The young Auckland mum was on parental leave last year when she was suddenly made redundant.
It was a jolt, personally and professionally, for the childcare worker who later spoke to her GP about her mental health.
Luckily for Jayani (not her real name), she had an income protection policy with AIA New Zealand – and her claim triggered something that was ultimately to do her a power of good: AIA's 360 Care rehabilitation programme.
It is, says AIA's Chief Customer Officer, Sharron Botica, a free service for AIA customers, costing the company about $1 million a year: "We think it's a good investment," she says, "not just for our customers but as part of our vision to help make New Zealand one of the healthiest and best protected countries in the world."
The 360 Care programme is the exact opposite of what many people think the insurance "claims experience" is like for policyholders – a form-based process that is big on numbers, money, eligibility and approvals and short on the personal touch.
That's not what Botica says AIA provides and not what Jayani experienced: "It's an acknowledgement that making a claim is just the beginning," says Botica. "We know that customers often need additional support to get back on their feet."
Here's how 360 Care works. Once a claim is made, a decision is made on whether the customer needs 360 Care and the attention of an AIA case manager – there are 15 of them, many with previous experience in case management.
"Our case managers are typically more mature, with life experience as well as a background in medicine, case management and insurance. The most important thing is empathy; they become a trusted guide," says Botica.
The AIA case manager becomes a mentor and a trusted confidante who can be relied upon to be available as a listener and support – helping the recovering customer not only through the claims process but through medical, social and personal rehabilitation.
Which is what happened with Jayani. Her case manager set up virtual conferences with her (New Zealand was already in the grip of Covid-19 and lockdowns). They were followed up with a home visit when Auckland returned to alert level one.
Jayani was also referred to a clinical psychologist who undertook a psychiatric assessment and diagnosed her with post-natal depression. The case manager understood that, as Jayani was of Indian descent, she needed a psychologist who understood her cultural needs, and ensured someone suitable was appointed.
When the mental health issues were addressed, AIA also provided vocational assistance to help her look for, and return to, work when she was ready; five months later, Jayani found new employment enabling her to get back to the work she loved.
"A lot of people we see in this kind of situation are often professionals or people who own their own business, who suddenly experience poor health and don't know what to do," says Botica. "While we provide them with income every month, we have come to know over the years that it's not just the money that's needed. They need extra support to return to work and to look after the wellbeing of their families.
"At times, we've even stretched the rehabilitation to encompass the partner of a policyholder, as we know the health or mental health of the partner can be just as important; if your partner isn't well, you can also be adversely affected.
"That said, we know a lot of people put themselves last – and our case managers are trained to look out for that. People want to pay the mortgage, make sure food is on the table, the kids are at school…they do everything except look after themselves.
Botica says every effort is made to match a case manager to a customer and, if there are complicated or multi-faceted health issues, AIA's Chief Medical Officer, Dr John Mayhew is available for consultation and guidance.
"We firmly believe our 360 Care rehabilitation programme is a good investment because it means we are looking after our customers in every way, and ensures our business taking them through a claims process which is not just about paying claims but also making sure our customers' wellbeing is at the heart of it all."