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Critical illness checks for life insurance dropped

Date: Wed, 22 Feb 2006

Insurance companies have dropped plans to use genetic testing to decide premiums for critical illness and life insurance policies.

It had been suggested that the Association of British Insurers (ABI) were planning to request that women applying for cover be tested for inherited gene mutations that could make them more likely to develop breast or ovarian cancer, according to the Daily Telegraph.

However, the ABI has now decided not to apply for genetic screening approval and advised the department of health that it "will not be submitting any applications to use predictive genetic tests, including for breast cancer during 2006 and 2007".

Harpal Karlcut, the chairman of the ABI's genetics working party, had previously told an insurance sector magazine that: "We are looking to get approval for the breast cancer test by the end of this year."

A number of European countries have successfully introduced laws that prevent insurers from using genetic test results to decide life and critical illness insurance premiums.


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Endsleigh Insurance Services Limited. Company No: 856706 registered in England at Shurdington Road, Cheltenham Spa, Gloucestershire GL51 4UE.