Medical

I read with interest the article on this subject in the May edition of the Gay Times and would relate my recent experience with Norwich Union.

I am 48 years of age and have lived with my current partner for 18 years. We recently moved home and I took out a new mortgage. I was quoted good terms for life insurance by our mortgage adviser at the Estate Agent, 'Your Move', who was arranging my mortgage. He filled in the relevant paperwork and at that point the only questions asked were to do with smoking, drinking, my weight and height. I was expecting to be asked to have a health check as for my height I am overweight.

Sure enough a few weeks later I received a letter asking me to attend an appointment with a doctor arranged by the insurance company. I went along and the doctor had to fill in a 4-page document. There were a number of questions about my lifestyle; here are the main two to do with my sexuality/HIV status.

1) Was I homosexual, bi-sexual, or a drug user?

As my partner and I are very open about our sexuality in all our walks of life, I confirmed I was gay.

2) Had I ever taken or been asked to take an HIV test and if so what was my status?

I stated NO, as I never had.

After the medical I returned home and waited to hear by how much they were going to increase the premium. I didn't hear anything for a further two weeks, and then the letter came asking me to see the same doctor for an HIV test, of course at no cost to myself! I complained to my mortgage adviser about Norwich Union's approach, and it was at this point I found out 'Your Move' Estate Agents is owned by Norwich Union. 

I ignored the letter and did not attend the appointment at their doctors. I rang my bank Nat West who quoted me for life insurance over the phone. I filled in a Direct Debit form and the cover was arranged, NO QUESTIONS.

Norwich Union certainly didn't quote me 'Happy', as their advertising campaign would suggest.

Yours, Dave Llewellyn.

Impaired Life

When my partner and I bought a house with a joint mortgage back in 1989 we both had to complete 'lifestyle questionnaires' and both had to undergo medicals and HIV tests. Although we were awarded life assurance the premium was weighted. A monthly premium of over £40 on mortgage of £26k!

In 1994 after my partner and I had separated I was in the process of buying another property, the process was dragging on when I found out the only delay was the life assurance. Through a friend of a colleague who worked in the field I was advised to withdraw the application as I was on the verge of being refused and would have to declare the fact from there on. On consultation with the legal department at THT I wrote to the ABI and asked for a search. It transpired that due to the application made with my partner I had been placed on the 'lives at risk' register. The ABI informed me that I had been placed on the register in error, and my name had now been removed. They also reimbursed my search fee. 

Rob Satchell

HIV Test!

I read your article on 'applying for life cover' and feel it reflects my situation perfectly.

My partner and I have just bought our first property- we have moved in and are very happy with the whole process, which was through a Housing Trust Part-Buy Scheme, as we were treated so fairly as a gay couple. With not even one raised eyebrow or personal questions etc.

Then came the life assurance. As first time buyers we really didn't have a clue about how to do things like this so we went along with advice from an independent financial adviser – who is a friend of the family, so can be trusted etc. We were asked personal questions in the life assurance policy form, which due to the circumstance we didn't really mind answering, although we felt they were completely unnecessary and intrusive we thought we HAD to answer. 

Now my partner has received a letter from the firm - (this is probably now 2 months later) saying he has to go and get an HIV test, even telling him where his appointment should be made, and who with. My partner, Chris, is understandably very upset and angry by this. He feels, as I'm sure the majority of people do, that the timing of when the whole process of taking an HIV test should start is up to the individual concerned and not some heartless corporate company who just want to increase premiums.

I read with interest that single straight men have no trouble getting life assurance for up to £100,000. Since we bought with a part-buy scheme, we are at present only buying 25% which is £63,000 (That's £63,000 total mortgage between the two of us). Surely we, as two young (22 and 24) men, should be treated better than this? 

Paul

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