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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
Woman let down by critical illness policy
21 November 2007 10:24:58
A woman has been told that her critical illness policy does not cover a tumour in her brain.
According to the Observer, Mary Ryan's insurer told her that the tumour, for which she may need treatment for the rest of her life, is the "wrong kind".
Ms Ryan's £100-a-month lifetime cover with Skandia was intended to pay for her mortgage in the event of a serious illness.
After being diagnosed with a benign growth-hormone-secreting pituitary tumour, she had it partially removed and then targeted with radiation, although she has been left with some residual tumour.
Skandia rejected Ms Ryan's subsequent claim on the grounds that "cancers in the body must be malignant", with tumours in the pituitary gland or spine excluded.
"Skandia's critical illness contract is designed to pay an accelerated benefit on the diagnosis of a critical life-changing event," a spokesperson for the firm told the Observer.
"If adequately treated, pituitary tumours are not considered to be life-threatening and should not result in any significant long-term disability," the representative continued.
Ms Ryan's neurosurgeon, Michael Powell, has expressed the opinion that although her tumour was benign, the company's restriction is "totally unreasonable".
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
'Obesity epidemic needs same action as climate change'
18 February 2008 17:19:22
A medical expert has underlined the seriousness of obesity - stating that governments need to take action against the problem in the same way they are starting to respond to climate change.
Professor Phillip James, chairman of the International Obesity Task Force believes that there is now an obesity "epidemic" - a factor which may affect life insurance policies.
He argued, however, that efforts to encourage healthy lifestyles should not be solely based on telling individuals to make changes to eating and exercising habits.
"It is naïve of ill-informed politicians and food industry executives to place the onus on individuals making 'healthier choices' while the environment in which we live is the overwhelming factor amplifying the epidemic," he told the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Boston.
Last year the Foresight report predicted that if current obesity trends in the UK continue, about a quarter of children, 60 per cent of men and 50 per cent of women will be obese by 2050.
The government launched an obesity strategy last month, which aims to encourage healthier lifestyles from birth to adulthood.
According to the Food Standards Agency, it is estimated that by reducing population intakes of saturated fat from 13.3 per cent to below 11 per cent of food energy, to meet government recommendations, 3,500 deaths a year could be prevented.
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
Chemicals that protect anti-cancer gene discovered
06 May 2008 18:11:19
The discovery of a group of chemicals that protect a key anti-tumour gene may lead to new cancer treatments, scientists have claimed.
A team of researchers from universities in Scotland have uncovered tenovins, which protect the gene p53 from destruction - a finding which may affect life insurance policies.
They hope that it may be possible to develop treatment that could shield p53 from damage and therefore reduce tumour growth.
Dr Sonia Lain from the University of Dundee, who lead the study, said: "Our findings indicate that tenovins have the potential to stop tumours. We found that tenovins work by inhibiting enzymes called sirtuins which clip off a crucial chemical group from p53, leading to its destruction."
"We hope that targeting sirtuins with drugs could treat many different cancers in the future."
Cancer Research UK's director of cancer information Dr Lesley Walker said the organisation is "very excited" to see chemicals which could be developed into new drugs to treat cancer.
The study has been published in the journal Cancer Cell.
21 November 2007 10:24:58
A woman has been told that her critical illness policy does not cover a tumour in her brain.
According to the Observer, Mary Ryan's insurer told her that the tumour, for which she may need treatment for the rest of her life, is the "wrong kind".
Ms Ryan's £100-a-month lifetime cover with Skandia was intended to pay for her mortgage in the event of a serious illness.
After being diagnosed with a benign growth-hormone-secreting pituitary tumour, she had it partially removed and then targeted with radiation, although she has been left with some residual tumour.
Skandia rejected Ms Ryan's subsequent claim on the grounds that "cancers in the body must be malignant", with tumours in the pituitary gland or spine excluded.
"Skandia's critical illness contract is designed to pay an accelerated benefit on the diagnosis of a critical life-changing event," a spokesperson for the firm told the Observer.
"If adequately treated, pituitary tumours are not considered to be life-threatening and should not result in any significant long-term disability," the representative continued.
Ms Ryan's neurosurgeon, Michael Powell, has expressed the opinion that although her tumour was benign, the company's restriction is "totally unreasonable".
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
18 February 2008 17:19:22
A medical expert has underlined the seriousness of obesity - stating that governments need to take action against the problem in the same way they are starting to respond to climate change.
Professor Phillip James, chairman of the International Obesity Task Force believes that there is now an obesity "epidemic" - a factor which may affect life insurance policies.
He argued, however, that efforts to encourage healthy lifestyles should not be solely based on telling individuals to make changes to eating and exercising habits.
"It is naïve of ill-informed politicians and food industry executives to place the onus on individuals making 'healthier choices' while the environment in which we live is the overwhelming factor amplifying the epidemic," he told the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Boston.
Last year the Foresight report predicted that if current obesity trends in the UK continue, about a quarter of children, 60 per cent of men and 50 per cent of women will be obese by 2050.
The government launched an obesity strategy last month, which aims to encourage healthier lifestyles from birth to adulthood.
According to the Food Standards Agency, it is estimated that by reducing population intakes of saturated fat from 13.3 per cent to below 11 per cent of food energy, to meet government recommendations, 3,500 deaths a year could be prevented.
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
06 May 2008 18:11:19
The discovery of a group of chemicals that protect a key anti-tumour gene may lead to new cancer treatments, scientists have claimed.
A team of researchers from universities in Scotland have uncovered tenovins, which protect the gene p53 from destruction - a finding which may affect life insurance policies.
They hope that it may be possible to develop treatment that could shield p53 from damage and therefore reduce tumour growth.
Dr Sonia Lain from the University of Dundee, who lead the study, said: "Our findings indicate that tenovins have the potential to stop tumours. We found that tenovins work by inhibiting enzymes called sirtuins which clip off a crucial chemical group from p53, leading to its destruction."
"We hope that targeting sirtuins with drugs could treat many different cancers in the future."
Cancer Research UK's director of cancer information Dr Lesley Walker said the organisation is "very excited" to see chemicals which could be developed into new drugs to treat cancer.
The study has been published in the journal Cancer Cell.