Insurance companies like you better if you are gay

A

acehistr8

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Jun 20, 2002
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Northern VA
:mad: :mad:

My apologies up front if that title sounds insensitive or insulting it certainly is not meant that way. Last few months I have been paying $180/month for Blue Cross PPO with a $500 deductable. Not bad for this area but it was high time I had insurance so I had to break down and get it. Last night my fiance and I are going over the insurance forms her firm gave her and the choices we had. The prices were something like this (per month):

Full Coverage PPO Employee: $85
Full Coverage PPO Employee +1 (life domestic partner): $119
Full Coverage PPO Family: $309

So I'm thinking sweet, get Employee +1, we can both get insured for less than what I was paying now just for me. Call the insurance company up. Guess what? Two engaged to be married heterosexual people living together cannot qualify for Employee +1. "Domestic Partner" is their insurance-code for "gay." So the remaining portion of my conversation with the friendly operator went like this:

Me: I'm sorry let me get this straight, if we were a not-engaged gay couple just shacking up together we could get your best Employee +1 rate?
Operator: Well, yes.
Me: But an engaged hetero couple doesnt qualify?
Operator: No.
Me: Do you have any explanation for that, isnt that discriminating against straight people?
Operator: I dont think so, and no.
Me: So if we were two guys living together and claimed to be gay we could get your rate even though we wouldnt really be gay?
Operator: Sir, are you taking this seriously anymore?
Me: No, I dont think so. (click)

Isnt this some sort of discrimination? You know, not that theres anything wrong with that and all that good stuff, but Employee +1 should be just that!

:mad: :mad:
 
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DOGS THAT BARK

DOGS THAT BARK

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Jul 13, 1999
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Bowling Green Ky
I been in this business 20 years and had never heard or read about about (domestic partner rates) This is 1st I've ever seen of it. I assume it is something confined to san fran/dc areas.
I am trying to figure it from and underwriting stand point and must admit I am perplexed. While the heterosexual couple has logical maternity cost that gays would not occur it would seem the cost of aids in comparison would offset this,unless they had clause that limited aids benefits to a modest amount.
I remember in Ky health care reform our astute governor thought that implemenently most of Hilliarys issues would be the prudent thing to do. One of the things done was anyone that was ky resident for 6 months had "unlimied benefits" on aids and at same rates as healthy person.
Every carrier but a handful pulled out of ky.
Droves of people that had exhausted their limited benefits elsewhere moved to Ky. Took about a year till they saw the errors of theirs ways and ammended it but a decade later there are still carriers that will not return.
Classic case of gov getting in something they know nothing about which resulted in extreme adverse selection.

On the rates you have posted Ace I think their downfall is that it does not seem they have tiered rate for employee/spouse
It jumps from single to family. It would be great bang for buck if you had 5 kids but just man and wife is worst scenario.
most areas have tiered rates even including employee/children and no spouse.

oops sorry I just read your post again and I see you are not married yet.
 
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G

greg

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Aug 22, 2001
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I see gay men have a much lower life expectancy , so are life ins. rates rates higher?
 
DOGS THAT BARK

DOGS THAT BARK

Registered User
Forum Member
Jul 13, 1999
19,535
226
63
Bowling Green Ky
Is that you Greg?? Wow been a while. Is your addy still the same?
Changed mine a while back when I changed servers--prefix still same but now @yahoo.com Shoot me a line

On your question: They are not allowed to ask that question--but if they could actuaries would have to factor in rates.similiar to rates being less on women because they live longer than men.
 
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