Christine Cupitt, Council of Australian Life Insurers CEO: Good morning. Thank you, Kara, for sharing your experience.
The Council of Australian Life Insurers fully supports this announcement, which has come after more than 12 months of engagement with the Government.
It’s good for Australians and their families, it’s good for industry and it’s good for the Government.
Life insurers want people to access the information they need to make informed choices about their health. We have never wanted to do anything to discourage people from taking a genetic test and managing their health in a preventative way.
Life insurers have never, and would never, require someone to take a genetic test. And once cover is in place, taking a genetic test doesn’t affect that cover. But we recognise that all Australians should feel confident about taking genetic tests and not worrying about getting life insurance in the future.
In 2019, the industry put in place an industry standard to control the use of genetic tests by life insurers. But a lot’s changed in five years. Genetic testing is much more common in the community, it’s cheaper to access and it’s more effective in helping people manage or even prevent hereditary conditions.
We’re very pleased that the announcement includes a five-year review of the legislation. This review will be important to ensure the legislation keeps pace with the way genetic tests are used in the future.
Australia’s life insurers support this announcement, and we look forward to playing our part in making sure people have the confidence they need to take a genetic test and proactively manage their health.