Digital Health Cooperative Research Centre, University of Sydney, life insurer TAL and Workcom have launched a collaborative project aimed at improving support for Australians lodging income protection claims tied to mental health conditions.
The initiative, known as Pathways, will co-design a digital platform to guide customers through the claims and recovery process.
TAL, an Australian life insurance company, provides a wide range of life, income protection, and critical illness insurance products to individuals, families, and corporate clients. As part of Japan’s Dai-ichi Life Group, TAL is among Australia’s largest insurers by in-force premiums.
Researchers from the University’s Central Clinical School are leading development, with a focus on identifying what individuals need during recovery and embedding those insights into structured digital tools.
The Psychological Medicine team, led by Professor Nick Glozier at the University of Sydney’s Central Clinical School, is an internationally recognised research group focused on improving mental health, work participation and recovery outcomes.
The team brings together expertise in psychiatry, psychology, public health and digital health to design and evaluate innovative, evidence-based interventions that support people experiencing mental health conditions across clinical, workplace and insurance settings.
Through strong partnerships with industry, health services and people with lived experience, the team is committed to translating research into practical solutions that improve recovery, inclusion and wellbeing.
Mental health prevalence has increased across Australia, a trend reflected in more frequent and complex income protection claims.
Annette Schmeide, CEO of the Digital Health Cooperative Research Centre, said the project responds to mounting pressure on insurers and claimants alike.
Behavioural science, evidence-based goal-setting frameworks and decision-aid models will shape the platform’s architecture.
The design approach centers on lived experience. Customers, clinicians and frontline claims teams will participate in co-development.
The platform aims to reduce fragmented referrals and inconsistent guidance, replacing trial-and-error processes with clearer navigation and structured engagement.
Dr Elizabeth Stratton, Research Fellow at the University’s Central Clinical School, said the project addresses a disconnect between how recovery unfolds during a claim and how systems currently manage it.
By incorporating direct customer input, Pathways seeks to support autonomy and informed decision-making rather than impose a predefined workflow.
TAL and Workcom will oversee platform build and deployment to TAL customers. Georgina Croft, TAL’s Chief Claims Officer, said the goal is to provide clearer visibility into recovery progress while giving claims teams data to tailor support at the right time.
John Mellors, Managing Director at Workcom, described the model as human-led care supported by digital structure. The hypothesis is direct: earlier, structured involvement in goal-setting may lead to stronger and more durable recovery outcomes.
According to Beinsure analysts, life insurers face mounting expectations to demonstrate improved mental health claims management, particularly where duration risk and customer experience intersect.
Digital scaffolding, if aligned with clinical evidence and regulatory requirements, may help balance support with cost containment.
Pathways operates under funding from the Australian Government’s Cooperative Research Centres Program, positioning the project within a broader national push toward digitally enabled health innovation.
