The Harris Life Insurance Blog

Summary
The difficulties connected to the launch of genetic testing andhow it will be used in the writing of insurance policies, particularly in correlation to Huntingtons disease.

Insurance protection might not be changed for the time being by the contentious topic of genetic testing preceding the Association of British Insurers suggestions that clients ought not be asked by insurers for the outcome of genetic tests for the next six years.

Resembling many of Association of British Insurers edicts, such as removing the Raising Standards Initiative, it is a voluntary as opposed to a compulsory code. All the same it is wonderful news. In fact, very few of ABIs 390 members are expected to disregard the proposals, as it might put their membership of the Association in jeopardy.

The low reliability of genetic tests available at present was recognised by the Association of British Insurers. For example, merely because a member of their family died from cancer does not always mean that they will suffer from the disease. Nevertheless the still supports the test for Huntingtons disease as a reliable guide when underwriting life insurance policies.

With life assurance policies over 400,000 pounds, insurers could demand the results or a genetic test for Huntingtons Disease. Nevertheless Association of British Insurers indicates that only 5% of all life policies are underwritten for over 450,000 pounds.

A Government select committee has expressed misgivings about the effect of the genetic testing for Huntingtons and has demanded that the GAIC reconsider their verdict. It is crucial that this reprieve is used to argue the issue in depth rather than to employ it as an excuse to ignore genetic testing for the next 5 years. Being an ostrich will only worsen the situation, as improvements in medical science will be used to cultivate much more trustworthy genetic tests within the next 6 years.

Insurers might could then use genetic tests when underwriting insurances, leaving people with a genetic inferiors, who have trouble in finding life insurance cover.

Many life insurance companies like the Direct Line, are proposing a public/private ruling to resolve the problem. They of late used an all encompassing moratorium on the underwriting of life insurance policies built upon the results of genetic tests. Utilising these tests will be expensive so it is proper that the Government should share the burden with insurers.

An impartial complaints scheme will be organised by the Association of British Insurers so that consumers have adequate rights if they think that the insurers have acted towards them unfairly. At this moment in time there is not any documentation of how a system of this form will work, nevertheless it must provide results, which truly deliver and be absolutely impartial of the insurance industry. The Association of British Insurers will regulate the moratorium themselves, which cause reservations regarding whether the public might get an unbiased? hearing. The optimistic announcement by the ABI will be a pointless promise if they do not.

A Joint Statement of Concern has been presented to a House of Commons Cross Party Group 42 individuals and organisations have pleaded with Parliament to to enact a law to prevent? the use of genetic test results for insurance.

They are concerned that there is no legal framework to prevent the use of genetic testing by insurers and employers to make choices about who should be able to get insurance. In addition they believe that testing is not a dependable or conclusive prophet of a clients impending health.