According to a recent survey by the Australian Bureau of Statistics looking into the impact of COVID-19, one in five Australians are reporting high or very high levels of psychological distress linked to the pandemic.
“It’s no secret that mental health claims had risen even before COVID and that it’s affecting the industry as a whole,” said Linda Griffin (pictured), head of brand, marketing and corporate affairs for Zurich Financial Services Australia.
As Australia’s mental health issues take more of a spotlight, some insurance companies are increasing their commitment in this area through community outreach and staff programs.
Zurich just renewed their 12-month partnership with Mr Perfect, a men’s wellbeing network that aims to create community and encourage conversation through informal BBQs across Australia.
Zurich’s three years of support have already helped Mr Perfect expand to more than 40 locations and scale up online services that provide support and information for the good of men’s health.
The global financial and insurance company is behind a range of other community focused initiatives that involve mental health. Griffin says Zurich’s commitment is genuine and not just a public relations exercise.
“Globally, Zurich Group has an aspiration to be one of the most responsible companies in the world,” she said. “We see it as a long-term investment.”
The company’s mental health initiatives also focus on their own staff.
Zurich has standard programs like an EAP (employee assistance program) which is a work-based early intervention program aimed at resolving work and personal problems. The company has also launched MindFIT.
“The MindFIT group really looks at staff programs that can help alleviate workplace stress. We have things like mindfulness, yoga, a lot of things to really help our staff through these tough times - and we also managed to do enough of these things online and virtually during lockdown, which I think has made a positive impact for our staff,” said Griffin.
The mental health programs also reach out beyond full-time staff to brokers and advisers.
“We also did some mental health wellbeing training for our brokers and advisers as well because, similar to our customers, we could see the stress of COVID, but even before COVID, the stress of regulatory changes, particularly for financial advisers, was having a real impact on a number of small businesses throughout Australia,” she said.
For other insurers and brokerages interested in getting involved in mental health initiatives, Griffin encourages them to begin by undertaking some research to find out where there’s a need.
“I think it’s important to be really educated about where there’s space to play. The research we did showed that early intervention programs work, so that would be where I would encourage other participants to get involved,” she said. “I do think now is the time for both the public and private sector to come together to really support positive mental wellbeing.”
Griffin said most government funding for mental health goes into hospitalized care and high-cost crisis care services. Zurich recently commissioned some research with the Centre for Social Impact (CSI) to look at where best to put mental health funding. Mental Health Deep Dive called for an increased focus on prevention and early intervention. The report argued that this focus is the best tool for reducing mental health impacts on individuals, costs and service delivery burdens.
“There’s a lot of work to be done on supporting mental wellbeing before it gets to the point where a person is in crisis and needs access to the hospital and mental health system. So, I think we can do more to support community programs,” said Griffin.
Some insurance companies are taking the initiative with mental health. Many of the initiatives involve their own staff.
Last month, Allianz Australia launched its High Care Self Care package, a mental health program for its frontline workers managing vulnerable customers' cases to help them deal with secondhand trauma. The package includes training by a specialist provider and regular team psychologist round-table sessions.
General insurer Youi has accredited mental health first aid officer training for its employees. The voluntary training, available at Youi’s Sunshine Coast headquarters, allows employees to support their co-workers with mental health problems actively.
Others, including brokerages, focus on supporting community based programs. Allinsure, a Canberra based brokerage, partners with and sponsors a range of organizations that deal with mental health, including OzHelp and Lifeline.
