As with a lot of Kiwis, I had some challenges with prioritising my thinking… aka mental health that I got some help with.
At the time I really did struggle with the label of depression. In fact, when my GP suggested this might be what was going on, I was seriously pissed off with him. Now, don’t get me wrong, my GP has been beyond amazing, and I respect him very highly. That did not deter from the fact I wasn’t overly happy with him labelling me depressed.
Now, a week or so later after wrapping my head around all of this; and speaking with a few other people, I embarked on getting medication to help out.
I liken it to a sailboat… ok, humour me, I like sailing.
I was spending most of my time keeping the boat upright and not actually sailing. Like I was missing the keel. All my energy literally went into not falling over. The medication became the keel allowing me to actually get on with things and enjoy the sailing part or living life.
This was back in 2018.
In 2019, I got medical insurance and income protection.
On my medical records it states I had depression. Righto, no problems there… except that insurance companies don’t seem to like covering people who are or have been depressed. Apparently, we are high risk so any claim relating to mental health is excluded.
You what???
Since then, insurance companies have hopped on the marketing train and are now providing ‘Mental Health Cover’.
They have singled out this particular area and are charging accordingly. Mental health has become an insurance profit centre.
Goodness me, seriously?
On the one hand, NZ Inc is actively talking about speaking up, getting help, etc with mental health. On the other hand, the insurance framework is directly penalising us for doing so.
Dear Insurance Companies,
For a large number of Kiwis, having depression is not high risk. It just means we have too much on our plate. Life got busy.
Please don’t treat us like victims by accentuating the negative impact of talking about mental health. Please don’t penalise us financially because we finally had the courage to get help.
Rather, aim to understand what the risk actually is before you blanket approach with either increased premiums or exclusions.
Oh, and for all those existing policies where depression may now not be an issue, how about driving a positive campaign to reinstate exclusions… without charging extra premium?
That would be cool.
