With new medical technologies improving at even quicker rates, disease screening is now, much more advanced than at any time in the past. Many life insurance companies are currently not allowed to check genetic results and adjust their policy holders premiums accordingly.

For health reasons, genetic testing can make all the difference in early diagnosis of a diseases, such as cancer, where doctors can spot diseases early, even before symptoms develop. Recently, the Association of British Insurance (ABI), extended their ban on insurance companies forcing applicants to reveal adverse predictive genetic test results until the year 2014.

The tests can predict cancers and different inherited diseases. Consumers currently have to disclose predictive tests if they apply for policies costing above £500,000 for life insurance and £300,000 critical illness insurance.

Beyond these values, insurers may only use test results approved by the (Global Insurance Assurance Certification) GAIC, which is an independent government committee. This is currently only the case for Huntington's disease and the ABI said there are no plans to extend this to other tests.

The Genetic Interest Group (GIG) charity, is currently asking support groups whether they have experienced any problems with getting insurance, and hopes to work with insurers in the future to prevent discrimination. The deal works well for consumers, the ABI says, as it allows individuals worried about their health to go for a test without having to disclose the results to their insurer.