Vigo, Spain – Fundación Inade hosted a forum in Vigo yesterday, titled “Breaking Barriers: Disability, Discrimination and Insurance,” bringing together representatives from advocacy groups, the insurance industry, and academia to address inequalities in access to insurance contracts. The event highlighted progress made in inclusivity while emphasizing the need for wider adoption of best practices to prevent ongoing, often unseen, discriminatory practices.
The forum featured two roundtable discussions. The first, “In First Person,” provided a platform for organizations directly supporting individuals with disabilities or chronic illnesses. Inés Grande, Head of Social Care at the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC), Jacinto Lareo, President of Fundación Sálvora, and Concepción Somoza, Manager of APAMP, voiced concerns regarding a lack of clear explanations when insurance applications are denied and the difficulties faced in appealing those decisions due to a lack of documented reasoning. Participants called for greater transparency and individualized assessments, urging insurers to avoid reliance on biases and stereotypes.
The second roundtable focused on solutions within the insurance sector, featuring Héctor Álvarez, Commercial Director of the Ilunion brokerage; Charo Jiménez, Head of Customer Service at Grupo Asisa; and Manfredo José Vega, Director for Asturias at Surne. Panelists asserted that their respective companies are already implementing inclusive policies and striving to exceed legal requirements. However, they acknowledged the challenge of extending these practices across the entire insurance market.
Fundación Inade, established as a non-profit organization registered with the Regional Foundation Registry of Galicia (key 2009/9), is classified as being of interest for the promotion of the Galician economy, according to Grupo Inade, which oversees the foundation’s activities. The foundation’s perform supports the insurance sector in Spain, while its affiliated consultancy, created in 1999, provides professional services related to regulatory compliance for insurance distributors. Fundación Inade is located at C/La Paz, nº2, Bajo 36202 – Vigo (Pontevedra) and can be reached at fundacion@fundacioninade.org. INADE, INSTITUTO ATLÁNTICO DEL SEGURO, S.L. Is too located at the same address and can be contacted at inade@inade.org or by phone at 986 485 228.
The Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer (AECC) and Fundación Sálvora were among the organizations represented at the event, advocating for improved access and fairer treatment for individuals navigating the insurance process. APAMP also participated, contributing to the discussion on the challenges faced by those with pre-existing conditions or disabilities.
