Insurance sticking point in Perenara’s move

TJ Perenara has just one more hurdle to overcome before his move to the Sydney Roosters can be completed.

According to the Daily Telegraph, the former All Black halfback needs to sort out income protection insurance, so that he is financially covered if he picks up a serious injury.

The 29-year-old is negotiating the code switch on a contract worth AU$150,000 (NZ$161,400) for the rest of the NRL season.

But the Daily Telegraph says the 69-test All Black and his management team are trying to find an insurance company willing to take him on for his full value, rather than what the Roosters will pay him for the rest of 2021.

Perenara usually earns around $600,000 a season playing rugby, either in Japan on New Zealand, but under a standard NRL contract he would only be covered for what he picks up from the Roosters if he suffers a career ending injury.

That money is for a maximum of two years.

So if Perenara was unfortunate to have an injury with the Roosters which would force him into an early retirement, he’d only get paid $322,800, rather than $1.2 million.

Perenara is trying to find an insurance company willing to take him on at his true value, rather than what he’ll get paid as a mid-season recruit, the Daily Telegraph said.

Roosters coach Trent Robinson is expected to announce next week whether the Perenara deal is either on or off.