In Canada, according to the Genetic Non-Discrimination Act, genetic information cannot be demanded by your insurance company or used to make insurance decisions. This means that insurance companies cannot use the results of the genetic risk score. You may access this link for more information.
However, there are some things that insurance companies can access. The Genetic Non-Discrimination Act does not cover autoantibody testing results. Also, health information – such as medical records and test results – may be released to insurance companies during an initial risk assessment. You may also be required to disclose an accurate family history. Your insurance company may use this information to assess the risk of insuring you and set premiums accordingly. In this research study, your information will not be released without your consent. However, if you are being seen by your healthcare team for early-stage type 1 diabetes metabolic monitoring (2 autoantibodies or more) then this would form part of your healthcare records, which could be accessed by your insurance company.
This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not offer personalized medical or legal advice. Under Canadian law, the Genetic Non-Discrimination Act (GNDA) makes it illegal for insurance companies to require you to take a genetic test or to disclose the results of your genetic tests, as a condition for receiving services or specific terms. These protections apply only to genetic tests that analyze DNA, RNA, or chromosomes. There are no equivalent legal protections for information contained in medical records, or for the results of non-genetic tests (including antibody tests) that form part of your child’s clinical care. Insurance companies may request this type of medical information and use it as part of their standard risk‑assessment process. In this research study, your information will not be released without your consent. However, if you choose to discuss certain research findings with your child’s physician, those findings may be documented in your child’s medical record. If that occurs, this information could affect their eligibility for life insurance in Canada, and in other countries may affect their ability to obtain health or travel insurance.