Amy suffered hearing loss as a child which worsened after the birth of her son. She approached the charity to help fund a specialist hearing aid that wasn’t available on the NHS.
Can you tell us about you and your family?
I am happily married to Chris who is a civil servant. We have two beautiful children my daughter who was born in 2010 and my son in 2012. We are a fun, happy, sporty and cheffy bunch!
What is your role within the insurance industry?
I’ve worked in the insurance industry most of my life since my early twenties. I am an insurance and risk specialist at Specialist Risk Group which I joined in early 2022.
Why did you first get in touch with The Insurance Charity?
I lost my hearing in my right side when I was three years old due to illness and infection. I’d compare it to having your fingers in your ears for someone that can hear fully. In 2012 shortly after my son was born I then lost a further amount of hearing.
Working in a busy office was very difficult, having to explain to people I had hearing loss and to ask them to face you when talking for example. Plus, there were lots of different accents and tones to contend with. I really suffered with my confidence at that point.
A hearing aid was available on the NHS but unfortunately was not suitable for the type of hearing loss that I had. In fact, the hearing aid type I need to support me, is still not available seven years later.
Having two kids close together whilst developing my career and time off for maternity leave meant that the one-off purchase of a hearing aid was not immediately manageable. A colleague suggested to me that it might be worth contacting The Insurance Charity.
How did The Insurance Charity help you? Did you find the application process easy?
They supplied the hearing aid and offered ongoing support if needed. It was a really easy application process. I noticed the difference straight away – particularly as I’d never experienced a balance of hearing. Immediately it made me much more aware of my surroundings and a lot more confident. It was a bit unusual at first and took a bit of getting used to of course!
Has your situation improved since receiving help from The Insurance Charity?
Yes, my hearing aid is still in use and should last another two years. The aid has really given me a lease of life and confidence that I never thought I’d have.
What would you say to anyone who is thinking about contacting the charity?
They are a community, and they are our industry community. Most importantly, there is a perception that there must be a dire need, we both work but it would have taken a long period to save the amount needed for the hearing aid and I would have suffered hardship without it. If there is a need, everyone should get in touch.
I’ve made lifelong connections with Annali-Joy and the amazing Insurance Charity team and hope to be involved in the years to come as a key supporter and volunteer.