In the insurance industry, you are trained to assess and mitigate risk, to think long-term, plan for the unforeseen, and protect what matters most. But amid the pressure of client demands, regulatory compliance, and a constantly evolving environment, one area we often overlook in ourselves and our teams is mental health.
At the recent Women in Protection conference, I spoke about lifelong wellbeing and emphasised a message that resonates deeply within our profession: we must treat our mental health with the same seriousness and consistency as our physical health—not just when we hit a crisis, but every day, across every stage of life and career.
I wanted to share how insurance professionals, leaders, and organisations can begin to prioritise and protect mental wellbeing like we do financial security.
The insurance sector, especially protection roles, carries a dual burden: high performance expectations and an emotional load. Advisers and underwriters often deal with life-altering events—illness, loss, financial vulnerability—which can take a quiet toll. Add to that long hours, intense deadlines, and complex regulations, and the risk to mental health increases.
The fix? Just as you assess and pre-empt client risk, we need strategies to pre-empt emotional burnout and cognitive overload.
1. Early Career: Normalise Mental Health as a Career Asset
Young professionals may need to be agile, ambitious, and constantly available. Yet, they can burn out early without the tools to manage stress or navigate imposter syndrome.
Advice:
Promote mental health as a performance enhancer, not a weakness.
Offer mentoring that includes discussions about resilience and emotional intelligence.
Mental wellness should be included in onboarding and development programmes.
2. Mid-Career: Manage Stress Like You Manage Clients
At this stage, many professionals balance senior responsibilities with family life, financial goals, and career growth. It’s tempting to deprioritise personal wellbeing.
Advice:
Set clear work-life boundaries and communicate them with confidence.
Take advantage of Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs), mental health days, and coaching resources.
Build “recovery time” into your calendar like a client meeting.
3. Leadership: Model Wellbeing at the Top
Culture starts at the top. If senior leaders never rest, never say “I’m struggling,” or dismiss the importance of mental health, the rest of the organisation follows suit.
Advice:
Share your wellbeing practices openly—it builds psychological safety.
Include mental health metrics in performance reviews and leadership training.
Encourage time off not just in policy but in practice.
4. Organisation-Wide: Align Mental Health With Risk Culture
Insurance firms understand risk better than most, so let’s apply that mindset internally. Just as we wouldn’t ignore a systemic financial risk, we shouldn’t ignore chronic workplace stress, presenteeism, or declining engagement.
Advice:
Embed mental health into your risk framework and employee value proposition.
Use data (absenteeism rates, turnover, survey results) to track wellbeing trends.
Train line managers to recognise and respond to mental health issues early.
Across all roles and levels, here are foundational habits to support your mental health, day in and day out:
Move daily – even short walks clear the mind.
Prioritise sleep – 7–9 hours is not a luxury; it’s a necessity.
Connect meaningfully with colleagues, friends, and mentors.
Be mindful of digital overload – constant email and screen time erode focus and increase anxiety.
Seek help early – therapy, coaching, or peer support can be proactive, not just reactive.
Mental wellbeing isn’t just a personal concern—it’s a business imperative. Resilient minds make better decisions, deliver stronger client relationships, and build more sustainable careers. It’s time for our industry to lead not just in protection products but also in protecting the people who deliver them.
Your mental health is a long-term asset. Invest in it accordingly.
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