Applicants for life insurance of up to £100,000 will not have to disclose genetic test results for a...
Applicants for life insurance of up to £100,000 will not have to disclose genetic test results for at least another two years under revised ABI guidelines
Under the revised ABI code of practice on genetic testing, applicants for life insurance of up to £100,000 for the purposes of a domestic mortgage need not disclose genetic test results. This will be reviewed again in December 2001
Other changes to the previous code of practice include a recognition of the Government's genetics and insurance committee (GAIC) and its role in investigating the validity of genetic testing for insurer's purposes. Insurers are to abide by its decisions under the code
Until GAIC is up and running, insurers are only able to consider the results of tests that the ABI's genetic adviser has deemed reliable, relevant and valid
Produced by a committee of experts including underwriters, ethical experts, geneticists and a patients' group representative the mandatory ABI genetics code governs the use and handling of genetic test information by insurance companies
Under the code, insurers cannot ask for genetic tests to be taken by an applicant
Mary Francis, director general at the ABI, said: "When we first issued this code of practice, we undertook to review it after a year. This has been done with great care, and we believe the changes now introduced reinforce the industry's commitment to helping this relatively small group of people
The first edition of the code was launched by the ABI in December 1997 and was designed to set down in black and white how insurers use genetic tests to set standards for insurers and to reassure the public
While the code of practice has been welcomed, most of the guidelines outlined were common practice prior to the launch of the code
