The Belgian insurance company Axa has launched a new policy reimbursing psychological support for children and teenagers who are victims of bullying.
Starting Saturday, parents insured for legal assistance with Axa can access psychological help for their children. The insurance covers therapy sessions for bullied children and provides parents with guidance on how to support their kids and initiate mediation. In severe cases, victims will also receive assistance in filing complaints with the police.
Axa hopes to reignite discussions around bullying as children head back to school after the holidays. “Schools and associations play a key role in preventing and addressing bullying. We have decided to expand our offering to cover psychological support for children of our policyholders,” said Erik Heggen, director at Axa Belgium.
According to Axa, quick access to psychological support can significantly reduce the impact of bullying. The company states everyone has a role to play in tackling bullying among children and young people.
This type of insurance has already existed in France, where Axa is also active. There, protection against bullying is provided through legal assistance insurance or as an additional option in school insurance. Children are offered legal protection and can access services like telephone-based psychological support.
Axa claims it is the first insurer in Belgium to offer such coverage.
