Health, life and disability insurance and hereditary risk for breast or colorectal cancer

Fear of insurance discrimination affecting the insurance-seeker and family has been reported as the singlemost important reason why individuals choose not to undergo genetic testing. The eleven health insurers operating on th e Norwegian market were mailed a questionnaire asking them to list their in surance products and evaluate two individuals' requests for insurance. The requests were constructed in order to illustrate a high genetic risk for (a ) colorectal (HNPCC) and (b) breast cancer (BRCA1/BRCA2), respectively. Nin e out of 11 insurers responded. While no restriction was documented concern ing risk of BRCA1/BRCA2 and life insurance or disability pension, the premi um paid by persons with susceptibility to HNPCC varied between the differen t insurers from standard to raised premiums. The product 'critical disease' insurance was refused or obtained at normal or raised premiums in both cas es, depending on the insurer in question. On examining personal indemnity i nsurance, we found that the BRCA1/BRCA2-risk individual was offered insuran ce at the standard premium, whereas HNPCC-risk individuals were offered a s tandard or raised premium. Only the major Norwegian insurer is in fact dive rging in its policies.