HIV Policy

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) issued a Statement of Best Practice on HIV and Insurance during 2005 which all members, of which we are one, had to comply with by 30 September 2005.

We support the Statement of Best Practice and were fully compliant by this date.

For further details refer to ABI Statement of Best Practice on HIV and Insurance.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). The body’s immune system is damaged by the virus and results in opportunistic infections or rare types of malignancy.

Despite advances in treatment, AIDS remains extremely relevant to underwriting of life assurance as the short-term mortality risk remains high and there is no known cure.

Requesting a HIV test is through direct correspondence with your client, we are unable to disclose to an advisor that their client is required to have a HIV test.

For details of the insurance guidelines visit: www.bma.org.uk or www.abi.org.uk.

We will not:

• Request random HIV testing
• Request HIV testing solely due to an applicant’s occupation or solely for joint life applications on the lives of two males

The application form asks whether an applicant has ever tested positive for HIV or whether a result is outstanding.

The applicant is not asked whether they have ever had a negative HIV test.

HIV testing for high sums assured of life cover.

HIV risk is assessed based on exposure to risk of HIV infection; e.g. intravenous drug use, unsafe sex etc. and never on the basis of sexual preference.

The following circumstances will result in a HIV test being requested:

• Where an applicant has answered ‘yes’ to the application form question about exposure to risk of HIV infection; e.g. through unsafe sex*
• Having been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease(s) with long-term health implications
• Being resident or visiting in a non-UK country with high HIV prevalence within the last five years. These countries do vary over time:

Albania, Algeria, Angola, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina-Faso, Burma (Myanmar), Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Celebes, Central African Republic, Chad, Columbia, Comoros, Congo, Dahomey, Democratic Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of East Timor, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, French Guiana, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Indonesian Borneo, Irian Jaya, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Java, Kalimantan, Kampuchea, Kenya, Laos, Latvia, Lesotho, Lesser Sundas, Liberia, Madagascar, Madura, Malawi, Malaysia (and aliases), Mali, Mauritania, Moluccas, Montserrat, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Nusu Tenggara, Papua, Panama (and alias), Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rica, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Spice Islands, Sudan, Sulawesi, Sumatra, Suriname, Swaziland, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor Leste, Togo, Trinidad & Tobago, Uganda, Uruguay, Vietnam, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

• Routine evidence request for clients under 60 applying for a total sum assured of £1,000,001 and above, and for clients 60 or over for total sums assured of £2,000,001 and above
• Intravenous drug use
• Blood transfusion or product outside of the following countries:

The United Kingdom, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada. The Channel Islands, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Isle Of Man, Italy, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Portugal, Republic Of Ireland, (Eire) Spain, Sweden and the USA.

 

*Definition of ‘unsafe sex’:

Unprotected sex other than with a long term partner (a relationship that has existed for more than one year),

Or

Unprotected sex with a long term partner who is HIV positive and/or has injected non prescription drugs within the last five years and/or is known to be at risk of HIV infection in anyway (including penetrative and oral sex).