Guardian: "People with mental illnesses refused access to insurance cover"

Andy · Jan 20, 2018

Insurers have been accused of depriving access to life insurance and other kinds of cover to people with depression and anxiety, even for physical conditions unrelated to their mental health.

People who have suffered even mild mental health conditions or one-off episodes say they have been refused life insurance altogether, aggravating their financial insecurity.

Dozens of complainants have been in touch with the Guardian about the alleged discrimination. Charities and campaigners described the findings as “extremely worrying” and showed that insurers were operating based on an outdated understanding of mental illness.

In some cases, insurers appear to base their refusal on long-distant episodes of depression or anxiety, or when customers admit to having had suicidal thoughts or self-harming noted on their medical records. These customers are then allegedly deemed unsuitable to insure even for circumstances where death is not linked to a mental condition.

One refused applicant was a victim of the 7 July 2005 London bombings who experienced post-traumatic stress disorder. She described being turned down as “upsetting” and “worrying”, saying it showed ignorance about mental illness.
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https://www.theguardian.com/society...l-illnesses-refused-access-to-insurance-cover

Esther12 · Jan 20, 2018

How is this an 'exclusive'? Insurance companies have been openly doing this for decades.

It looks like Mind and Rethink Mental Illness were involved in leading the Guardian to this 'exclusive'. I've not been particularly impressed by what I've seen from either of them in the past. Mind seems particularly poor.

Andy · Jan 20, 2018

Esther12 said: ↑

How is this an 'exclusive'? Insurance companies have been openly doing this for decades.
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Yeah, I wasn't to clear about that either. The reason I posted it was at least it's an example of it being openly reported on.

Barry · Jan 20, 2018

Esther12 said: ↑

How is this an 'exclusive'? Insurance companies have been openly doing this for decades.
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Maybe it's that the public mood is different now, and so the media are finding the "courage" to talk more openly about it?

Esther12 · Jan 20, 2018

Andy said: ↑

Yeah, I wasn't to clear about that either. The reason I posted it was at least it's an example of it being openly reported on.
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Yeah - good to have you posting things like this. It was just the Guardian's presentation of it that was odd.

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Guardian: "People with mental illnesses refused access to insurance cover"

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Guardian: "People with mental illnesses refused access to insurance cover"

Andy Committee Member

Esther12 Senior Member (Voting Rights)

Andy Committee Member

Barry Senior Member (Voting Rights)

Esther12 Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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