The pandemic has focused minds on mental health like never before with advisers and insurers finding clients more attuned to its importance.
The subject is now one that employers, employees and individuals alike across the globe are openly aware of and take seriously.
And advisers are seeing that in their interactions with clients.
Liz Dorfman, owner of LD Health Solutions emphasised that the issue is no longer seen as a laughing matter.
“It used to be that when you mentioned mental health cover that people made jokes and said, ‘I’m not mad, I don’t need this benefit’. Now there’s none of that,” she told Health & Protection.
“I never did joke because I’m an ex-psychologist, but because so many people need mental health support and it could be anyone affected, its now a case of ‘but for the grace of God goes anyone,’ and they could need help.”
So has mental health now moved from being an expensive add on to being a core part of providers’ offerings? And what is the role of advisers in demystifying these often-complex benefits for customers?
Taken more seriously by individuals and companies
Debbie Jones, owner of Visibly Health, highlighted that with increased media coverage and the normalisation of conversations about mental health, personal policyholders are keeping mental health on their list of desirable benefits.
And Penny Jackson, owner of The Insurance Boutique, agreed.
“More and more providers are pulling mental health into their core cover, providing an element of mental health support without having to add it on,” she said.
“It’s always been a popular benefit for companies because they feel they’ve got a duty to have something in place for when their staff get sick and struggle with mental health.
“That’s becoming more important post-pandemic, but you’ve also got more individuals looking to take it out – they’re more interested in the mental health.
“They’re not looking to remove it which is interesting. I think people have suffered with down days over the last couple of years, so I think it’s being taken more seriously.”
Encouragingly, Jackson noted that recognising the increased demand from corporate clients the cover is also becoming much more affordable.
“It’s got cheaper – previously you added mental health on it would put the premium up by 20%. Now you’re looking at less than 10% if anything where it’s not on already,” Jackson added.
Insurer coverage and support
In terms of mental health exclusions, protection insurer Cirencester Friendly revealed it has not noticed any more being applied than in the previous years, but it will offer a 5% discount where a mental health exclusion is applied to a contract.
Sophie Money, group protection wellbeing manager at Aviva, revealed the insurer has also seen employers become more aware of the necessity to support the mental health and wellbeing of their staff.
“We are seeing good engagement in our wellbeing services, aimed at prevention in this area. Mental health claims continue to make up a high proportion of claim referrals and we continue to support with rehabilitation where this is the case,” she added.
In responding to the increased demand, Money added, that Aviva has delivered its mental health pathway, added guides and tools to its wellbeing library and developed a webinar for managers focusing on Covid related anxiety and distress in returning to the workplace.
Expatriates suffer most
Increased demand for mental health services is certainly not limited to local residents.
Expat insurer William Russell noted its data showed expatriates were more at risk of experiencing mental health disorders than people living in their home countries.
“Another reason expats seek mental health support is as a consequence of other episodes from other medical conditions,” it said.
Aetna International said it has made a number of product enhancements specifically for international SMEs including inpatient and outpatient psychiatric treatment and psychotherapy for patients with non-emergency medical conditions.
David Healy, CEO EMEA at Aetna, added: “We’re definitely seeing a shift in the health insurance market from a sick care model to a well-care model where we offer people access to the tools and resources to lead healthier, happier lives – especially in terms of mental health.
“Covid-19 has had a negative impact on mental health and wellbeing. This second curve of the pandemic is likely to be relevant for some time as people grapple with uncertainty.”
Demystifying benefits
But ultimately, whether clients are overseas or in the UK, the role of the adviser is crucial in helping them navigate their options, according to Visibly Health’s Debbie Jones.
“People find it quite confusing on mental health because you’ve got psychotherapy and psychiatric – you’ve got the clinical approach and the talking approach and you’ve got the different theories under those two,” she said.
“You’ve got cognitive behavioural therapy [CBT] and other models, but it’s confusing so it would be nice to clarify the benefit in a more down to earth way so people know what they are actually buying.
“But providers don’t want to miss a trick, they are very competitive between them. They all want to win business and they can’t afford to miss mental health off their offering.”