Positive Finance | HIV Life Assurance, HIV Life Insurance and HIV Mortgage Blog

HIV Life Assurance & HIV Life Insurance – Questions? …

By chris | Published: October 5, 2015

Our friends at Unusual Risks regularly receive questions from concerned HIV Positive clients, prior to them applying for Life Assurance and Life Insurance products.

They are planning to include the answers to some of these questions in the new “Consumer Guide” that they are writing for the Association of British Insurers and their member Insurance Companies.

If you have any questions about HIV and Insurance that you think should be included in the new Insurance Industry consumer guide, please forward these to them at the contact details below.

Here are some of the best HIV Life Assurance Questions we have received so far …

Which types of Insurance are available to people living with HIV?

Should I cancel my Life Assurance following my HIV diagnosis?

Should I disclose my HIV status on Insurance application forms?

Where can I find financial advice that is friendly towards people living with HIV?

They are also currently running the HIV and Insurance Survey 2015 and would like to ask all HIV Positive people in the UK to complete their anonymous survey https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YSKH7XG

Unusual Risks are the UK’s leading financial advisers offering advice to clients living with HIV or Hepatitis on HIV Life Assurance, HIV Life Insurance, HIV Mortgages, Hepatitis C Life Assurance, Hepatitis C Life Insurance, Hepatitis C Mortgages.

They are also the UK’s leading experts at planning Life Assurance and Mortgages for HIV Positive Families and are able to assist HIV Positive people looking for advice on their Pensions and Investments.

For more information about these services please contact our sponsors Unusual Risks Mortgage & Insurance Services by phone 0845 474 3075. Email Enquiries@unusualrisks.co.uk or visit us online at http://www.unusualrisks.co.uk/

HIV and Insurance – Does Your Insurance Policy Have HIV Exclusions? …

By chris | Published: September 14, 2015

Our friends at Unusual Risks are the UK’s leading Financial Advisers, advising HIV Positive clients on Life Assurance and Mortgages …

Although they spend the majority of their time arranging Life Assurance and Life Insurance to protect families, children and mortgages, they also find themselves being asked on a regular basis to advise on existing Insurance contracts held by clients.

The main areas of confusion they find are around Life Assurance plans and whether they cover an individual after they have been diagnosed with HIV? and If Income Protection and Critical Illness Cover policies contain exclusions for claims relating to HIV?

They also meet HIV Positive people that were faced with making disclosures to their bank about their HIV status, who may be paying premiums for insurance that is in fact, invalid due to incorrect disclosures they made on the application forms.

Also they have found there have been many HIV Positive people that may have surrendered or cancelled their insurance in the belief that they are not covered, when in fact they were actually still covered by their Insurance.

Their general advice is to consult with a financial adviser who has specialist knowledge of HIV issues and can offer you advice before you make any final decisions about your Insurance.

If you are or have been effected by any of the issues mentioned here they would like to ask you to complete the HIV and Insurance Survey 2015 that can be found here. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YSKH7XG

The data from this survey will be used in a new consumer guide that Chris Morgan and Unusual Risks have been asked to write by the Association of British Insurers.

HIV and Insurance Survey 2015 …

By chris | Published: August 31, 2015

Our friends at Unusual Risks are currently reaching out across the UK HIV Community and asking people to complete our latest survey …

We are currently representing the HIV Community in round table discussions with members of the Association of British Insurers (ABI), which are focused on improving the treatment of HIV Positive people by the UK Insurance Industry.

As part of these discussions we have agreed to help the ABI produce a “HIV and Insurance Consumer” guide which will help raise awareness of important issues like ….

Whether HIV Positive people should cancel or keep their insurance’s on diagnosis?

Which types of insurance are available to people living with HIV?

When should you disclose your HIV Status on Insurance application forms?

The data collected from the enclosed survey will help with the launch of the consumer guide and also help us to continue to press for change around the availability of other financial products.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YSKH7XG

Unusual Risks are the UK’s leading financial advisers offering advice to clients living with HIV and Hepatitis on HIV Life Assurance, HIV Life Insurance, HIV Mortgages, Hepatitis C Life Assurance, Hepatitis C Life Insurance, Hepatitis C Mortgages.

For more information about these services please contact our sponsors Unusual Risks Mortgage & Insurance Services by phone 0845 474 3075. Email Enquiries@unusualrisks.co.uk or visit us online at http://www.unusualrisks.co.uk/

Average HIV Life Assurance Sum Assured Increases …

By chris | Published: August 21, 2015

Our friends Unusual Risks, the medical financial advisers have today published the results of their annual research into the average amounts of Life Assurance that HIV Positive men and women are insuring themselves for. Currently HIV Positive people who are taking out Life Assurance in the UK are insuring themselves for an average of £137,192.

