Academics Urge Government to Ban Genetic Discrimination by Life Insurers

Life insurers are allowed to use genetic test results to raise the cost of premiums or refuse insurance based on genetic risk factors.
Academics Urge Government to Ban Genetic Discrimination by Life Insurers
A technician working on a DNA test at a company laboratory in Southampton on May 2, 2009, shown in this file photo. Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images
Updated:
0:00

Two Australian academics have called on the government to bar life insurers from discriminating people based on genetic tests results.

Under the current law, firms providing insurance for death, income protection, and disability can use genetic tests to provide life insurance coverage, raise the cost of premiums or place exclusions on a customer’s coverage based on risk factors.

Nina Nguyen
Author
Nina Nguyen is a reporter based in Sydney. She covers Australian news with a focus on social, cultural, and identity issues. She is fluent in Vietnamese. Contact her at [email protected].
twitter
Related Topics