Insurance and genetic testing: This is what financial experts need to know

Insurance and genetic testing: This is what financial experts need to know

Experts estimate that hereditary genetic changes, also known as germline mutations, are responsible for around five to ten percent of all cancers. If a genetic test identifies an increased risk of cancer, those affected must learn to deal with this information. Doctors support them by providing information and advice about preventative medical measures. However, there is often concern that after such a genetic test it will no longer be possible to take out life insurance or that health insurance will be canceled.

According to a report by the Cancer Information Service, this fear is only partially justified. Private insurance companies such as life, nursing care, health or occupational disability insurance naturally want to know what risk the conclusion of the contract entails for them. A genetic test for hereditary cancer risk could help with such predictions. However, insurance companies are expressly prohibited from requiring a genetic test before or after the conclusion of the contract.

Ultimately, everyone has the right to decide for themselves whether they want to have a genetic test for germline mutations to obtain information about their risk of disease. In the medical field, the so-called right not to know applies, i.e. no one is obliged to carry out such a test in order to know about certain predispositions to illness.

However, the legal situation is different if the result of a genetic test is already available when the contract is concluded. In some insurance policies, such as life, occupational disability, occupational disability or nursing pension insurance, those affected must inform the insurance company of the result upon request. However, this obligation only exists if a benefit of more than EUR 300,000 or an annual pension of more than EUR 30,000 is agreed. For life insurance policies up to EUR 300,000, the insurance company is prohibited from asking about genetic testing. In private health insurance companies, the question of genetic testing is always prohibited, regardless of the sum insured.

If a genetic test is carried out after the contract has been concluded, the result does not have to be communicated to the insurance company. As a rule, an insurance contract that has already been concluded cannot be canceled because of a genetic predisposition to disease that is discovered after the contract has been concluded.

Regardless of whether the result of a genetic test needs to be reported to the insurance company or not, questions about existing or past medical conditions must be answered truthfully.

For statutory insurance companies such as statutory health insurance companies or the German Federal Pension Insurance, the result of a genetic test is irrelevant. Membership in these social insurance schemes is independent of existing or past illnesses or the result of a genetic test.

It is important to note that predictive genetic tests are not genetic tests and molecular genetic studies on tumor tissue from people who have already had cancer. Genetic testing will be carried out to determine whether it is a germline mutation.

Source: According to a report by krebsinformationsdienst.de