New data from the LV= Claims Report has revealed that stress was the third most common reason policyholders accessed mental health support through LV= Doctor Services, rising by 40% from the year before.
The findings are being highlighted as Stress Awareness Month draws to a close and shine a light on the role of protection‑led wellbeing services in financial advice.
While overall demand for mental health support through LV= Doctor Services increased year-on-year, the prominence of stress-related access highlights how clients are increasingly looking for practical support to manage their mental and emotional wellbeing.
LV= claims that for advisers, this trend reinforces the evolving role of protection. Protection-led wellbeing services are becoming an important complement to financial cover, offering support to clients while they are unwell or under pressure, rather than focusing solely on benefits payable at the point of claim.
LV= Doctor Services, included as standard with LV= Protection policies, provides policyholders with 24/7 access to remote GP appointments and mental health support throughout the life of their policy.
The service includes access to qualified therapists trained in counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and other psychological treatments. Policyholders, and their spouse or partner, can access up to five mental health support sessions per year, shared between them.
A key factor in addressing stress-related issues is timely access to care. Data from the LV= Reaching Resilience Report found that 16% of people experienced delays in securing a GP appointment, while 11% continued working for two months or more despite experiencing a mental health event.
LV= also found that 65% of people say access to mental health support would influence their choice to take out a protection policy.
In addition, LV’s Wealth and Wellbeing research found that, if faced with a major health issue or serious injury, people would worry most about meeting essential living costs (29%), running down their savings (25%) and losing their income or an inability to work (24%). Among working adults, 40% cite loss of income or inability to work and 35% report difficulty meeting essential expenses as key concerns.
"Stress Awareness Month is a timely reminder of how prevalent stress remains and the impact it can have on people’s mental health, resilience and their ability to work," Mike Farrell, protection sales and marketing director at LV=, said.
He added: "For advisers, protection isn’t just about what happens at the point of claim. Services like LV= Doctor Services give clients earlier access to professional support, helping them manage stress more effectively and potentially preventing issues from escalating over time."
