For further information on this scheme, please contact Lyons Financial Services 01-8015808, quoting Group Policy No. 9929.

All members of the Public Service Friendly Society over the age of 18 and under the age of 60 will be accepted automatically at certain dates as determined by Irish Life.

However, once you have joined, cover continues up to the age of 65.

No.

If you leave the plan, you would have to take out a separate individual policy and would have to go through full underwriting.

No.

You are no longer covered once you cease to be a member of the Public Service Friendly Society.

In the case of not claiming, contributions are not refunded.

No.

Cover ceases for you if you make a claim.

However, your spouse/partner and children will still be covered.

Similarly, if your spouse/partner claims you and your children are still covered.

If you join before the closing date, you do not have to complete a medical.

After this date you may need to go through a full medical, if you wish to join.

For the purpose of the plan 'spouse/partner' is defined as a person living in a spousal type relationship with the member for 12 months or more at the date the application for cover is made.

Children are covered for the same range of illnesses as yourself and also for Bacterial Meningitis.

They are automatically included once you join the scheme.

Your spouse does not have to join for you to cover your children.

No.

This plan has been set up on a group scheme basis and the benefit level available is therefore fixed.

However, if you wish to you could increase your cover by buying a separate individual policy.

Yes.

However, this rate is reviewed every two years and the underwriters reserve the right to increase or decrease it, depending on the number of claims paid.

Under the Public Service Friendly Society Specified Illness Cover Plan you can choose between four levels of cover:

Option 1

Pays you €16,000 tax free lump sum for only €3.96 per week

For you and your spouse/partner, it costs only €7.93 per week

Children (1-21) are automatically covered for €8,000 - FREE

Option 2

Pays you €9,600 tax free lump sum for only €2.37 per week

For you and your spouse/partner, it costs only €4.75 per week

Children (1-21) are automatically covered for €5,000 - FREE

Option 3

Pays you €20,000 tax free lump sum for only €4.95 per week

For you and your spouse/partner, it costs only €9.90 per week 

Children (1-21) are automatically covered for €7,500 - FREE

Option 4

Pays you €25,000 tax free lump sum for only €6.19 per week

For you and your spouse/partner, it costs only €12.38 per week

Children (1-21) are automatically covered for €10,000 - FREE

Specified Illness Cover is an insurance policy that pays you a one-off lump sum if you suffer from one of the range of serious illnesses covered in the scheme.