First Published August 2006 … Edited May 2010
Are you promiscuous? This month Chris speaks to a client who is concerned about his sexual history affecting his Life Assurance premiums.
Billy is worried about the contents of his medical records and what his doctor may say to his Life Assurance Company. He wants to apply for Life Assurance and Critical Illness Cover for his mortgage of £250,000 over the next 25 years.
Billy said…
‘I’ve had a number of men in my life and consequently have had to seek treatment for STD’s on a few occasions. I’m a little concerned about the Life Assurance Company calling for my medical records, as I’ve always used my local doctor’.
Billy is right to be concerned, as disclosure of multiple cases of STD’s is deemed relevant for Life Assurance Underwriting. Doctors are obliged to highlight any facts that are deemed to have ‘long term’ health implications.
An isolated case of an STD would not be a major concern to a Life Assurance company, but if there is a track record, they are likely to ask for an HIV test. They would also be likely to ask further questions about your past sexual behaviour.
Billy said …
‘They were all fairly minor incidents that were cleared up quite easily and I’ve always practiced safe sex since. If I had known that this information could be used by Life Assurance Companies, I’d have gone to a separate walk in clinic.’
Here’s a guide to Life Assurance and Sexual Behaviour
Your doctor will not be ‘asked’ directly about your sexuality and they are not allowed to ‘answer’ any direct ‘Gay Questions’. But, they are required to share information on your records which has long term health implications.
Since new rules in September 2005, you will not be asked the ‘Gay Question’ on Life Assurance applications. However, you will probably be asked if you have been exposed to the risk of HIV infection through unprotected sex.
There is now an additional ‘Sexual Behaviour’ box on every Life Assurance application, which you can choose to provide further information. ‘Have you anything to add to your answers which in your view means you are, or are not, at risk of HIV?
And Billy?
Even though Billy has a bit of reputation, we arranged Life Assurance and Critical Illness Cover for him at £300,000. This was without answering any additional questions about his Sexual Behaviour or taking an intrusive HIV test.
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.