How much cover do you get?

Cover up to 75% of your salary if you are unable to work due to illness or injury, minus any other income you may be entitled to. This could include half pay from your employer, Ill Health Early Retirement Pension, Temporary Rehabilitation Remuneration, State Illness Benefit or State Invalidity Pension.

When can you claim?

You can claim salary protection once you have used up your employer’s sick leave entitlements and completed the Scheme’s deferred period. The deferred period is simply the waiting time that must pass before the benefit is paid.

You can only claim Disability Benefit for an absence that starts on or after the date your Scheme membership begins. This date is shown in your acceptance letter. Any absence that started before this date is not covered.

What ‘disabled’ means under this Scheme?

For the purposes of this Scheme, you are considered disabled if you are totally unable to carry out the duties of your normal occupation due to illness or injury, and you are not engaged in any other occupation (whether or not for profit, reward, remuneration or benefit‑in‑kind).

The Scheme provides a lump sum of typically twice your annual salary if you die. This can help to pay bills and unexpected costs, at an already difficult time.

During the first 12 months’ of your membership, Death Benefit is only payable in the event of your accidental death (if your death is as a result of an accident) Terminal Illness Benefit is also not payable during the first 12 month period. After 12 months of membership, Death Benefit is payable in the normal manner as set out in Scheme Summary Booklet.

In the event of accidental death, a benefit of €15,000 is payable tax-free in addition to the normal Death Benefit.

In the event you are certified by a qualifying medical specialist as having a Terminal Illness, a benefit of 100% of the Death Benefit is payable to you tax-free.

A once‑off, tax‑free lump sum is paid if you are diagnosed with one of the less severe, but still life‑altering, illnesses covered under the Scheme and meet the relevant definition at the date of diagnosis. The benefit payable is the lesser of €10,000 or 12.5% of your annual salary at the date of diagnosis.

Only one Partial Payment Specified Illness Benefit claim can be made per member.

For the full list of Partial Specified Illnesses covered, and the detailed policy definitions and criteria for each illness, please see the Scheme Summary Booklet available here.

A once‑off, tax‑free lump sum of 25% of your annual salary is paid if you are diagnosed with one of the Specified Illnesses covered under the Scheme and meet the relevant definition at the date of diagnosis.

Only one Specified Illness Benefit claim can be made per member.

For the full list of Specified Illnesses covered, and the detailed policy definitions and criteria for each illness, please see the Scheme Summary Booklet available here.

In the event that a member’s child between the ages of 0 and 20 dies, a Death Benefit of €5,000 will be paid tax-free. This benefit is payable once per member.

Entitles members to join the Cornmarket Retired Members’ Life Cover Plan at retirement, without the need for medical underwriting (underwritten by Irish Life). The Plan pays a tax‑free lump sum to your estate in the event of your death.

The cost is currently 0.05% of your overall premium. You must apply within a specified period after you retire or after your membership of this Scheme ceases. Terms & Conditions apply. Please click here for more details.

You'll enjoy Automatic Scheme Access if you:

1. Are a new member of the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO)
2. Are under age 60
3. Are employed on at least one of the following bases: Permanent contract of indefinite duration or fixed-term contract.

Key points you need to know

• If you were ever an INTO member before, or are a current or former member or applicant of any SPS Scheme administered by Cornmarket, you will not qualify for Auto Access and should apply for Scheme membership using the standard application form (this is subject to medical underwriting)
• Auto Access is only available if you meet all eligibility criteria at the time you first join the INTO union. If you do not qualify then, you usually will not be able to use Auto Access later, even if your circumstances change
• In that case, you can still apply to join the Scheme using the standard application form (subject to medical underwriting)
• To remain in the Scheme, you must continue to be a member of the INTO union.

The following members are also eligible for cover under the Scheme, provided they meet the criteria above:

• Job/work sharers (working 50% or less than the normal working week)
• Members on statutory maternity (paid and unpaid), adoptive, parental or paternity leave.

If you join the INTO as a substitute or student teacher and are not yet in eligible employment:

• You will receive a letter from Cornmarket confirming that you are not eligible at that time
• The letter will explain that if you enter eligible employment within the timeframe specified, you can avail of Auto Access without medical underwriting, by following the process outlined in the letter.