HIV enters insurance mainstream

Half of insurers are now offering some form of HIV Life Assurance, up from 35% last year, according to medical financial advisers Unusual Risks.

However, after surveying all of the major life assurance providers in the UK for its HIV Life Assurance survey 2011, Unusual Risks believe the needs of HIV Positive people are not being met.

Of the six insurance providers that stated they do offer HIV Life Assurance only three are actually offering pre-sale's quotations, meaning people living with HIV are still being asked to complete applications, submit to medicals and blood tests before any indication of cost is offered.

Unusual Risks said this is much the same situation as 12 months ago and it believed this to be non-competitive and unfair on applicants.

Chris Morgan, marketing manager at Unusual Risks, said : "It's fair to say some of these companies are more proactive than others in attracting this type of business with service standards and treatment of applicants varying by a massive margin. Some companies are taking 26 weeks to process an application, where others are taking only eight weeks.

"The main reason for this difference is that some applicants are being sent for unnecessary medicals and blood tests which increases the processing time significantly. We are constantly encouraging these insurance companies to improve their treatment of HIV positive people."

Zurich, PruProtect, Scottish Provident, Bright Grey, LV= and Aviva are now offering HIV Life Assurance.

Prudential took an average of 26 weeks to complete a HIV Life Assurance application, where other HIV Life Assurance providers are taking around eight weeks. On average it takes around five weeks to complete an application for someone who is not HIV Positive.