This latest survey was conducted as a follow up to a similar survey that was released last year where the average figure was only £114,607. The substantial increase this year is mainly due to some of the insurers increasing the maximum amounts of Life Insurance they’re now prepared to offer someone living with HIV.

Chris Morgan, Lead Financial Adviser of Unusual Risks, Mortgage & Insurance Services said,

‘Initially when HIV life Assurance was launched the amounts of cover were limited to below £250,000. It is wonderful news that Insurance Companies are now starting to offer larger policies that can be used to back large mortgages, commercial mortgages and private equity business deals’.

‘Although the ongoing development of HIV Life Assurance products has been wonderful for both the insurance industry and HIV Positive people, we would like to take the opportunity of highlighting that Income Protection and Critical Illness Cover policies are still unavailable to people living with HIV.’

Unusual Risks have been campaigning to secure Income Protection and Critical Illness Policies for people living with HIV since the end of last year. Earlier this year they published research that suggested that 90% of HIV Positive people would consider IPP & CIC if it were available in the market place.

Chris Morgan led the campaign that resulted in the introduction of Life Assurance for HIV positive people in 2009. He was part of the Working Group that co-wrote the HIV and Insurance guidelines used by insurers today and was also responsible for the removal of the Gay Question from Life Assurance proposals back in 2005.

If you require more information on HIV Finance, including HIV Life Assurance, HIV Life Insurance and HIV Mortgages you can contact our sponsors Unusual Risks Mortgage & Insurance Services on 0845 474 3075, or email at Enquiries@unusualrisks.co.uk or on the web at http://www.unusualrisks.co.uk/

National Diversity Awards 2015 …. More News !

By chris | Published: June 1, 2015

Happy Awards Season Everyone !

Our friends at Unusual Risks are very proud to announce that they have been nominated for “Diverse Company” of the year and this year’s National Diversity Awards.

Their lead financial adviser Chris Morgan has also been nominated for the “Positive Role Model” Award (LGBT) at the same National Diversity Awards.

This is for their work relating to HIV and Insurance and the campaign for improved treatment of HIV Positive people by the Insurance Industry. They are currently campaigning to secure Income Protection and Critical Illness Cover for HIV Positive people.

Unusual Risks are specialists at offering advice HIV Positive clients for Life Assurance, Life Insurance, and Mortgages. We can even introduce you to the very best Investment Planning and Pension Transfer Services.

You can show you support for their nominations here !

National Diversity Awards www.nationaldiversityawards.co.uk

Unusual Risks Nomination www.nominate.nationaldiversityawards.co.uk/Nominate/Endorse/25746?name=unusual%20risks

Chris Morgan’s Nomination www.nominate.nationaldiversityawards.co.uk/Nominate/Endorse/25742?name=chris%20morgan

HIV Life Assurance & HIV Life Insurance is available to people in the UK …

By chris | Published: May 25, 2015

Our friends at Unusual Risks are the UK’s leading financial advisers arranging Life Assurance or Life Insurance for people living with HIV.

What is also commonly known as HIV Life Assurance or HIV Life Insurance was introduced into the market place in 2009 and has proven extremely popular for people looking to protect their Mortgages, Families, Children and Businesses.

Their Lead Financial Adviser Chris Morgan led a 10 year campaign (1999 to 2009) to persuade the Insurance Industry to offer Life Assurance to people with HIV. He now spends most of his time arranging either Family Life Insurance or Mortgage Life Assurance for HIV Positive people who contact his office for help and advice.

Family Life Insurance – Life Assurance and/or Life Insurance is cover that pays out a lump sum to provide security for your family or loved ones should you die. This type of Insurance is also sometimes referred to as Level Term Assurance.

Mortgage Life Assurance – Life Assurance and/or Life Insurance is cover that pays out a lump sum to repay a Mortgage debt should you die. This type of Insurance is also sometimes referred to as Decreasing Term Assurance.

Here’s an example of a recent client that Chris has helped to find insurance cover – Loretta (Aged 48) is a Nurse who required Life Insurance to protect her mortgage …

Loretta Said …

“I currently have a mortgage in place for £210,000 and would like to protect both myself and my family against potential problems in the future. I have one daughter aged 18 and I would like the security of knowing that she is looked after should anything happen to me”.

Loretta Continued …

“I would like to know more about Life Assurance and protecting my mortgage should I die. I’m currently taking medication, my CD4 count is strong and my viral load has been undetectable for the last two years”.

Every week people still contact their office not realising that they can still apply for Life Assurance even though they are HIV Positive. The Life Assurance industry repeatedly told the HIV Community that we were uninsurable for over two decades, so it is not surprising that many people still think they are not able to get Life Assurance.

