This is the sixth year that Unusual Risks have surveyed the availability of HIV Life Assurance in the UK, with the earliest survey result in 2011 indicating only 50%* of insurance providers were offering any form of HIV Life Assurance.
This year, Unusual Risks are pleased to report an increase in the number of Life Assurance Companies offering Life Insurance for HIV Positive people. Gradually over the last seven years more insurers have elected to offer HIV Life Assurance, which means more choice for HIV Positive consumers.
Speaking about their survey, Chris Morgan, Lead Financial Adviser of Unusual Risks said;
‘We recently surveyed the top twelve life assurance groups, who service brokers and were delighted to see that 75%* of companies are now offering some form of Life Assurance to HIV Positive people. We are greatly encouraged that this figure continues to improve each year.
‘Having more Life Insurance products available to HIV Positive people is obviously a good thing, because this will lead to improved terms and premiums in the future. Unusual Risks are constantly liaising with product providers to improve the availability and standards of HIV Life Insurance.
‘I have recently been working with the Association of British Insurers (ABI) to raise awareness of HIV Life Insurance and have written their new HIV and Life Insurance Consumer Guide that is now widely available’.
The focus of the new HIV and Life Insurance Consumer Guide is to help break the stigma associated with HIV Positive people accessing financial products and to raise awareness that Life Assurance for HIV Positive people now exists. (Email enquiries@unusualrisks.co.uk to obtain a copy).
In another recent survey Unusual Risks established that 33%* of HIV Positive people were unaware that Life Assurance was available to them, even though it has been for seven years and 22%* of HIV positive people had cancelled an Insurance policy due to their HIV Diagnosis.
An astonishing 40%* of those cancelling would in fact have been covered by their policy, which is a clear indication that more needs to be done to help HIV Positive consumers make informed decisions about their financial future.
If you require more information on HIV Life Assurance, HIV Life Insurance or HIV Mortgages please contact Unusual Risks Mortgage & Insurance Services by phone 0845 474 3075, or by email at enquiries@unusualrisks.co.uk and on the web www.unusualrisks.co.uk
Survey Results:
*Unusual Risks surveyed the top twelve insurance providers servicing independent brokers between March 2016 and August 2016 They asked ‘Do you accept Life Assurance Applications from HIV positive people? With eight out of twelve responding ‘Yes’ to the question. They also surveyed the same leading Insurance providers. They asked ‘Do you offer either Income Protection or Critical Illness Cover to people with HIV? With zero out of twelve responding ‘Yes’ to the question.
In research released in March and May 2016 Unusual Risks surveyed 100 HIV Positive people and asked them Can HIV Positive people in the UK obtain Life Assurance or Life Insurance? 67% responded Yes and 33% No. They were also asked if following their diagnosis have you ever cancelled an existing Insurance policy? 22% answered Yes and 78% answered No. 40% of respondents indicated that they had cancelled a Life Insurance or Endowment which would of in fact still covered them.
