WFI Insurance today announced it will offer its farming clients and their families 24/7 access to mental health and safety support through a new arrangement with Sonder – Australia’s leading people risk intelligence and prevention platform.
Every WFI farming client and their family across Australia will have access to a private, app-based service supplemented by 24/7 phone support. Tools include wellbeing guidance, confidential self-assessments, counselling and psychology support, and location-based alerts for severe weather, floods and bushfires.
We recognise the urgent need to address mental wellbeing for farmers and their families. The mental health statistics for those living and working within agricultural settings are staggering – with one farmer losing their life to suicide every 10 days.
Farmers are the backbone of Australia and are essential to the ongoing viability of our country. Many operate within a continuous risk environment, where compounding events can place enormous strain on their mental wellbeing.
Damien Gallagher, WFI Executive General Manager
The announcement coincides with new research released by the University of Canberra which shows only one in seven farmers can easily access mental health support, and that 60% have been impacted by two or more major natural hazards in the past five years.
The increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather is taking its toll on farming communities, with the research showing wellbeing is directly impacted by the number of natural hazard events a farmer is exposed to.
14.6% of farmers report low wellbeing after experiencing one natural hazard event; this rises to 33.5% for those impacted by 4-5 events.
WFI’s authorised representatives live and work in the rural and regional communities they serve and see firsthand the increasing impacts of a changing climate, with WFI reporting a 42% surge in crop claims this year.
As a member of the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) Coalition for Mental Health and Wellbeing in Agriculture, this holistic mental health initiative is an important step for WFI to deliver on its commitment to drive greater support to farmers.
“We are delighted that through Sonder, we can now provide a meaningful offering that will enable farmers and their families to access high quality mental health and wellbeing support” said Damien Gallagher, WFI Executive General Manager.
“Farmers and their families face unique pressures, from the impacts of extreme weather and financial uncertainty to the challenges that can come with living and working in regional communities.
We know that early access to support can make a meaningful difference, which is why we’re proud to partner with WFI to offer farming communities 24/7 access to mental health and safety support. Together, we’re helping ensure farmers and their families can access the right support at the right time, wherever they are in Australia.”
Rob Deeming, COO, Sonder
The arrangement builds on IAG’s broader strategic investment in Sonder and its role in supporting IAG’s major event response. IAG is WFI’s parent company.
