Intact Insurance domestic abuse policy has doubled disclosures

Intact Insurance’s domestic abuse policy has resulted in the number of disclosures doubling since it was launched in 2022.

The policy is a framework for a broader package of support for colleagues, which has contributed to making it easier for employees to come forward to the company and be directed towards the relevant support, training and guidance resources.

Under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, domestic abuse occurs when a person aged 16 or over engages in abusive behaviour towards another person who they are personally connected to. 

Abusive behaviour includes physical or sexual abuse, violent or threatening behaviour, controlling or coercive behaviour, economic abuse or psychological or emotional abuse.

Measuring the success of the policy in supporting victims of domestic abuse comes down to the number of disclosures to the firm to receive external support.

The insurer’s UK and Ireland head of diversity and inclusion Gemma Jackson told Insurance Times that the focus of the policy is on how the firm can “actively support” the conversation to help signpost where survivors of domestic abuse can receive aid.

And she felt the increasing number of disclosures demonstrates more people are feeling “comfortable to talk” on what is typically an underaddressed issue.

She also said that a doubling of disclosures also shows greater recognition that there is no judgement towards those who have sought out the policy.

Policy gap

However, despite the success of the policy so far, Jackson said that there is a “gap” yet to be addressed.

She explained that the policy does not yet have a solution for how to “sensitively and confidentially record disclosures in a way that protects the individual and supports evidence that they might need to give in the future”.

Currently, the paid-leave provided for domestic abuse are reported as “compassionate leave”, which prevents it from being tied to an employee’s individual record, she explained.

While this is the case currently, Jackson said that the insurer is looking to bridge this gap.