"Insurance industry slammed by mental health advocates", 28 Nov 2016

...In a recent ABC news report, the industry came under fire from mental health advocates who openly questioned the approach of insurers in dealing with people who have mental health issues...The report focused on the case of 17-year-old Ella Ingram...who was set for a school trip...However, shortly before the trip she was diagnosed with a major depression...Her family attempted to claim for the cancelled trip on their travel insurance policy – only to find the claim was rejected on what was described as a blanket exclusion of mental illness.  So...they actually challenged the company in court – and, in December last year, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal ruled that the company had unlawfully discriminated against Ella based on her disability...“The insurance industry should be encouraging their people to see us, and be reassured that help seeking people are help seeking people, and are less likely to be a risk for these companies” [said Gary Galambos, chairman of the NSW Branch of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists]...In addition, it suggests that insurance companies are “undermining” efforts to tackle the stigma associated with mental health...