The Police Association of NSW has worked with the NSW Police Force and the NSW Government to reform and enhance the insurance scheme that protects injured police officers.
Reforming the current Police Blue Ribbon Insurance provides enhanced protections for police officers who risk injury or death when performing their duties. Police officers still contribute 1.8% of their salary towards the scheme.
The new scheme will provide enhanced benefits and continuing coverage for officers injured on or off-duty. Injured officers will be provided with support payments for up to 7 years or 10 years in the event of a catastrophic injury where they cannot return to work. Crucial on and off duty death benefits have also been maintained.
Self-managing the scheme through the NSWPF, the new Enhanced Police Support Scheme focuses on injury prevention and rehabilitation.
Reforming the scheme resolves the long-standing Concessional Cap issue that police officers had been experiencing. Previously, the payment for the insurance premiums washed through the police officers’ superannuation, falsely inflating their salary. It pushed police officers over the Concessional Contributions Cap, resulting in excessive bills at tax time and denying them means tested benefits.
Police officers will now be able to make additional contributions to their super without penalty and save for their retirement like every other Australian.
PANSW President Kevin Morton said that the PANSW had long advocated to enhance benefits and secure protections for injured officers who risk their lives every day protecting our communities.
“Policing is a dangerous profession. Our police officers risk becoming injured or even being killed every day in the performance of their duties.”
“Support payments are needed to protect police officers and their families. This enhanced scheme provides a safety net for our injured officers. Self-managing the scheme puts the focus back on our police officers — on injury prevention and rehabilitation — not insurance premiums.”
“The PANSW has fought tirelessly to secure these enhancements and protections for our police officers. We thank the NSW Government and NSW Police Force for their support in achieving these outcomes.”
Media contact:
Elyssa King
PANSW Media & Communications Officer
0484 777 780
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