"Life insurance should do more than protect against risk – it should enable healthier, longer lives."

What role can mental health support play in insurance-led wellness offerings?

Mental health is an integral part of overall wellbeing and can have a significant impact on physical health. Prolonged physical illness or chronic pain can lead to emotional and mental distress, such as anxiety or depression. These conditions can then worsen physical health. Similarly, prolonged stress can impair the immune system and cardiovascular health.

Mental health conditions are among the leading causes of long‑term disability. According to the latest data from the WHO[2], over one billion people live with mental health conditions; addressing these needs measurably improves overall health and claims outcomes.

Wellness programmes that incorporate mental health support take a more holistic approach, recognising the interconnectedness of mental, physical, and social wellbeing. It is essential to tailor support to where each individual is on their wellness journey to make interventions meaningful and effective. Mental wellbeing is a crucial element to the success of any health and wellness plan, and importantly, experience shows that investment in this area can have a significant impact of the health outcomes of policyholders – again benefitting all parties involved.

Can wellness programmes rely on incentives alone, or is more support needed?

Reward-based models use incentives such as discounts or prizes to encourage users to engage in healthy behaviours. While this can be effective, there is a risk that it will be perceived as providing only short-term or superficial motivation.

Support-based models focus on raising awareness and encouraging personalised, sustained action. They provide insights, education, and tailored recommendations to help policyholders understand their health and how they can improve it. For example, some employers partner with specialist providers to give employees and their families rapid access to evidence-based therapy and coaching as part of a broader wellbeing strategy.

The best outcomes are created by combining both approaches – offering rewards while providing meaningful support and guidance.

What challenges do insurers typically encounter when incorporating wellness solutions into their portfolios?

Wellness solutions often require collaboration with multiple providers, such as technology vendors, healthcare services, and fitness companies. Providing a seamless, user-friendly experience that brings all these elements together is complex.

Cost is another consideration: insurers must invest upfront without immediate or easily quantifiable returns, since health benefits and risk reductions may take years to materialise. Data privacy and security is another critical area, since health data is sensitive and requires robust measures to protect policyholders’ information.

Finally, it is difficult to motivate policyholders from diverse demographic groups to become aware of their health risks, take and then sustain action, so this requires personalised and accessible solutions.

What’s needed to make wellness initiatives work?

Two things are essential: awareness and action. Firstly, insurers must provide clear, personalised information to help individuals understand their health risks and status. Next, they need to provide guidance and motivation to encourage policyholders to take meaningful action to improve their health.

Collaboration with external partners is crucial, since insurers are usually unable to deliver all of the required capabilities and services independently. The overall experience should be straightforward, seamless, and tailored to individual needs, with robust data security measures in place.