The UK Insurance Industry discriminated against the HIV Community for many years, but all of this changed in 2009. Life Insurance products are now available at both realistic and accessible premiums to people who are are taking their medication and have both a stable CD4 Count and Viral Load.

And Loretta?

Unusual Risks arranged HIV Life Assurance for Loretta on her new mortgage for £210,000 after showing her a number of options ranging from £190,000 to £250,000. They always tailor any Life Insurance policy to meet our client’s individual needs and affordability.

If you require more information on HIV Life Assurance, HIV Life Insurance, HIV Mortgages or Hepatitis C Life Assurance, Hepatitis C Life Insurance, Hepatitis C Mortgages you can contact our sponsors Unusual Risks Mortgage & Insurance Services on 0845 474 3075, or email at Enquiries@unusualrisks.co.uk or on the web at http://www.unusualrisks.co.uk/

National Diversity Awards 2015 …

By chris | Published: May 7, 2015

Our friends at Unusual Risks are very proud to announce they have been nominated for a National Diversity Award. http://www.nationaldiversityawards.co.uk/

We are included in the category of “Diverse Company of The Year” for our work relating to HIV and Insurance and our campaign to secure the improved treatment of HIV Positive people by the Insurance Industry.

Unusual Risks are currently campaigning to secure Income Protection and Critical Illness Cover for HIV Positive people.

You can show your support for our nomination and vote for us here !

https://nominate.nationaldiversityawards.co.uk/Nominate/endorse/25746

If you require more information on HIV Life Assurance, HIV Life Insurance, HIV Mortgages or Hepatitis C Life Assurance, Hepatitis C Life Insurance, Hepatitis C Mortgages you can contact Unusual Risks Mortgage & Insurance Services on 0845 474 3075, or email at Enquiries@unusualrisks.co.uk or on the web at http://www.unusualrisks.co.uk/

Could IPP & CIC be possible for HIV Positive people? …

By chris | Published: April 27, 2015

Our friends at Unusual Risks, the medical financial advisers are today announcing the second part of their survey into the Income Protection and Critical Illness Cover needs of the HIV Community. In a recent study they established that 90% of respondents would consider taking out Income Protection or Critical Illness Cover if it became available in the market place.

They are today releasing findings that suggest the UK Insurance Industry should consider offering Income Protection and Critical Illness Cover to people living with HIV. In their latest study Unusual Risks established that 89% of respondents had taken less than 7 days off work in the last year due to sickness, with 74% reporting they had taken less than the national average of 4 days or less.

Speaking about their survey, Chris Morgan, Lead Financial Adviser of Unusual Risks said;

‘Over the last 12 months we have been conducting a detailed survey into the time taken off work by HIV Positive People due to sickness and illness. The survey was conducted at the heart of the HIV Community through the readership of Baseline Magazine and holders of HIV Life Assurance policies that had been taken out since the products were introduced in 2009’.

‘Since the new Life Insurance products were launched HIV Positive people have been able to protect their mortgages, families, children, partners and businesses. It is now time to consider if other financial products such as Income Protection and Critical Illness Cover could be offered to people living with HIV?’.

‘The intention of this survey is to bring attention to the positive effects that HIV medications have had on the work and long term sickness records of HIV Positive people in the UK. We would like to encourage the UK insurance Industry to enter into a dialogue over these issues with appropriate stakeholders from within the HIV Community’.

The Unusual Risks survey came up with several other interesting statistics that could be useful for assessing if IPP and CIC products could be offered within the HIV Community. 90% of respondents reported that the duration of their sickness had not been for more than 7 days and 87% reporting they had either not been off work, or their sickness was not HIV related.

Chris Morgan the lead financial adviser at Unusual Risks led the campaign that resulted in the introduction of Life Assurance for HIV positive people in the UK. He was part of the Working Group that co-wrote the HIV and Insurance guidelines used by insurers and he was also responsible for the removal of the Gay Question from Life Assurance proposals back in 2005.

Read the media responses here …

The Actuary – “Insurers urged to offer more cover to HIV Positive People”

http://www.theactuary.com/news/2015/04/insurers-urged-to-offer-more-cover-to-hiv-positive-people/

Cover Magazine – “Substantial growth in interest for IP & CI amongst HIV Positive People”

http://www.covermagazine.co.uk/cover/news/2405827/substantial-growth-in-interest-for-ip-and-ci-among-hiv-positive-people

Life Assurance and Critical Illness Cover for people living with HIV …

By chris | Published: April 20, 2015

Unusual Risks the UK’s leading HIV Life Assurance advisers are currently campaigning to secure Income Protection and Critical Illness Cover for people living with HIV …

Campaigning on behalf of the HIV Community is not something new for Unusual Risks and in particular their lead financial adviser Chris Morgan, who campaigned for over 10 years (1999 to 2009) to secure Life Assurance for people with HIV. During that campaign Chris was part of the Insurance Industry Working Group that designed the Life Insurance products that are available to people with HIV today.

