# Healing and Wellbeing > Study, Work and Welfare >  >  Australian insurance companies will now have to cover mental illness

## Member11

> A 21-year-old Melbourne woman who challenged an insurer for failing to honour her travel insurance says she hopes her court victory will prevent others being discriminated against for having a mental illness.
> 
> Ella Ingram took action against QBE in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal in a case that could affect the whole insurance industry. Ms Ingram, who developed depression when she was 17, was refused reimbursement for a 2012 school trip to New York, after she became too mentally ill to travel.
> 
> QBE's travel insurance does not cover trip cancellation due to mental illness, even if the mental illness is not a pre-existing condition. In the first ruling of its kind, VCAT member Anne Dea found Ms Ingram's depression was a disability and by refusing to insure her QBE "engaged in direct discrimination".



Great news!  ::):

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## Chantellabella

That's good. I don't know what I'd do if my insurance didn't cover my therapy.

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