The understanding of the insurability and survival prognosis of lives living with HIV infection and other chronic manageable disease continues to advance. The industry and public debate on increasingly including such lives in insurance risk pools continues against a backdrop of growing cohort-survival patient data, international literature estimates of life expectancy and an industry philosophy of treating customers fairly.

The presentation aims to contrast the mortality and survival of different populations, from the general South African population to lives qualifying for fully underwritten life assurance to lives living with chronic disease. Nuances contributing to uncertainty around insurability are highlighted with a view to informing an industry debate.

This topic is tackled from the perspectives of a leading HIV and AIDS managed care provider, medical researchers at the UCT Faculty of Medicine and the actuarial expertise of a reinsurer.

*Awarded Health Track Prize