Three life insurers face lawsuits from customers in Illinois who object to make use of of household historical past questions in life insurance coverage underwriting.
The plaintiffs contend that use of household historical past questions violates the Illinois Genetic Info Privateness Act of 1998, or GIPA.
Attorneys with McGuire Regulation filed all three fits. The fits identify associates of MassMutual, Pacific Life and State Farm because the defendants. All three plaintiffs are looking for class-action standing.
A consultant from Pacific Life declined to touch upon pending litigation. Representatives for MassMutual and State Farm didn’t reply to requests for remark.
GIPA: The federal Genetic Info Non-Discrimination Act of 2008, or GINA, regulates how insurers in all states use genetic data, together with details about folks’s household medical historical past.
The Well being Insurance coverage Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 additionally consists of provisions that outline genetic data and regulate its use.
GINA provisions can maintain down damages, and the courts have tended to restrict plaintiffs’ capability to make use of GINA as the premise for class-action lawsuits, based on an evaluation by a group at Faegre Drinker.
