Can you still get life insurance with a mental illness?

Living with depression or an anxiety disorder doesn't need to stop you from getting your life insurances sorted.

Thankfully, good mental health is now becoming part of the regular conversations for many Australians.

Here are some tips to help navigate the application process.

• About 3 million Australians are living with a form of anxiety or depression (Beyond Blue 2020) and at least 45 per cent of Australians will experience a mental health issue at some point in their lives. (SANE, 2019)
• However, studies have also found that LGBTIQ people face up to twice as much abuse or violence than our heterosexual counterparts and that this prejudice and discrimination adds an additional layer of risk factors that can lead to depression and anxiety.
• Research and real life experiences have found that LGBTIQ people have an increased risk of depression and anxiety, substance abuse, self-harming and suicidal thoughts.

Be careful what you Google when looking for advice on life insurance

Be careful what you Google for when you're searching for simple answers to complex questions like; can people with HIV or other complex health conditions can still qualify for life insurance?

Google Search is part of our modern-day lives.

Who hasn’t made a quick Search for the bio of an actor, the secret to a killer Bearnaise sauce or asked, ‘Is there a sequel to Game of Thrones?’

Search is also a growing part of our personal health management. People's tendencies for a late-night search session with Dr Google self-diagnosing potential medical conditions —by searching for symptoms —are known to trigger many an anxious night of misinformation and questionable comparisons.

The reality is many of our late-night search results usually add to our anxiety and uncertainty.

The new skill of knowing ‘when to consult a professional’ is becoming the new 21th Century survival skill to learn.