DNA tests and insurance in the UK

[kiterunner]

I've just seen this in "Family Tree" magazine and thought it might be worth pointing out to those in the UK who are worried about insurance implications, though of course it doesn't apply in other countries:

The Association of British Insurers has an agreement with the Government about the use of predictive genetic testing... The Code specifially prevents companies from using the results of a predictive genetic test for insurance purposes. The only exception is if you are applying for life insurance of over £500,000 and you have had a test for Huntington's disease.

So no need to worry.

[Kit]

That's good to know.

[Phoenix]

Insurance only works if thousands of people who will never need it pay in, supporting the few who do.

If we knew we would not need insurance, we probably would not take it out. Insurance companies would not wish to discourage us from taking out insurance unless it is only the high-risk that do so.

Predictive tests don't sound particularly accurate at the moment, but that will change, at which point the number of exclusions are likely to increase.

[Olde Crone]

As Phoenix says, insurance only works if thousands pay in who never claim, so it is in theinsurance companys' best interests to let everyone insure themselves. The problems arise when you eventually try to claim....same as any other kind of insurance, so I don't find this announcement particularly reassuring!

OC

[kiterunner]

It isn't an announcement - it would have been announced a couple of years ago but I hadn't heard about it before. More info on here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/code-on-genetic-testing-and-insurance

[Olde Crone]

I wonder why Huntington's is excluded? There are other equally awful life limiting conditions which are genetically predictable.

OC

[HarrysMum]

I wonder why Huntington's is excluded? There are other equally awful life limiting conditions which are genetically predictable.

OC

Not sure, but you have a 50% chance of inheriting Huntingtons even with only one parent with the gene mutation. It could be that.

[Olde Crone]

I have been reading up on the insurance companies' stance on this and still cannot find out why Huntington's is singled out, but I note that it says a person is insured on the grounds of the knowledge they have at the time of taking out insurance.I

OC

[JBee]

Son has taken DNA test but neither of us have any knowledge from it of any illnesses he might be susceptible to.

[Olde Crone]

JBee

No, you may not know, but there is a possibility that someone does now know and I think that is what the insurance world was so uneasy about.

OC