A.i.d.s. Insurance Claims Top $1 Million (Press, 2 September 1989)
This is a Generative AI summary of this newspaper article. It may contain errors or omissions. Please note that the language in the summary is reflective of the original article and the societal attitudes of the time in which it was written.
Summary: A.i.d.s. Insurance Claims Top $1 Million (Press, 2 September 1989)
Life insurance claims related to AIDS have exceeded $1 million in New Zealand within a year, according to Mr Boyd Klap, chief executive of the Life Offices’ Association. Since September 1988, when data collection began, 42 life cover claims involving 24 men have amounted to a total of $1,271,099. Most of the claimants fall within the 30 to 49-year age bracket. Additionally, three disability claims that are AIDS-related have resulted in monthly benefits of $3,552 being paid out. Mr Klap pointed out that the increase in claims is a reflection of the growing impact of HIV and AIDS in New Zealand. He highlighted that there has been a similar trend observed in Australia, where claims saw a significant rise of $3.2 million over three months, contributing to a total of $14.2 million disbursed to date. He noted that insurance policies have been incorporating questions regarding unsafe sex practices since the previous year to mitigate risks. While some insurance companies have rejected applicants they considered high-risk, Mr Klap stated that he has no record of any AIDS-related claims being denied. He explained that refusals typically occur when there is a failure to disclose relevant information or if there is false information provided on either medical evidence or personal statements. In a bid to address the AIDS issue proactively, the association has also provided a grant of $5,000 to the New Zealand Royal College of General Practitioners aimed at promoting education about AIDS. Mr Klap emphasised that this initiative is a step towards fulfilling the insurance industry's social responsibility in the face of the AIDS epidemic.
Important Information
The text on this page is created, in the most part, using Generative AI and so may contain errors or omissions. It is supplied to you without guarantee or warranty of correctness. If you find an error or would like to make a content suggestion please get in contact
The text on this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 New Zealand