PROJECT B: THE THIRD PARTY PROJECT

The main third party areas that are being investigated within the Genetic Discrimination Project are employment and insurance.

INSURERS

Aim: to explore and describe the policies and practices of insurance companies in Australia regarding the use of genetic risk as a factor for individual risk assessment for the purposes of insurance underwriting in relation to life, disability and other related forms of insurance.

Method:

• guidelines, policies and other documentation on the use of genetic information in insurance underwriting will be collected from the peak representative bodies in the insurance sector as well as from individual insurers;
• data has been collected over several years on the life insurance industry's use of genetic information for the purposes of underwriting assessment. The Australian Institute of Actuaries collect, hold and analyse the data on behalf of the life insurance industry's peak body, the Investment and Financial Services Association (IFSA). IFSA approved access to the raw data from these surveys (in anonymised form) for analysis by our research team .
• a national survey of Australian insurers from the general insurance sector will be conducted with follow up interviews of selected insurers.
  

INSURANCE AGENTS & BROKERS

Aim: to explore and describe the resources and practices of brokers regarding the use of genetic risk in insurance applications.

Method: a national survey of agents and brokers will be conducted, with follow up interviews of selected agents and brokers.

EMPLOYERS

Aim: to explore and describe the policies and practices of Australian employers regarding the use of genetic risk as a factor in making employment related decisions and to examine attitudes and perspectives concerning the use of genetic information in the workplace.

Method: a national survey with follow up interviews of selected employers.

INTERESTED IN THE THIRD PARTY STUDY, THE SURVEYS OR AN INTERVIEW?

If you would like to make contact with the researchers undertaking the Third Party Study;

• please call Professor Margaret Otlowski Chief Investigator on 03 6226 7569, or
  Dr Mark Stranger, GDP Research Fellow on 03 6226 2773

• email Margaret.Otlowski@utas.edu.au or Mark.Stranger@utas.edu.au or

• write to them at The Faculty of Law, Private Bag 89, University of Tasmania, Hobart. Tasmania. 7001.

• July 2003
• May 2005