Genewatch UK counters claim genetics will make life and health underwriting defunct
Independent research group GeneWatch UK has opposed claims that health insurance and life assurance underwriting will be defunct in the future because of advances in genetic testing.
Dr Sue Meyer, director of GeneWatch UK, said that predicting illness through genetics has limited use and should have little effect on underwriting health and life policies, no matter what advances are made.
'Except for a few conditions such as cystic fibrosis and Parkinson's Disease, there are no strong links when predicting future illness with genes. The predicting power of genetics is very limited for the foreseeable future. It is the social environment and people's lifestyles that have been the dominant factors influencing health over the last 100 years, not genes,' she said.
Dr Meyer's comments contradict the views of Sir Paul Nurse, head of charity Cancer Research UK, who recently stated in an interview published in The Guardian, that the industry would be forced to shut down because of advances in genetics.
According to the interview, Sir Nurse stated: 'I think the insurance system for individuals will simply go defunct. I think we should look much more to society taking responsibility for its individuals. Thirty to 50 years from now, you will need social medicine and society-based insurance systems.
'The way we are talking about predicting disease is entirely incompatible with insurance for medicine. How do you deal with diseases for which you can predict risk but have no way of treating?'
However, Matt Rann, head of underwriting and claims at Scottish Equitable, said that even if genetic advances were made, it would not necessarily mean insurers would have access to the information. 'Genetic advances with cancer are growing faster than any other area. However, there are still unknown factors that cause cancer which genetic testing can not determine. Even if huge advances are made in genetics, it does not mean insurers will be able to use the information to underwrite policies,' he said.
Rann added the future of health insurance and life assurance was safe as there are many conditions that genetics cannot predict. 'Musculo-skeletal conditions are the largest claim area and there are no tests that can predict a bad back. Other conditions such as stress and high blood pressure which can cause heart attacks and strokes are also unforeseeable through genetic tests. There are many other factors involved with the majority of illnesses,' he said.
