If Mario and Luigi were real people, could we actually insure them?

life insurance
Written By Jam Villasanta

If you have ever wondered how insurance for tradies actually works, look no further than the two most chaotic plumbers in pop culture. Mario and Luigi spend their days crawling through tunnels, dodging hazards, battling turtles, lifting heavy gear and smashing blocks with their fists. In other words, the job description is not that different from a real plumber who works underground, handles machinery, takes on physical risk and runs a small business.

We asked a simple question…

If Mario and Luigi lived in Australia and worked as real tradies, what cover would they actually need to protect their income, health and business?

To find out, we took their careers, hobbies and lifestyle and ran them through an underwriting lens. The result was surprisingly practical and a good reminder that even fictional heroes need solid cover.

Who are Mario and Luigi as insurance applicants?

Think of them as two self-employed tradies who split their time between plumbing jobs and dangerous side quests. Their risk profile looks like this:

  • Occupation: Plumbers plus underground work, climbing, crawling through tight spaces and occasional combat-style hazards

  • Income: Variable and self-employed, sometimes with business partners

  • Health: Fit but constantly injured, high physical strain

  • Lifestyle: Hazardous hobbies like kart racing, skydiving and ghost hunting

These are all major underwriting factors. Tradies with physically intensive work and high-risk hobbies will see more questions, possible loadings and some exclusions.

What insurance for tradies actually fits their lives?

Life cover

Life cover pays a lump sum if the insured person dies. That payout can clear debts, support dependants, or keep the plumbing business afloat so partners are not left carrying everything alone. It is the safety net that steps in if Mario or Luigi loses their final life.

TPD cover

TPD comes in two versions: any occupation and own occupation. For Mario and Luigi, the difference is huge. Their work is specialised, physical and not easy to retrain from.

“If you are talking about TPD, I am always going to lean toward own occ if the client can afford it.”
— Phil Thompson, Skye Financial Adviser

Most super funds default to any occupation that is harder to claim. Own occupation held outside super gives them better protection.

Trauma cover

Useful for burns, electrocution, major injuries, cardiac events, neurological issues, cancers, and sudden illnesses. Perfect fit for tradies constantly exposed to unpredictable risks.

“If Mario gets crushed by a Thwomp, that is basically a trauma or TPD claim waiting to happen.”
— Phil

Income Protection

The most important cover for tradies because when their body stops, their income stops.

“If they were real tradies, income protection is the first thing I would sort out. They are constantly getting injured.”
— Phil

Inside super or outside super?

Many young tradies start with group insurance inside super. It is affordable and often auto-accepted. But it has limitations.

  • Under PMIF reforms, people under 25 or with low balances must opt in

  • Definitions are generic

  • TPD is usually any occupation

  • Income protection through super has restrictions on partial disability, offsets and work status

Retail cover outside super gives more flexibility, stronger wording and better fit for a risky trade job. Many advisers use a blend: life and TPD in super for cash flow efficiency, trauma and income protection outside super for quality.

Duty to take reasonable care

Since 2021, the rule has shifted from “tell us everything” to “take reasonable care not to make a misrepresentation.” Insurers must ask clear questions, and you must answer accurately.

“The obligation for them is to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth as long as it’s reasonable.”
— Phil

For Mario and Luigi, that means disclosing kart racing, underground work, ghost exterminating and mushroom use. The big one is drug use… eating mushrooms, hallucinogens. Mario and Luigi do that fairly often. Too often. (We cannot confirm whether Fire Flowers count as performance-enhancing, but let us assume yes.)

Hazardous pursuits and exclusions

Hazardous hobbies shift premiums quickly. Some insurers may place loadings. Others may exclude the activity altogether.

Mario wants full cover. Luigi prefers the cheaper option.

“If kart racing is going to be excluded, I would rather pay the loading to keep it in. Otherwise what is the point of having the insurance.”
— Phil
“I will take the exclusion on karting if it keeps the premiums down. I am the boring one.”
— Trent Bacon, Skye Financial Adviser

Tradies often underestimate how motorbikes, rock climbing, diving or motorsport can impact terms.

Income protection in the post-APRA world

APRA’s reforms removed agreed value policies and tightened product rules. Benefits now align with income at claim time, which affects self-employed tradies with fluctuating earnings.

“Mario and Luigi are actually a one day a week plumber… they might not be earning enough income.”
— Trent

Tradies should keep financial records clear and up-to-date to substantiate claims.

Claims reality

TPD inside super will likely assess them under any occupation, which is difficult for tradies with unique duties. A separate own occupation TPD policy gives them a better chance at a successful claim.

Income protection claims require medical reports, incident details and financial records. Trauma claims pay on diagnosis of defined conditions.

Small business protection

Mario and Luigi often operate the plumbing business as co-owners. If one passes away, the other might suddenly share the company with their partner.

“If Peach inherits half the plumbing business, that is a disaster. They need buy sell.”
— Trent

This is where business expenses cover and buy sell agreements matter.

“Let’s also talk about… if Mario and Luigi got a cracking business, everything is going really well, let’s talk about protecting the ownership of that business.”
— Phil

Bringing it home

The funny part is that the Mario and Luigi scenario is not that far from real life. Many tradies have physical jobs, risky hobbies, variable income, small business partners and young families.

Their world looks like a game but their risks are real.

The right insurance for tradies makes sure that when life gets chaotic, they still have options.

“Even heroes like us, we need to get insurance in place.”
— Phil

References

Jam Villasanta
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