Prudential and ÆQUALIS to Offer Life Insurance Coverage to People with HIV

One of the major insurance companies of America Prudential Financial, Inc. has decided to provide life insurance coverage to people battling with HIV. The coverage will be provided in collaboration with ÆQUALIS, an innovative company bringing insurance products to under-served communities.

The move has been called as a milestone in the changing nature of the HIV infection under which HIV positive people will be able to obtain 10- and 15-year individual convertible term life insurance products. The life insurance products will be offered through Prudential’s issuing insurance companies.

Mike McFarland, chief underwriting officer, Prudential Individual Life Insurance, said, “As medical technology advances, we continuously evaluate and update our underwriting criteria, which has resulted in our ability to offer insurance to people dealing with various medical or chronic conditions”.

McFarland further said that with the major advancements in the treatment of people with HIV, they are now able to offer these people an opportunity to apply for life insurance.

Under the joint deal, ÆQUALIS will help the eligible consumers to get a direct access to information about the available insurance products.

It will also manage the process of applying for a policy and will also work with financial professionals and other major insurance agencies and distributors to spread awareness.

Both Andrew Terrell and Bill Grant, founders of ÆQUALIS, have been highly affected by the challenges faced by close family and friends of the people with HIV. These personal experiences motivated them to form ÆQUALIS in 2010 and work with the financial services and insurance industries to drive change, they duo said.