Leigh Quade, Head of Strategic Partnerships
In 2008, Leigh Quade was 30 years old, healthy, building his career and raising a young family. Insurance was something he had organised a few years earlier and largely forgotten about.
Then everything changed.
A sudden, autoimmune illness left Leigh in intensive care, placed on life support and later an ECMO heart–lung machine. His wife relocated with their young son while pregnant with their second child, facing the very real possibility that Leigh might not survive.
It was the kind of scenario most people assume will never happen to them.
It did.
From intangible policy to financial lifeline
Before his illness, insurance felt abstract – something you pay for and hope never to use.
“Insurance went from being an intangible thing I’d probably never use, to being a critical safety net that provided real financial security when things were at their worst.”
Leigh had both trauma cover and income protection in place. That combination proved pivotal.
Income protection replaced his income during long recovery periods and subsequent surgeries. The trauma benefit provided an additional lump sum at a time when expenses surged – medical treatment, travel, accommodation and ongoing care.
“The real financial impact was that we didn’t miss a beat financially. Our expenses increased significantly, and the trauma cover filled that gap.”
His family was able to focus on survival and recovery, rather than scrambling to preserve cash flow.
What would have happened without cover?
The alternative scenario is stark.
“We would have sold our house to free up cash to live and pay medical expenses.”
His wife would have been forced back to work immediately after the birth of their second son – potentially even earlier. There may have been a period of welfare support. Borrowing from family or friends would likely have been necessary.
They would have exited the housing market at the worst possible time, missing years of growth and compounding financial setbacks from which they may never have recovered.
The illness itself was traumatic. Financial collapse would have added another layer entirely.
The reality of the claims process
One of the biggest misconceptions Leigh encountered was around insurers and claims.
“The life insurers, as a rule, are there to work out how to pay the claim – not the other way around. The stats back me up on this.”
In 2024 alone, $13.3 billion was paid in life insurance claims across Australia, covering life, TPD, trauma and income protection benefits. These payments are not theoretical. They represent families supported during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.
Leigh’s experience reinforced that when structured properly, insurance works.
A career shaped by lived experience
That year became the catalyst for a complete career shift.
Leigh moved into financial advice and risk specialisation, driven by a first-hand understanding of what insurance can mean in real life. Today, as Head of Strategic Partnerships, his story informs the conversations he has daily with advisers, employers and business partners.
“My story forms part of my conversations most days. It’s why I specialised in risk rather than investments.”
He speaks with empathy and conviction, particularly for those facing serious illness or death in the family without adequate cover in place.
“It keeps me telling stories, both mine and my clients’.”
The conversations Australia still needs to have
Leigh believes many Australians misunderstand the protection they actually have.
“If Australians think their industry super default cover will provide full financial support in sickness, total disability or death – think again.”
Default insurance through superannuation often provides basic cover that may fall well short of what a family truly needs. Understanding the gaps – and structuring meaningful cover – requires professional guidance.
He is particularly concerned about self-employed Australians and business owners.
“My experience is that self-employed people are chronically underinsured. There’s so much more at stake.”
For business owners, the financial impact of serious illness can cascade – affecting partners, employees and families. Leigh believes life insurance should be viewed with the same seriousness as legislated insurances such as public liability or workers compensation.
What insurance was really protecting
When asked what the insurance was truly protecting, Leigh’s answer is clear.
“Your financial capacity to deal with whatever is in front of you – regardless of your health.”
Insurance provided options at a time when physical and emotional capacity were at their lowest. It preserved their home. It protected long-term plans. It allowed them to continue moving forward.
“If you have it, you and your family have options. You may even still be able to move forward – keeping the kids in private school or that holiday you had planned. If not, you’re forced into extremely difficult decisions at a time when you have the least capacity to deal with them.”
Today, Leigh leads a full life. His illness has never defined him. But it fundamentally reshaped how he understands financial protection.
Insurance is not a theoretical safeguard.
It can be the difference between surviving medically and surviving financially.