AIA Australia has started a virtual mental health service for its life insurance customers.
The trend of private insurers moving to provide specialised health services for their members is continuing with AIA Australia announcing a partnership with Online Psychologists Australia to launch My Psychologist, a virtual mental health support service.
The service is available to AIA Australia’s life insurance customers and their immediate family members and will enable customers to access virtual consultations with qualified psychologists and assist with referrals for a Mental Health Care Plan by connecting them to a telehealth GP where applicable.
My Psychologist offers appointments with a psychologist within seven days for a reduced out-of-pocket fee of $60 through Medicare for those with a Mental Health Care Plan.
“Online Psychologists Australia was founded on the belief that all Australians have a right to access mental health support, regardless of location or other challenges,” said OPA psychologist Craig Russouw.
“Its mission is to provide rural, regional and urban Australians with access to the right psychologist with expertise in the relevant areas of mental health, no wait times, and high-quality online support that parallels in-person therapy.
“Through OPA’s facilitation of My Psychologist, users are able to access virtual consultations with qualified psychologists and get assistance with referrals for a Mental Health Care Plan by connecting them to a telehealth GP, if needed.”
Almost one in 10 Australians seeking mental health support in the last year do so through a digital health service – a significant increase from the previous year (doubling from 4% to 8%).
The number of adults accessing support from psychologists, psychiatrists and counsellors has risen by 30%, according to the Australian Psychological Society.
My Psychologist is part of AIA Australia’s “wellbeing ecosystem”, AIA Embrace.
CEO Damian Mu said the proportion of mental health claims had risen from 10% of the life insurer’s claims in 2014 to 25% in 2024.
“In line with our focus on prevention and health promotion, we recognise the significant impact that seeking the right treatment at the earliest opportunity can have on an individual’s overall health,” Mr Mu said.
My Psychologist is available here.