Doctors and disclosure?

Question

If you go for a M.O.T. at the doctors and let them know that, on occasion, you use recreational drugs so that they can get the full picture of your lifestyle. Is this information confidential?

If you have lfe insurance/critical illness cover and you end up getting terminally ill, are the life insurance people able to...

1) Access this information?

2) Use this info as a way of not paying out?

Does anyone know the rules on this?

Cheers,

Cone1

Answer 1

The Association of British Industry has just issued new guidance to all UK insurers.  The situation re payout you might get would depend on whether the death / illness was as a result of something that you deliberately withheld.  In that you have gone to the trouble of posting a question about it on the Internet you clearly know that it is material information that could affect the underwriters decision to offer you cover, and the rates that they might charge.  

Depending on the answers that you provide to other questions then you might be required to have a doctor examine you before you are granted cover.  It is very likely that this will be the case once the new guidance takes full effect, as insurers will want to make sure they are getting the most accurate information possible about you.  

Better to disclose properly and make sure that the people who need the money you're leaving behind get it, than to die and them lose you and have no cash to help them through because you deliberately misinformed the insurer.

Answer 2

The information is protected by doctor/patient confidentiality.

It can only provided to anyone with your permission, which an insurance company will seek prior to giving cover unless you're examined by one of their own doctors (uncommon).

However, failure to disclose information may invalidate your insurance.  You'll be expected to sign a disclosure agreement for your doctor to pass on relevant information in the event of a claim.

Answer 3

Medical info would nor,ally be private but i the event of a death investigation, they may come into play.

Don't do drugs - that's stoopid!

Answer 4

When you take out life/critical illness cover you have to sign giving permission for the insurer to have access to your medical records.  Therefore you have given consent for the doctor to disclose details.  

If the information that you had taken drugs did not come out initially when taking the policy but did at death or critical illness they could decide not to pay out.  This is becuase you would be in breach of the contract as you did not disclose the drugs on the application form.  When taking out the policy you must disclose all details and answer all questions truthfully or you could make the policy null and void.  

I'm an independent financial adviser and have submitted a few applications where the applicant has admitted drug use on the application form.  One where cannabis had been used was accepted at normal rates and without any medical checks. This will vary with the insurer and obviously the type and frequency of the drug use.  

It is better to disclose the information and maybe pay a higher monthly premium for cover than the pay a cheaper premium for years for cover that is useless because you have broken the contract.  

Hope this helps.

Answer 5

Wat drugs u got man ??