Am I Over-Reacting?

[Crossy]

Really just a vent, but sensible replies welcomed.

OK, so I'm in the process of increasing my life cover in line with potential expenses should I pop my clogs.

The company (with whom I already have cover) are asking for an HIV test, you can decline but then no cover would be possible, they don't say if they would cancel existing policies, but I wouldn't put it past them.

I'm from the old school where HIV was a disease of the gay community (I know it's not so much these days), but I don't consider myself being in a high-risk group. 50 something married straight male, don't sleep around (wife has ducks).

I must admit I was absolutely livid when I first saw the required tests (my conditioned mind said 'these people are suggesting I'm gay'), I've cooled off a bit now and my insurance chap is saying it's a perfectly normal request, if it's perfectly normal why is it elective??

I feel better now

[britmaveric]

Well look at it this way - insurance companies don't want to cover anyone that they know has a good chance to kick the bucket. With that being said these days even with HIV you can live a long and productive life with medical treatments.

[apetley]

Just think yourself lucky that they havn't introduced genetic screening yet!

As for the HIV test, yes it's a pain but if you want the cover then you have to play their game unfortunately.

[Traxster]

'don't sleep around,wife has ducks' ??? :huh:

[Crossy]

'don't sleep around,wife has ducks' ??? :huh:

I'm sure you know the connection between Thai male infidelity and ducks

[ThaivisaInsurance]

We can understand your initial feelings but stress this test has nothing to do with your character in any way. Most Life companies now require these tests once the insured amount goes over a certain amount (varies from company to company).

Unfortunately we all know there are other ways to contract these problems apart from the obvious and so the tests are not a total waste of time for the insurance companies.

[Crossy]

A question which my insurance chap was unable / unwilling to answer:-

Since they seem paranoid about HIV, assuming I take and pass this unnecessary test will the insurance cough up should I later contract and die of an HIV related illness?

[aussiebebe]

I'm married too, but wouldn't be offended if asked for an HIV test. Thinking of AIDS as a 'gay disease' is quite old-fashioned, maybe even homophobic by current standards but these phrases were in common parlance in the 80s so it's not an over-reaction.

Furthermore, requesting an HIV test from a man living in Thailand makes quite a bit of sense, statistically. When I first starting living in Bangkok, I thought the perception of the adult industry was exaggerated but the longer I live here, the more layers of filth I seem to become aware of. Licentiousness crosses all socio-economic boundaries more completely, in my opinion, than anything else.

[britmaveric]

Crossy - yep they will cough up if you are unfortunate to catch it down the road. The blood test is to see if you can pass their requirements to obtain insurance.

[richard_smith237]

Or to put it this way...

If you were providing medical insurance, would you provide it to someone with an existing illness that is costly to treat with no known cure?

Insurance is a business and nothing more, nothing personal about it.

[steve187]

Insurance companies used to ask, do you have hiv?, and have you been tested for hiv? ( do they still ask those questions?)My view is this, once you say you have been tested for hiv, that must surely make the insurance company think, Why has this guy/girl been tested? they must think that they may have hiv.

I am not saying the company that asks you to have the test,will think that, but some other company that you may choose to go to, to obtain cover, may ask the questions and not ask for the test, so could this prejudice you?

Just my thoughts on the matter

[Stomatopod]

Insurance companies used to ask, do you have hiv?, and have you been tested for hiv? ( do they still ask those questions?)My view is this, once you say you have been tested for hiv, that must surely make the insurance company think, Why has this guy/girl been tested? they must think that they may have hiv.

I am not saying the company that asks you to have the test,will think that, but some other company that you may choose to go to, to obtain cover, may ask the questions and not ask for the test, so could this prejudice you?

Just my thoughts on the matter

In one of the countries where I worked, an HIV test wascompulsory - even after returning from a holiday. In the two and a half years I was there, I had to have a test every 6 months, literally as I got off the plane! So if an insurance company asks, I tell them that I needed to be tested as it was a requirement to work in that country. I do not think there would be prejudice involved. There can be many reasons why people are tested; haemophilia, working in healthcare and coming across blood products, accidents, If insurance companies are going to be worried that you have been tested before and then prejudice you, that is small minded thinking and, as rightly said above, it is a business and this small-minded thinking would lose them a lot of potential business!

[AlexLah]

Many moons ago when I was frequently visiting Russia in order to get a visa the required an HIV test, if positive no visa.

Company I work for now required HIV test as well.

Oh yeah I did get visa for Russia and was hired by my current company.

I have no problems with it as I know I don't have it.

[ItDontMeanAThing]

Get tested only if it's anonymous and you want the coverage. If you pass, then get tested under your own name. Don't tell insurance company you've EVER been tested. They use things like that in their risk factor model for setting rates.