New insurance industry guidelines on HIV, the human immunodeficiency virus, outlined yesterday, have been hailed as a major step forward in ending the discrimination that campaigners say gay people routinely suffer at the hands of financial companies.
The Association of British Insurers' new best practice guidelines on HIV and insurance, which are expected to take effect later this year, mean insurers will not be able to make assumptions about an individual's sexuality and their risk of HIV infection on the basis of their occupation.
It is also set to outlaw questioning a person's GP about their sexuality, said Chris Morgan, an independent financial adviser and editor of gay finance website Pinkfinance.com, who has been invited to join an ABI-established working group to help advise the industry and "achieve fairness for customers at risk of HIV".
While the government has introduced new partnership rights on pensions and inheritance for gays and lesbians, campaigners say the financial services industry has failed to keep pace with changing attitudes in society towards sexuality, with gay men seeking life insurance or critical illness protection often encountering invasive "lifestyle" questionnaires, loaded premiums and forced HIV testing.
There is evidence that some insurance companies are still using information about occupation to deny gay men cover. There have been cases where companies have demanded an HIV test because the applicant is a ballet dancer, hairdresser or an airline cabin crew member.
Following a consultation process, the ABI yesterday published its proposals for updating its "statement of best practice for HIV and insurance". This will enable insurers to assess all applications fairly "on the basis of relevant and accurate information without intrusive or inappropriate questioning".
The new guidelines mean people applying for income protection and critical illness cover will no longer have to face personal questions about their sexuality, said Mr Morgan.
Views are now being sought on the ABI's new proposals, and the final version will be published later this year.
