Ahead of International Women’s Day, new claims data from Healix Health highlights significant gender differences in health conditions and claims patterns. For insurance and protection specialists, understanding these trends is key to effective risk assessment, cover recommendations and claims planning.
Keira Wallis, Head of Clinical Operations at Healix Health, explains:
“International Women’s Day is a timely reminder that while awareness of women’s health conditions is improving, our data shows many women still face long waits for answers. Take endometriosis. Over the past two years, the average age of diagnosis in our data is 34, even though symptoms often begin during adolescence. That means many women live with symptoms for years before reaching specialist services, highlighting how easily early signs and symptoms can be overlooked or dismissed by healthcare professionals.
We see similar patterns in mental health and neurodiversity. Women make up 60% of mental health claims in our data, and among younger adults aged 22-29, around 60% of neurodiversity-related claims come from women. Conditions like ADHD or autism can present differently in women, which means they are often recognised much later. For many, those differences only become clear once they enter the workforce or face new pressures that make those challenges harder to manage.
Migraines are another example where the impact on women is significantly higher. Our claims data shows that support for migraines is used 2.7 times more by women than men, often linked to hormonal factors that can make attacks more frequent and severe. It’s a reminder that many health conditions affect women differently, and recognising those differences is key to ensuring people get the support and diagnosis they need sooner.”
For specialists, these patterns underline the need to anticipate claims trends and ensure clients are advised on policies that reflect real-life health risks:
- Assess complex medical histories carefully during risk profiling.
- Consider implications for income protection, critical illness, and private medical cover.
- Be aware that women may face longer diagnosis timelines, which can affect cover and claims planning.
