My Breakthrough
Genetic testing and insurance
A Concordat and moratorium (temporary ban) voluntarily agreed between the Government and the Association of British Insurers (ABI), means that until November 2011:
- Insurers are not allowed to ask for the results of predictive genetic tests on the breast cancer genes.
- If you have a negative result from predictive testing then you can choose to tell your insurers that you do not have the mutation that gives an increased risk of developing breast cancer in your family.
- The only predictive genetic test that can currently be used for setting insurance premiums is for Huntington's disease. This only applies to life insurance policies of more than £500,000.
- Insurers are allowed to continue to ask whether you have a family history of breast cancer and to take this into account when setting insurance premiums.
Genetics and Insurance Committee
It is the responsibility of the Genetics and Insurance Committee (GAIC) to ensure that the Insurance industry abides by the
moratorium.
It is also the job of GAIC to consider applications for allowing different predictive genetic tests to be used to help set premiums for insurance policies of more than £500,000 for life insurance, £300,000 for critical illness and £30,000 per annum for income protection insurance.
Applications are expected to be submitted by the ABI to GAIC for using breast cancer predictive genetic test results on:
- BRCA1
- BRCA2
To help set the insurance premiums for policies above:
- £500,000 for life insurance
- £300,000 for critical illness insurance
- Annual benefits of £30,000 for income protection insurance
If you have any views about whether insurers should have access to genetic test results, then please email genetics@breakthrough.org.uk.
In order to answer some of the questions you may have about genetic testing and insurance, here are some Frequently Asked Questions you may find helpful.
