Life Insurance Industry Called Out for Discrimination

Robyn Ward, an eminent Australian geneticist atthe University of New South Wales, is slamming the life insurance industry for their continued practice of discriminating against people with geneticpredispositions to diseases like cancer.

Her comments follow a recent Medical Journal of Australia article reporting the story of a youngBrisbane father with a genetic predisposition to colorectal cancer.  The father approached the insurance arms ofthe four major Australian banks and was denied each time for his predisposition.  He received insurance from one company aftergoing to the Australian Human Rights Commission and claiming discrimination.

In Australia, health insurers cannot use anapplicant’s genetic information in assessments, but life insurance companiescan.  Ward believes this discriminationcould dissuade patients from getting tested for their diseases, thus decreasingpreventative measures.

SeeChris Johnston, Life Insurers Slammed forTreating Genes as Destiny, The Canberra Times, Sept. 2, 2013.

Special thanks to Brian Cohan (Attorney at Law, Law Offices of Brian J. Cohan, P.C.) for bringing this article to my attention.