Many South Africans are living with HIV so we’re often asked if it’s still possible to get life insurance cover if you’re HIV positive – and yes, it’s totally possible.
Millions of South Africans are living with HIV and thriving thanks to antiretroviral therapy (ART). If you’re one of them, you might have wondered if you’re still a candidate for life insurance and the good news is that you are. No insurer may discriminate against you because of your HIV status. Still, they will need to assess your level of risk in the same way they would for anyone living with a chronic illness, be it heart disease or diabetes.
MiWayLife Makes It Easy
When you apply for a policy at MiWayLife, we won’t ask you to do any medical testing but we might ask you to do an HIV test. The requirement for testing is generated based on the information you relay to our call centre agents, along with other factors.
If you are required to undergo a test, we’ll send a professional nurse from a trusted service provider to administer one in the comfort of your home. We don’t offer the option for you to send us your own test results as we work with stringent protocols that need to be followed within the insurance industry. These might not be adhered to at your local clinic or pharmacy.
Know Your CD4 Count
If you’re HIV positive and have a healthy CD4 count (the number of infection-fighting white blood cells in your body), an insurer can accept your application for life cover. Knowing your CD4 count is important because the higher it is, the healthier your immune system is. However, how you manage your HIV diagnosis will play a factor in whether your policy is accepted as well as inform any loading fees.
A loading fee is a small percentage increase in the premium rates that’s calculated using your level of risk. This fee is applicable to anyone prone to a particular form of risk – whether it be due to their occupation or the state of their health – and not unique to those living with HIV. If you manage it well and your CD4 count improves, your insurer may reduce or remove the loading.
Ultimately, just because you’re living with HIV, this doesn’t mean you can’t apply for life insurance and create a financial safety net for your family
