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Home / Critical illness cover / - HIV or AIDS from Blood Transfusion
Background information
By the end of 2001, more than 48,000 people had been diagnosed HIV-positive.
Over the same period, over 12,000 had died with AIDS.
In addition, it is estimated that there are currently more than 11,000 people living with HIV - unaware of being HIV-positive.
While the number of people dying from AIDS is falling (due to the widespread introduction of 'combination therapy' in 1996), the number of people living with HIV is set to increase by 47% between 2000 and 2005.
(Terrence Higgins Trust, 2002)
Definition
Infection by HIV or AIDS provided:
- the infection results directly from a blood transfusion;
- the blood transfusion was given in the European Union, The Channel Islands or The Isle of Man after the cover start date; and
- there is clear evidence that the infection was acquired from the blood transfusion.
What does this mean?
A claim would be paid where there was evidence that the HIV infection was as a direct result of a blood transfusion.
NEWS
Obesity raises throat cancer risk 'six-fold'
11 October 2007 13:09:56
Critical illness
cover is an important consideration for obese people, according to research.
The obese have been shown to be six times more likely than people with a healthy weight to develop throat cancer.
Furthermore, men who are seriously overweight and individuals under the age of 50 are linked to the highest increase in risk.
Published in a scientific journal named Gut, the new study highlighted that those with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more were six times as likely to have the disease as those with a BMI between 18.5 and 25.
This was concluded to be the case even when other cancer-related factors such as smoking and high alcohol consumption were taken into account.
A link between acid reflux and throat cancer has previously been identified, with the study demonstrating that repeated symptoms of severe heartburn or gastrointestinal reflux disease (Gord) were associated with a higher risk of the disease.
However the researchers pointed out that obese people face a bigger risk whether they experience acid reflux or not.
"Understanding the mechanisms through which these exposures might cause cancer is the focus of our continuing research," they concluded in the journal.
Direct Life and Pensions Services Ltd are one of the UK's leading providers of life insurance, term life assurance, mortgage protection, critical illness and life insurance advice online.
Critical illness survivors set for five-figure payouts
12 April 2007 15:51:43
Some patients who have survived critical illness are set to receive a further boost.
US firm Stonebridge Life Insurance has announced that next week will be known as Celebrate Survivors Week (CSW) and that it will be paying $10,000 in grants to ten survivors of cancer, stroke, heart attack or paralysis.
Those wishing to take advantage of the kind offer are asked to submit their survivor stories to the company's website by the end of May.
The ten most compelling stories will then receive $10,000 each.
"The physical and emotional fight for survival is the obvious part of any critical illness but the financial impact on the patient and the patient's family can be equally overwhelming," said Peggy Fleming, a survivor of breast cancer who is heavily involved in the campaign.
"Life gets put on hold during extended treatment and recuperation, yet day-to-day obligations, such as the mortgage, car payments, and your child's school tuition continue to mount."
A study by Harvard has revealed that half of all personal bankruptcies are as a result of illness, highlighting the need for adequate life insurance.
BHF encourages exercise
19 September 2007 17:28:20
The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has highlighted the poor attitudes most Brits have towards health and exercise.
A lack of exercise can lead to obesity, depression and a wide range of potentially fatal conditions such as cancer and heart disease - both of which will drive up the cost of life insurance.
In spite of the overwhelming dangers associated with unhealthy living, however, the BHF poll found that just a third of the population is achieving the minimum recommended daily amount of 30 minutes exercise a day.
Even more alarmingly, less than four in ten people would take up exercise if told by a doctor that their life depended on it.
"With our busy lifestyles and labour-saving devices we've stopped getting the exercise our bodies desperately need," said Dr Mike Knapton, director of prevention and care at BHF.
"For many people, exercise has become an ugly word, something to avoid at all costs - but you'd be amazed how easy it is to up the tempo of your heartbeat."
The latest BHF poll comes in the wake of a report from the Food Standards Agency that revealed Brits are also failing to ensure they maintain healthy nutritional standards.
11 October 2007 13:09:56
Critical illness
cover is an important consideration for obese people, according to research.
The obese have been shown to be six times more likely than people with a healthy weight to develop throat cancer.
Furthermore, men who are seriously overweight and individuals under the age of 50 are linked to the highest increase in risk.
Published in a scientific journal named Gut, the new study highlighted that those with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more were six times as likely to have the disease as those with a BMI between 18.5 and 25.
This was concluded to be the case even when other cancer-related factors such as smoking and high alcohol consumption were taken into account.
A link between acid reflux and throat cancer has previously been identified, with the study demonstrating that repeated symptoms of severe heartburn or gastrointestinal reflux disease (Gord) were associated with a higher risk of the disease.
However the researchers pointed out that obese people face a bigger risk whether they experience acid reflux or not.
"Understanding the mechanisms through which these exposures might cause cancer is the focus of our continuing research," they concluded in the journal.
Direct Life and Pensions Services Ltd are one of the UK's leading providers of life insurance, term life assurance, mortgage protection, critical illness and life insurance advice online.
12 April 2007 15:51:43
Some patients who have survived critical illness are set to receive a further boost.
US firm Stonebridge Life Insurance has announced that next week will be known as Celebrate Survivors Week (CSW) and that it will be paying $10,000 in grants to ten survivors of cancer, stroke, heart attack or paralysis.
Those wishing to take advantage of the kind offer are asked to submit their survivor stories to the company's website by the end of May.
The ten most compelling stories will then receive $10,000 each.
"The physical and emotional fight for survival is the obvious part of any critical illness but the financial impact on the patient and the patient's family can be equally overwhelming," said Peggy Fleming, a survivor of breast cancer who is heavily involved in the campaign.
"Life gets put on hold during extended treatment and recuperation, yet day-to-day obligations, such as the mortgage, car payments, and your child's school tuition continue to mount."
A study by Harvard has revealed that half of all personal bankruptcies are as a result of illness, highlighting the need for adequate life insurance.
19 September 2007 17:28:20
The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has highlighted the poor attitudes most Brits have towards health and exercise.
A lack of exercise can lead to obesity, depression and a wide range of potentially fatal conditions such as cancer and heart disease - both of which will drive up the cost of life insurance.
In spite of the overwhelming dangers associated with unhealthy living, however, the BHF poll found that just a third of the population is achieving the minimum recommended daily amount of 30 minutes exercise a day.
Even more alarmingly, less than four in ten people would take up exercise if told by a doctor that their life depended on it.
"With our busy lifestyles and labour-saving devices we've stopped getting the exercise our bodies desperately need," said Dr Mike Knapton, director of prevention and care at BHF.
"For many people, exercise has become an ugly word, something to avoid at all costs - but you'd be amazed how easy it is to up the tempo of your heartbeat."
The latest BHF poll comes in the wake of a report from the Food Standards Agency that revealed Brits are also failing to ensure they maintain healthy nutritional standards.