Be careful what you Google for, when searching for simple answers to complex questions like; Can people with HIV or other complex health conditions can still qualify for life insurance?
Google Search is part of our modern-day lives.
Who hasn’t made a quick Search for the bio of an actor, the secret to a killer Bearnaise sauce or asked, ‘Is there a sequel to Game of Thrones?’
Search is also a growing part of our personal health management. People's tendencies for a late-night search session with Dr Google self-diagnosing potential medical conditions —by searching for symptoms —are known to trigger many an anxious night of misinformation and questionable comparisons.
The reality is many of our late-night search results usually add to our anxiety and uncertainty.
The new skill of knowing ‘when to consult a professional’ is becoming the new 21th Century survival skill to learn.
Jump Ahead
- Searching for Love and Money
- The problem with a quick Google search for questions about life insurance
- Why is this a big issue for LGBTIQ Australians?
- Remind me again, why does this matter?
- Let's set the Australian record straight
- Q. In Australia, can people living with HIV get full life insurance cover?
- Q. In Australia, can people using PrEP to manage their health, get full life insurance?
- Q. In Australia, if you’re HIV negative and have a partner who is HIV positive can you get full insurance?
- Q. In Australia is there a financial services company who specialises in working with same-sex people, same-sex couples and their families?
- Q. In Australia is it possible for people with HIV to get life insurance?
- A. The answer is ‘Yes.’
Searching for Love and Money
While some health search results may have universal relevance, some are more country-specific and require a different approach.
- And when it comes to questions about financial services for LGBTIQ Australians and their families, getting access to the right information can have a big effect on your ability to protect, plan and provide for yourself and your family.
Not being able to find that information can put you behind and even risk you missing out on significant opportunities.
The problem with a quick Google search for questions about life insurance
Many of the general search results delivered by Google Search about the legal rights and financial options available for the LGBTIQ community are simply inaccurate for the Australian market.
- This is because the majority of initial search information about financial services is scraped from American websites where each of its 50 different states has different laws - (and frankly Google has difficulty in determining which information is ‘country-specific’ and the difference between 'historical and current' information).
Add to this the need to serve up associated advertising relevant with each search query and the relatively low number of Australian searches for LGBTIQ specific questions, you're probably going to have to fight your way past the generic advertising for life insurance and wander down the back pages of Google search results for the relevant Australian answers.
Why is this a big issue for LGBTIQ Australians?
There is a lot happening in our lives and in our worldwide community to keep track of.
Simply put, when people suspect they should already know the answer (and are just looking for a quick confirmation rather than looking for a definitive answer), they can miss something new. For clear answers to important questions, youneed to connect with a professional.
Remind me again, why does this matter?
Not being able to find the authoritative answer to a straightforward question has stopped many same-sex Australians seeking financial advice and what all Australians take for granted: the ability to have a life insurance policy to protect their family.
This often ends up in frustration and usually gets put into the too hard basket for a later time, that never arrives.
Many clients looking for life insurance have told us, 'If I just accepted the American search results, I'd have believed I had no options at all'.
Let's set the Australian record straight
Here are the top 4 common search questions where American search results deliver vague or wrong answers to Australians.
Q. In Australia, can people living with HIV get full life insurance cover?
A. Yes. People living with well-controlled HIV can qualify for all Life insurances, Income Protection, Crisis/Trauma Recovery and TPD through Unusual Risks Insured. This is not the case in America.
Q. In Australia, can people using PrEP to manage their health, get full life insurance?
A. Yes. People using PrEP to manage their health can qualify for all Life insurances, Income Protection, Crisis/Trauma Recovery and TPD through Unusual Risks Insured. This is not the case in America.
Q. In Australia, if you’re HIV negative and have a partner who is HIV positive can you get full insurance?
A. Yes. A person who is HIV negative and who has a partner who is HIV positive can qualify for all Life insurances, Income Protection, Crisis/Trauma Recovery and TPD through Unusual Risks Insured.
And the ethical life insurance companies, (and we know who they are) will not charge you an increased premium just because you have a HIV positive partner. (I mean how ignorant and profit gouging is this reprehensible attitude?)
Q. In Australia is there a financial services company who specialises in working with same-sex people, same-sex couples and their families?
A. Yes. Unusualrisks.com.au is an Australia wide confidential financial advice service that specialises in working with sexually diverse and underserved communities and their allies. In 2015 we created the process that helps people with well-controlled HIV get their life insurance sorted - all of them.
So let's be very clear:
Q. In Australia is it possible for people with HIV to get life insurance?
A. The answer is ‘Yes.’
Unusualrisks.com.au is the Australian authority on life insurance solutions for people with complex health conditions and unusual occupations, and serves LGBTIQ singles, couples, families and everyone in between.
So, now you have the right answer, contact us for a chat.
