’d seem ‘too well,’ but I wasn’t judged.” 

That someone was a qualified nurse, arranged through Zurich’s partnership with CaseWorks Australia—helping Luke complete the paperwork at home, and making the process simpler and less stressful. 

There was no pressure to rush back to work. Just support, rehab services, and a plan he could actually manage.

Returning to work—with guardrails 

Luke eased back through a graded return-to-work program—structured, flexible, and with input from a rehab consultant.

“It wasn’t just ‘You’re recovered now—go back to work full-time.’ I could test the waters… rebuild confidence,” he says.

The experience didn’t just change his workload. It changed his outlook.

“I used to grind through everything, and for a time this worked, until it didn’t. Now I’ve learnt to pause, be vulnerable, be present and real – leaving me empowered and in control.”

It also didn’t just hit the brakes—it rewired how he thinks about recovery and resilience. 
“It gave us the space to focus on recovery.” 

What if the cover hadn’t been there? 

Income protection reduced the stress Luke’s family had to face.

“The psychological importance of being able to focus on your health without worrying about day-to-day income can’t be overstated,” he says.

Income protection allowed a space for Luke to self-discover, learn and heal.

Three things Luke wants you to know 

1. Mental-health claims are real. 
   Luke rated the odds of making a mental health claim at “0 per cent” when he first took out his policy.
2. Future-you will thank present-you. 
   The premiums felt like “just another bill”—until they didn’t.
3. Get the details right. 
   Features like graded return-to-work option made all the difference. 

The takeaway

Burnout, illness, injury—whatever curveball hits, it often lands hardest on your income. Income protection gives you something no streaming subscription ever could: time and space to get well.

Take five minutes. Check your Super. Review your insurance cover. Ask yourself: Could your household get by for three months without your salary? Six months? A year? 

If the answer makes you uneasy, follow Luke’s lead. Talk to a financial adviser, check what cover you have in your Super or head to zurich.com.au. Review your options, and make sure future-you is protected—whatever comes your way.

We don’t just cover, we care

Making a claim is more than a transaction, it’s a moment that builds trust. At Zurich, we meet those moments with care. 

Every claim is personal, and we’re committed to offering guidance you can count on, and expert help when you need it most. 

For the day it matters, and every day that follows.