If you are an unemployment insurance policyholder and you have been made redundant, you will need to contact your insurance provider as soon as possible to make a claim. In some cases you will need to have held your involuntary unemployment cover for at least six months before being eligible to claim. There may also be a standard waiting period of between one and three months until you are entitled to receive your payouts, and so the faster you begin the claims process, the faster you will be compensated. Similarly, you should not wait until you stop receiving redundancy pay from your previous employer before you make a claim to the insurance company; you can apply for your insurance payouts as soon as you have been made redundant.
Once you have contacted your insurance provider they will send you claims forms and request any relevant claim details. Often, your insurance provider will require these forms to be filled out by both you and your employer, so that the reasons for your unemployment can be established. Some insurance companies will require written statements from all parties involved. If there are any inconsistencies between these statements, your case may be investigated further by an independent third party. This may cause your payout to be delayed.
Your compensation entitlement is likely to be in the region of 85% of your income or upto approximately $3,000 per month for a maximum period of 3 months, depending on both your individual circumstances and your insurance provider. The exact amount you receive will also depend on the level of cover agreed when you purchased your insurance.
In some cases you may be required to send your insurance company proof that you are actively seeking work, possibly in the form of a 'Jobseeker's Agreement'. This document is usually kept up to date by you and your employment agency, and details the measures you are taking to try and find employment. Jobseeker agreements are available after registering at your local Job Centre. For some insurers, copies of application letters or interview invitations may be sufficient.
