Justin Delaney

Zurich Financial Services Australia (Zurich) has announced new commitments to improve its understanding of mental health conditions, including exploration of a proposed collaborative research project with attendees of its latest Mental Health Roundtable.

Alongside roundtable attendees, Zurich will explore avenues for new research into the drivers of mental illness and resilience to inform improved underwriting, claims and prevention services.

Justin Delaney, Chief Executive Officer, Zurich said: “Zurich is continuing to witness the rising and profound impact of mental health conditions across our diverse customer base, with up to a quarter of applications now including mental health disclosures and more than two thirds of claims relating to mental health conditions for some products.”

The commitment to new research is in addition to several initiatives Zurich has commenced based on feedback from roundtable attendees, including:

• rolling out new mental health and vicarious trauma training for its claims team;
• consulting with the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) to examine the further use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to better understand the causes and drivers of mental il-health;
• appointing a Head of Health Services to lead Zurich’s medical officers and in-house psychologists to support with mental health claims; and
• updating and expanding its vulnerable customer framework.

“Zurich’s Mental Health Roundtable provides an important opportunity for the broader mental health ecosystem to collaborate, exchange views and share data to drive continued progress in addressing this growing issue.”

“It is a critical avenue for facilitating the meaningful and ongoing evolution of Zurich’s products and services, ultimately ensuring we can provide greater levels of cover to more Australians,” Mr Delaney said.

Belinda Elworthy, Chief Executive Officer, Gotcha4Life Foundation said: “Zurich’s commitment to listening and learning from those with deep and diverse expertise is a positive step towards providing better support for Australians.”

Dr Anna Brooks, Chief Research Officer, Lifeline Australia said: “Lifeline welcomes any collaborative, evidence-based and person-centred steps to improve insurance underwriting, claims and prevention services in the context of mental ill health and suicidal thinking.”

Dr Simon Benson, Clinical Director, Bupa said: “We all have a role to play in addressing mental health challenges facing our community. By combining our real-world experiences, resources, knowledge, and expertise, we can create a more comprehensive and integrated approach to care that meets the changing health and well-being needs of Australians.”

Caitlin Abbott, Health Policy Lead, Mandala said: “Mental healthcare’s changing landscape presents complex economic questions for the insurance and healthcare sectors. Mandala Partners values this opportunity to contribute economic insights that can help providers, insurers, and other members of the health ecosystem navigate these challenges while developing more sustainable models that reflect evolving consumer needs.”

Constituted in July 2024, the Zurich Mental Health Roundtable is a bi-annual forum for Zurich and broader health and civil society stakeholders to share views and experiences on key trends and insights relating to the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental health conditions. 

The second Zurich Mental Health Roundtable, held in February 2025, was attended by representatives from Black Dog Institute, Lifeline Australia, Gotcha4Life Foundation, Bupa and Mandala Partners.

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