Consent Form

You will be asked to fill in an application form. This form will probably include a consent form – the form that says you give your permission for an HIV test to take place.

Doctor Details

You will also be asked to give details of your personal doctor (your family doctor or a doctor who you trust). The results of the HIV test will be sent to this doctor, so it is important that his/her details are correctly written down.

The Test

A doctor or laboratory chosen by the insurance company will do an HIV test. They will tell you where to go for the test.

Test Result

The result of the HIV test is then usually sent to a doctor employed by the insurance company. This person is usually called the ‘chief medical officer’. The chief medical officer will open a file for you. The file will include all medical information relevant to the application, including the results of the HIV test.

Positive Test Result – Life Register

If a test result is positive, your insurance application may be rejected. If it is rejected, your name will be put in code on the LOA’s life register as someone who has been refused insurance. This means that if you apply for insurance at another company, they will also reject your application. ‘In code’ means that the information about your HIV status will not be able to be read by anyone, except those people who know what the code is. This is done to stop unauthorised people from getting to know your status.

Positive Test Result – Telling Your Doctor

If the result is positive, your personal doctor will be told in writing. This doctor is expected to contact you to tell you the result. An insurance company will not tell you directly.

Negative Test Result

If the results are negative, and all the other conditions of the insurance company have been met, you will be told that your application for insurance has been successful. Your doctor is not contacted if the results are negative.