MLC Life Insurance has celebrated the anniversary of the launch of Mental Health Navigator, which has now helped more than 100 life insurance clients improve their mental health condition.
The specialist mental health service, launched in May last year as an extension of the life insurer's current Best Doctors offering, provides eligible customers and their immediate family members with a detailed mental health review by leading experts at no cost and without the need to make an insurance claim to use it.
Sean McCormack, chief of group and retail partners at MLC Life Insurance, said Mental Health Navigator addressed a genuine gap in Australia’s mental health system.
A recent MLC Life Insurance-backed study revealed that 63% of Australians with a mental health condition believe the current mental healthcare system is too confusing and complex, leading many to consider giving up on treatment. Meanwhile, seven in ten Australians who have sought help for a condition said it was a negative experience and 36% believed finding the right treatment was hard.
“Each year approximately one in every five Australians will experience a mental health condition. However, worryingly more than half do not access any treatment,” McCormack said. “This is not a good outcome. Our research shows that many people feel the current system is too complex to navigate, and we believe this service can help address this issue.”
According to the FSC, mental health conditions rank third in the top 10 causes of claims across all life insurance categories.
