Some Dutch insurers may be flouting a law against genetic discrimination.
Marlies Stouthard and her colleagues at the University of Amsterdam asked 46
people who had applied for life insurance—some with and some without a
gene predisposing them to high cholesterol—if they’d had trouble getting
it. All 17 people who had been turned down had the gene, although not all of
them had high cholesterol levels (Medisch Contact, no 10, p 360). The
researchers think people are being asked for more details than they legally have
to give. The Dutch Association of Insurers denies companies are breaking the
law.
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