After years of unhealthy workplace conditions, Clara had had enough
Jobs in the agriculture, forestry and fishing industry routinely top the most dangerous jobs list, due to the higher probability of workplace death or injury.
Banking doesn’t crack the top ten, yet a stressful work environment left Clara* with anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. After a series of incidents including a bungled bank robbery, Clara worked under the protection of a security guard for a period of time, but she struggled to cope.
Years of workplace stress and bullying had finally caught up with Clara, affecting her mental health. With a view to taking some time off, Clara met with her financial adviser to gain a clear understanding of her financial position and options.
“It had all built up over time and I didn’t realise the detrimental impact that past events had had on me,” she says. “I kept trying to push on but when I left my last job, I was broken. I was having problems at home, my husband had been injured in a serious accident and I was under a lot of pressure.”
In addition to a group insurance policy through her superannuation fund, Clara also held personal life insurance including income protection.
Fortuitously, just before moving to Hobart from Launceston for a bank manager role, Clara and her husband had met with their adviser to go over their superannuation, investment and insurance arrangements.
As part of that review, Clara’s adviser recommended that she increase her level of cover, opt for a 30-day waiting period instead of a 90-day waiting period and switch to ClearView for her insurance arrangements.
“As a bank manager, I had regular internal meetings with in-house finance brokers, tellers and financial planners, so over time I became educated about the value of advice and life insurance,” Clara says.
“I’d also seen customers experiencing poor health financially disadvantaged because they’d exhausted their sick leave and annual leave, and had to wait lengthy periods to receive benefits. If something happened to me, I didn’t want my family to be negatively impacted.”
Riddled with anxiety and struggling to concentrate, Clara approached her financial adviser to help her gather information, complete and lodge the claim application form, and book medical appointments.
“At the time, I was forgetting things and I didn’t have the energy to complete paperwork so my adviser played an instrumental role,” she says.
“I found the entire process flawless. ClearView processed my claim quickly and I continue to be supported. My claim manager knows what I’ve been through and is always understanding. I feel comfortable talking to her about anything.” “Having insurance has been a lifesaver for me and my family. It has taken the financial stress away and allowed me to focus on my recovery. Life would be awful without income protection.”
“I found the entire process flawless. ClearView processed my claim quickly and I continue to be supported. My claim manager knows what I’ve been through and is always understanding. I feel comfortable talking to her about anything.”
In focus: Mental health
Clara is currently on the road to recovery. She continues to see a health coach and rehabilitation specialist, although her progress has been disrupted due to COVID-19.
Around 20 per cent of Australians have a mental health condition, according to the latest National Health Survey from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). This number has increased in recent years, particularly the number of people with anxiety or depression.
Mental illness is also a leading cause of suicidal deaths, with 94 per cent of the 3,000 people who die of suicide each year experiencing a mental health condition(s) in the lead-up to their death, according to the ABS.
The most common types of mental illness are anxiety, depression and substance use disorders.
*Not their real name.
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