Key points
- Policies do not cover pre-existing conditions.
- This means that having HIV should not stop you from taking out a policy, but you wouldn’t be able to claim for an HIV-related illness.
Mortgage payment protection insurance is designed to cover your mortgage payments if you can’t work due to illness or injury, usually for up to a year. These policies can help if you are off work due to a short-term illness or accident. However, most absences due to stress, mental health and back problems are excluded.
This is different from mortgage life insurance, which would help your loved ones pay off your mortgage in the event of your death.
Can you take out mortgage payment protection insurance if you have HIV?
Yes. However, policies do not cover pre-existing conditions – anything which was diagnosed or caused symptoms before you took out the policy. If you can’t work due to an illness that is linked to HIV, you will not be able to claim.
Will mortgage payment protection insurance still be valid if you are diagnosed with HIV?
In this situation, it’s usually a good idea to hang on to the policy. If you cancel it and then decide at a later date that you would like to be insured, HIV would then have to be treated as a pre-existing condition.
Will mortgage payment protection insurance cover an HIV-related illness?
If you had symptoms or were diagnosed with HIV before taking out the policy, it won’t cover an HIV-related illness.
The situation may be different if you were diagnosed after taking out the policy. Most modern policies do not exclude HIV and you will be able to claim if you are unable to work due to an HIV-related illness.
However, older policies may only cover you if you are unable to work due to injury or illness that is not linked with HIV. To find out whether a policy covers HIV or not, check the conditions and exclusions.
For more information
The Money Advice Service website provides free and impartial money advice.
This page reflects the personal finance market in the UK.