First Published September 2005 … Edited May 2010
In March 1999, I decided to leave the security of working for a major bank, promising to end the personal questions asked of gay men on Life Assurance. I didn’t feel enough was being done to challenge the insurance industry at the time.
My vision was for gay men and women to be able to walk into my office, and be offered insurance products from the whole of the market – not just a few ‘gay friendly’ insurers.
My dream was to be able to offer the best products at the cheapest premium available. People choosing to come to me for advice based upon a reputation for good service and integrity.
Not through the fear of being forced to take a HIV test!
Finally, I can announce the end of gay questions on Life Assurance applications. The last 18 months have been tough, but I’ve ultimately been able to reach an agreement with the Association of British Insurers.
The new statement of best practice relating to HIV and Insurance was launched on the 3rd October 2005. This will mean the removal of the personal questions that are asked of gay men when applying for insurance products.
The ‘gay’ question on Life Assurance application forms is to be replaced with a new ‘common question’, which is to be asked of all risk groups regardless of sexuality.
‘Within the last 5 years have you been exposed to the risk of HIV? This can be caught through unsafe sex, intravenous drug abuse or blood transfusion.’
(Any explanations required relating to these must relate to behaviour and not sexuality).’
There are a number of other areas of the best practice of relevance to gay men that have been included in the new ‘best practice’.
- Gay Supplementary Questions are to be removed from Life Assurance Applications.
- Gay Supplementary Questions are to be removed from Income Protection Applications.
- Gay Supplementary Questions are to be removed from Critical Illness Applications.
- Insurers are no longer permitted to ask GP’s about sexuality.
- Insurers no longer permitted to use Second Level Questions relating to sexual behaviour (Monogamy/Number of partners).
- Insurers are no longer permitted to use occupation as an indicator of sexuality (Cabin Crew/Hairdresser).
There will now be a transitional period over the next 12 months whilst Life Assurance companies fall in line with the new guidance. It is likely that insurers will introduce a new equal ‘single persons’ HIV testing limit.
This will mean that the financial risk of HIV is likely to be pooled into the premiums charged to everyone. Gay men will receive the same cover, treatment and premiums as a straight man.
I can now go back to researching the insurance market on the traditional values of good service, quality and value. Instead of being forced to recommend products on the basis of avoiding HIV testing, discrimination and inflated premiums.
Editors Notes …. May 2010
All Life Assurance providers now ask ‘single males’ for a HIV test only when applying for Life Assurance Income Protection and Critical Illness cover for amounts of over £1,000,000. Pink Finance is extremely proud to have paved the way for the LGBT community to be treated equally by the insurance industry.
Chris Morgan is the Marketing Manager of Compass www.compassindependent.co.uk , The Gay Mortgage and Insurance Advisers and editor of Pink Finance www.pinkfinance.co.uk The Gay Finance Magazine. He was a consultant to the Association of British Insurers on Gay and HIV and Insurance issues between 2003 and 2008.