LGBTIQA+ people have come to expect the discrimination they regularly experience when applying for insurance products or making claims, according to InsurePride’s recent Worth the Risk survey of 493 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer and asexual (LGBTIQA+) insurance consumers.

Many respondents reported very negative experiences, including being harassed and harangued, and called offensive names.

“I once had a call operator project their religious opinions about living in a same-sex household,” one respondent reported.

Another described “knowing that transphobia is very likely to be encountered and having to mentally prepare for it”, [1] while a third shared “the headache of having to explain trans101 to someone in a call centre, and “the fear that there will be some loophole that I’ll be denied service because of being trans”. [2]

A lack of understanding

Such “discrimination, exclusion and poor treatment by insurance providers is often due to a lack of understanding and sensitivity towards LGBTIQA+ issues,” says Paul Bennell, co-chair of InsurePride, the insurance industry network for LGBTIQA+ professionals, partnerships and allies.

“LGBTIQA+ individuals often face unique challenges when interacting with service providers, including potential biases, or outright discrimination,” Bennell says.

Discrimination is the biggest barrier to accessing or utilising insurance for many of the 207 trans or gender diverse insurance consumers who responded to the Worth the Risk survey [3].

Due to the level of hostility often experienced, trans and gender diverse insurance professionals and consumers feel unsafe speaking openly, so, their comments and responses in the InsurePride survey were reported anonymously. 

Ongoing discrimination a disservice

In addition, when dealing with the insurance industry, trans, gender diverse or non-binary customers say the discrimination they feel isn’t a once-off scenario or an aberration.

They say the regularly of their experiences leave them feeling disrespected and frustrated about being excluded and the lack of awareness within the industry. 

For example, LGBTIQA+ insurance consumers are often subjected to assumptions about their names, genders, relationships, families and living arrangements.

“Staff attitudes and assumptions about kids and family and living arrangements is a significant barrier to accessing and utilising insurance,” the Worth the Risk report found.

As one respondent commented, “Every time I call my insurance company regarding my contents insurance, which I share with my same-sex partner, they misgender her. The first insurance card they sent her had her title wrong (they printed it as Mr), despite my explaining it multiple times. They still get it wrong.”

Another respondent stated that their insurance company constantly assumes their partner is of the opposite sex. 

“Insurance companies have always assumed my sexual orientation and used heteronormative language,” a third respondent said.

Never make assumptions

Many insurance professionals also make assumptions, often incorrectly, based on the voice or appearance of the customer.

“They assumed my gender based on my voice and proceeded to call me ‘sir’ throughout the conversation,” one respondent said. “Perhaps pronoun training or genderless pronouns/ titles are needed to make it a more comfortable experience for all,” they added.

Consistent assumptions and exclusionary language go beyond rudeness. They can also result in inappropriate or inaccurate information disseminated or collected about insurance products or options.

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