He also represented “The Consumer” in the difficult negotiations that took place between stakeholders from within the HIV Community and the UK Insurance Industry, ensuring that the premiums and terms under which products were offered were both fair and respectful.

Over the last six years since the Launch of HIV Life Assurance there has been a steadily increase in interest from the HIV Community in other types of Personal Insurances such as Income Protection and Critical Illness Cover, this is especially the case when HIV positive people are taking out Life Assurance to protect their Mortgage.

Here’s and example where Renato (Aged 46) recently approached Unusual Risks for Life Assurance and Critical Illness Cover.

Renato Said …

‘I’ve recently bought a new property and would like to take out Life Assurance and Critical Illness Cover to protect my new mortgage. I’m really not sure what types of Insurance are available and I find it difficult to talk about my HIV Status with my bank who is also my mortgage lender’.

Renato Continued …

‘My CD4 Count is very strong, my viral load is undetectable and I’ve been on medication for over two years. My priority now is to make sure that my partner and home are protected should I either die, or suffer from a long term serious Illness’.

Here’s the latest situation with regards to personal insurances for the HIV Community.

Unusual Risks have recently started to release research into the Income Protection and Critical Illness Cover needs of the HIV Community. Recently they published that 90% of HIV Positive people now would consider IPP or CIC if it were available in the market place.

Many of the people that have contacted Unusual Risks for Life Assurance since the launch of HIV Life Assurance have also asked them for either Income Protection and Critical Illness. This demonstrates that there is a clear insurable need for these types of products, so stay tuned for more statistics and research as they publish them.

And Renato?

Unusual Risks arranged HIV Life Assurance for Renato on his new mortgage after they discussed the options available to him, that unfortunately did not include Critical Illness Cover at this moment in time. They have promised to keep Renato informed of any developments in their Campaign to secure Income Protection and Critical Illness for HIV Positive people as they happen.

You can follow the campaign by reading Chris Morgan’s resident column in Baseline Magazine or by visiting them at their new Facebook Campaign Page Unusual Risks Mortgage & Insurance Services. They would be very interested to hear your views and comments about Mortgages or Insurance for positive people.

90% of HIV Positive People Would Consider Income Protection or Critical Illness Cover …

By chris | Published: March 4, 2015

Our friends at Unusual Risks, the medical financial advisers are today announcing the first part of the results of their survey into the Income Protection and Critical Illness needs of the HIV Community. In this latest survey they have established that 90% of respondents would consider taking out Income Protection or Critical Illness Cover if it became available in the market place.

The figure of 90% is a substantial increase on a figure of 61% that was included in a previous survey conducted earlier last year. Since last year’s survey Unusual Risks have launched a campaign to raise awareness around the issue and to gauge the potential interest for these types of financial products within the HIV Community.

Speaking about their survey, Chris Morgan, Lead Financial Adviser of Unusual Risks said;

‘Since the introduction of HIV Life Assurance in 2009 we have received a steady flow of enquiries from HIV Positive people about other types of personal insurances such Income Protection and Critical Illness Cover’.

‘Income Protection and Critical Illness Cover are currently unavailable to people with HIV, which is a very similar to the situation that I was faced with when HIV Positive people were asking me for Life Insurance products back in 1999′.

‘Many people will be aware that the campaign for HIV Life Assurance ran for nearly a decade before Insurance companies agreed to offer life Assurance to people with HIV. It is my belief that people with HIV should be offered the same financial opportunities as any other group of people.’

Unusual Risks decided to run the extended study following their HIV Life Assurance Survey in 2014, where they established that 0% of UK Insurance companies offered any form of Income Protection or Critical Illness Cover to HIV Positive people. In that same survey they established that 70% of Insurance providers now offer some form of Life Assurance for people living with HIV.

Chris Morgan the lead financial adviser at Unusual Risks led the campaign that resulted in the introduction of Life Assurance for HIV positive people. He was part of the Working Group that co-wrote the HIV and Insurance guidelines used by insurers today and was also responsible for the removal of the the Gay Question from Life Assurance proposals back in 2005.

Unusual Risks have this week received great coverage for their latest press release in the Financial Times – FT ADVISER …

http://www.ftadviser.com/2015/03/05/insurance/people-with-hiv-still-missing-out-on-some-insurance-products-07SbZZUT90uRn6IQLR06lK/article.html

HIV Life Assurance, HIV Life Insurance and HIV Mortgage Blog