The District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking is reminding insurers they are not to use information regarding domestic violence or spousal abuse as a factor in issuing life or health insurance policies to victims.
In a bulletin issued Oct., the DISB warned that insurers, health maintenance organizations, or hospital and medical services corporations may not use that information to cancel, refuse to underwrite or renew, or refuse to issue such policies. The bulletin cites D.C. law regarding unfair discrimination in life and health insurance.
The information cannot be used to increase rates or deny claims either, according to the department.
Gennet Purcell
The bulletin comes during National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, recognized each October and on the heels of a new study by the National Women’s Law Center citing D.C. as one of nine jurisdictions nationwide that does not prohibit the use of domestic violence as a pre-existing condition for underwriting insurance. Idaho, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wyoming are the other locations without a specific law prohibiting the practice.
Many of the states, like the District, say other statutes in force make the practice illegal.
“We wanted the department’s position to be clear, so there will be no misunderstandings,” Acting Commissioner Gennet Purcell said in a statement. “The agency does not want victims of domestic violence to feel as if they’re victimized twice, whenever the actual crime occurs, and again if they’re denied by their insurance company.”
D.C. warns insurers not to use domestic violence as factor in policies via IFAwebnews.com .
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