31st May 2011

Death Date Due?

Ways both physical and cyber now exist to determine when the lights will go out on your world. This is, for some, a cross between visiting a Clairvoyant and your doctor to see what the future holds based upon your age, health, lifestyle and more.

Last week, a team of Spanish researchers announced the roll out of £500’s worth of blood test that it is claimed will offer the first accurate countdown to your exit date. This test will come to the UK next year it is understood and is based upon measuring the length of Telomeres. These control the number of available cell divisions left in the body- no more cell divisions equals the end!

Will this test gain traction in the UK and be used by protection insurers, would you like to know when to get your house in order?

Roger Edwards of Bright Grey said, “the media tried to make out that this test would be used to underwrite.

The reality is that this takes no account of people’s lifestyle – simply their genetic make up. So the test could say that they should genetically live for 50 years – but if they drink 2 bottles of whisky a day and snort coke then perhaps they won’t.

Also the Actuaries like to use past performance as a guide to the future – rather than make predictions based on an unproven test.

My view is that if this proves successful then in 10 years time it might become used as it has been proven to provide accurate results for a sustained period. However in today’s market as a new test I don’t see it being used at all.

Arguably as well, it could be part of the ABI’s Genetic Test moratorium”.

Leading protection IFA Alan Lakey commented “ If it is anywhere near accurate it will spell the end of protection as we know it and accidental death/accident policies would become the norm.

Clients holding existing plans would take the test and retain their plans if worthwhile and cancel otherwise. What a nightmare that would be”.

To find your cyber fate date, click here

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