Free mental health support with your life insurance
Advice and guidance regarding mental health have become much more readily available in recent years and this is because constructive conversations about our mental wellbeing are becoming the norm. Slowly but surely as the years pass, normalising being open about our mental health negates some of the stigma surrounding it.
Nearly nine out of ten people who suffer from mental health issues say that stigma has a negative effect on their lives.* During our lives, many of us will experience struggles with our mental health so by being comfortable talking about it and promoting healthy conversations, people are more likely to reach out for help when they need it!
According to mental health charity Mind, approximately one in four people will experience a mental health issue every year, to adapt to the uprising of mental health cases in the UK, most life insurance providers now provide free access to mental health support.** Leading life insurance providers including AIG, Scottish Widows, Aviva, and Royal London, just to name a few, all have a range of benefits included with your policy at no extra cost! We have detailed some of the best provider benefits below, so have a read and you might find you have access to benefits you didn’t even know existed!
AIG
AIG offers SmartHealth to all its customers. SmartHealth ensures that you can access mental health advice for free and offers support from mental health specialists . Not only is SmartHealth completely free of charge, but their services are also available to your immediate family and children up until the age of 21.
SmartHealth can provide you with up to four free therapy sessions a year with a psychologist who will recommend whichever coping strategies they think are best for you. You can access your free SmartHealth benefits today by downloading the SmartHealth app and the password that you will need is your policy number.
Scottish Widows
One of the UK’s leading life insurance providers, Scottish Widows, provides Clinic in a Pocket and RedArc services to their customers at no extra cost. The RedArc services can offer support in several types of situations where your mental health may suffer such as bereavement, trauma, long-term illness, disability, and support for your recovery if you have been recently discharged from the hospital.
You will have access to dedicated personal nurses, who are highly experienced and have a wide range of medical knowledge. They can provide support for long-term illnesses such as depression and anxiety and they can even provide a course of therapy, where appropriate.
Aviva
Popular life insurance provider Aviva offers Digicare+ to their customers. Along with several other useful services such as annual health checks, fitness discounts, and health plans and second medical opinions. Along with all of these amazing benefits, Digicare+ also offers mental health support!
These services are of no extra cost to you and the mental health support includes access to qualified therapists who can provide help and guidance if you are struggling with issues such as depression, anxiety, and trauma. The app also offers advice from qualified professionals who can provide advice to parents who are worried about their younger children under the age of 16 and you can also receive up to six video or phone psychotherapy sessions for free. Booking can be done quickly and easily through the app, meaning you can even secure an appointment on average within two working days!
Royal London
From the start of 2022, new customers who take out a policy with Royal London have the option to obtain a personalised health report aimed at promoting and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. You will also have full access to Royal London's wellbeing services. One of these services is Thrive which is an NHS-approved mental wellbeing app that provides personalised recommendations to help prevent, detect, and self-manage mental health conditions, such as stress and anxiety. Thrive also has a range of techniques that can help improve overall mental wellbeing.
It is worth noting that every application for life insurance is unique and assessed on a case-by-case basis. If you are struggling with your mental health and want to talk to someone anonymously, we have put together a list of contacts below where you can reach out for help if you need it.
- Mind is a mental health charity that offers information, advice, and support for those suffering with their mental health, their number is 0300 123 3393.
- Samaritans provide support to anyone struggling to cope and is open 24/7, 365 days a week, their contact number is 116 123.
- CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) is open from 5pm-midnight every single day and you can call them on 0800 58 58 58. Plus, if you don’t want to talk on the phone, you can use their webchat service.
- Switchboard is a helpline for those who identify as LGBT which is open from 10am-10pm every day and their contact number is 0300 330 0630.
- National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK is open 24/7 and offers help and guidance to those suffering from suicidal thoughts, their number is 0800 689 5652.
