An interesting article flashed across my Google Homepage again today and well the title was just too damn odd for me to not go and read it.

Albino frogs, blinking mice and gay insurance

I mean really how are the 3 related at all?

I am reprinting this article below so it is easier for you to read without having to click away and all that stuff. I do have to give this author kudos for a cleverly written title and article.

Judging by the carping which came from the Christian camp, one would imagine the Equality Act would lead to albino frogs raining from a weeping sky as God’s snot drowned us all in a fit of rage.

Oddly enough, when the Equality Act came into effect on May 1st, it happened so quietly and with such little fanfare that it was easy to miss- like a mouse blinking in a candle lit library.

Kate Moss at Top Shop, Britney’s wig and man’s Darth Vader-shaped hot-air balloon proved far more newsworthy as far the media was concerned. In many ways, you can’t blame them, as the conflict has evaporated from the story, that is, until somebody falls foul of the law and the tabloids squeal ‘political correctness gone mad’.

One area which may prove interesting to watch will be that of insurance. Hot on the heels of the new legislation Compass, the gay financial advisers, renewed their call for gay couples in Civil Partnerships to be treated equally with married heterosexual couples. Gay couples are currently being charged more for their insurance products.

Civil Partnership couples are still treated as ‘single’ males for the underwriting of Life Assurance and Critical Illness Cover. Married heterosexual couples enjoy lower premiums for their cover, because they are presumed to be less promiscuous.

Chris Morgan, Managing Director of Compass, said: ‘The majority of Life Assurance Companies are charging ‘single male’ premium rates, even if the couple applying have signed the Civil Partnership register. This means that hundreds of gay men are being overcharged for their life assurance.’

He added: ‘Many companies are asking gay couples for a HIV test at £250,000 of cover, whilst waiting until £500,000 before asking heterosexual married couples. There is no evidence to suggest that this stance is appropriate.’

Only a few Life Assurance companies have equalised this issue already, at a figure between £500,000 and £1,000,000. This then poses the question, if these companies can make a clear statement on the issue of Civil Partnerships and HIV risk, then why can’t the others?

This the same situation that existed for ‘single’ gay men before the HIV and Insurance guidelines were introduced in 2005. Some companies were offering single gay men £100,000 without any HIV testing, whilst others were not.

The Equality Act makes it illegal to discriminate on the grounds of sexuality in many areas of business. Industries such as hotels, travel, legal services, bars and clubs have all had to consider their positions closely.

Compass are calling for consistency across the Life Assurance industry, asking that Civil Partnership couples and married heterosexual couples be treated equally for assessing HIV risk.

Source - Gay.com