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Home / Critical illness cover / - HIV or AIDS from Occupational Duties or Accident
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 occupational duties or accidental exposure involving involuntary contact with either:
- a hypodermic needle or an infected sharp instrument; or
- a person infected with HIV;
- the incident happens in the European Union, The Channel Islands or The Isle of Man after the cover start date;
- within five days, the incident is recorded as having been reported:
- according to the procedures of the relevant occupation;
- to a GP; or to the police, and
- a test, showing no HIV or HIV antibodies, is made within five days of the incident and a later test is made within 12 months showing infection by HIV or AIDS.
What does this mean?
Any incident which takes place whilst performing occupational duties, or any accident at work or elsewhere which leads to infection with the HIV virus would be covered. A claim would be paid out if, in conjunction with the procedures outlined above, it is proved that infection with HIV was a result of occupational duties or an accident. Note that this condition is not restricted to the emergency services – all occupations are covered.
NEWS
House of Lords warns of disease pandemic
23 July 2008 17:28:53
A new report from the House of Lords intergovernmental organisations committee has highlighted the importance of life insurance policies.
It states that modern life is generating new infections and giving them the opportunity to spread more quickly, the Telegraph reports.
The Lords' committee said although there has not been a pandemic since 1968 another one is "inevitable" and it is estimated that it will kill between two million and 50 million people globally and up to 75,000 in the UK.
Lord Soley, the chairman of the committee, puts the increased risk, which could make UK life insurance more vital than ever, down to globalisation and changes in lifestyle.
According to the Telegraph, the last two pandemics in 1958 and 1968 involved relatively mild forms of influenza.
However, it says: "The report warns that the next one could have more serious consequences."
Elsewhere, AFP claims officials in south-east Asia have agreed to assess the ability of their governments to respond to a pandemic of bird flu.
Critical illness insurance 'will be top seller'
03 August 2007 16:10:05
Over half of independent financial advisers (IFAs) think critical illness insurance will be a top seller over the next twelve months.
A survey carried out by Prudential found that 53 per cent of IFAs think that critical illness insurance sales will become prominent among insurance products.
Just under half thought that income protection and mortgage protection sales would rise if interest rates rise again.
The survey also found that over half of intermediaries believe their clients are underinsured.
Meanwhile, 68 per cent think that term insurance will be among the highest selling protection products.
Angus Maciver, insurance business director at Prudential, said: "It's interesting that so many IFAs believe that half of their clients are under-insured.
"This underlines the huge potential in this market.
"Hopefully the fact that many believe rising interest rates will increase demand for protection provides the necessary spur to have a conversation with these clients about boosting their cover," he added.
'Chemotherapy drug may cause brain damage'
22 April 2008 17:36:41
The life insurance policies of cancer sufferers may be affected by the news that a commonly used chemotherapy drug could cause some of the cognitive side effects experienced by many patients.
Scientists at the University of Rochester Medical Centre and Harvard Medical School have linked the widely used chemotherapy drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) to a phenomenon known as "chemo brain", which includes short-term memory loss and in extreme cases, seizures, vision loss, and even dementia.
Previously, these cognitive side effects were often dismissed as the byproduct of fatigue, depression and anxiety related to cancer diagnosis and treatment.
A previous study two years ago by researchers from the University of Rochester found that more than 82 per cent of breast cancer patients suffer from some form of cognitive impairment.
In addition, some patients have reported experiencing these side effects months after treatment has finished, the researchers said.
"It is clear that, in some patients, chemotherapy appears to trigger a degenerative condition in the central nervous system," said Dr Mark Noble, a senior author behind the study.
"Because these treatments will clearly remain the standard of care for many years to come, it is critical that we understand their precise impact on the central nervous system, and then use this knowledge as the basis for discovering means of preventing such side effects," he added.
However, Martin Ledwick from Cancer Research UK told the BBC that as the study had been carried out on animals, more research would be needed before any firm conclusions could be drawn on the effect on cancer patients.
Please click here for advice on UK life insurance, life insurance policies and a life insurance quote
23 July 2008 17:28:53
A new report from the House of Lords intergovernmental organisations committee has highlighted the importance of life insurance policies.
It states that modern life is generating new infections and giving them the opportunity to spread more quickly, the Telegraph reports.
The Lords' committee said although there has not been a pandemic since 1968 another one is "inevitable" and it is estimated that it will kill between two million and 50 million people globally and up to 75,000 in the UK.
Lord Soley, the chairman of the committee, puts the increased risk, which could make UK life insurance more vital than ever, down to globalisation and changes in lifestyle.
According to the Telegraph, the last two pandemics in 1958 and 1968 involved relatively mild forms of influenza.
However, it says: "The report warns that the next one could have more serious consequences."
Elsewhere, AFP claims officials in south-east Asia have agreed to assess the ability of their governments to respond to a pandemic of bird flu.
03 August 2007 16:10:05
Over half of independent financial advisers (IFAs) think critical illness insurance will be a top seller over the next twelve months.
A survey carried out by Prudential found that 53 per cent of IFAs think that critical illness insurance sales will become prominent among insurance products.
Just under half thought that income protection and mortgage protection sales would rise if interest rates rise again.
The survey also found that over half of intermediaries believe their clients are underinsured.
Meanwhile, 68 per cent think that term insurance will be among the highest selling protection products.
Angus Maciver, insurance business director at Prudential, said: "It's interesting that so many IFAs believe that half of their clients are under-insured.
"This underlines the huge potential in this market.
"Hopefully the fact that many believe rising interest rates will increase demand for protection provides the necessary spur to have a conversation with these clients about boosting their cover," he added.
22 April 2008 17:36:41
The life insurance policies of cancer sufferers may be affected by the news that a commonly used chemotherapy drug could cause some of the cognitive side effects experienced by many patients.
Scientists at the University of Rochester Medical Centre and Harvard Medical School have linked the widely used chemotherapy drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) to a phenomenon known as "chemo brain", which includes short-term memory loss and in extreme cases, seizures, vision loss, and even dementia.
Previously, these cognitive side effects were often dismissed as the byproduct of fatigue, depression and anxiety related to cancer diagnosis and treatment.
A previous study two years ago by researchers from the University of Rochester found that more than 82 per cent of breast cancer patients suffer from some form of cognitive impairment.
In addition, some patients have reported experiencing these side effects months after treatment has finished, the researchers said.
"It is clear that, in some patients, chemotherapy appears to trigger a degenerative condition in the central nervous system," said Dr Mark Noble, a senior author behind the study.
"Because these treatments will clearly remain the standard of care for many years to come, it is critical that we understand their precise impact on the central nervous system, and then use this knowledge as the basis for discovering means of preventing such side effects," he added.
However, Martin Ledwick from Cancer Research UK told the BBC that as the study had been carried out on animals, more research would be needed before any firm conclusions could be drawn on the effect on cancer patients.
Please click here for advice on UK life insurance, life insurance policies and a life insurance quote