The long-standing Concordat and Moratorium on Genetics, which bans the use of genetic tests in the underwriting of most healthcare insurance contracts, has been extended to 2017.
The moratorium, which has been agreed between the Association of British Insurers and the Department of Health, means the results of a predictive genetic test will not affect a consumer’s ability to take out any type of insurance other than life insurance over £500,000.
Above this amount, insurers will not use adverse predictive genetic test results unless the test has been specifically approved by the Government. The ABI says only around 3 per cent of all policies sold are above these limits.
Currently the only test that is approved is for Huntington’s Disease. Health minister Anne Milton says: “This is an excellent agreement that has benefited both patients and consumers. The extension of the moratorium will ensure that the public continue to have confidence in using predictive genetic tests and being insured.”
