Title III Technical Assistance Manual (with 1994 supplement)

III−3.11000 Insurance. Insurance offices are places of public accommodation and, as such, may not discriminate on the basis of disability in the sale of insurance contracts or in the terms or conditions of the insurance contracts they offer. Because of the nature of the insurance business, however, consideration of disability in the sale of insurance contracts does not always constitute "discrimination. " An insurer or other public accommodation may underwrite, classify, or administer risks that are based on or not inconsistent with State law, provided that such practices are not used to evade the purposes of the ADA.

Thus, a public accommodation may offer a plan that limits certain kinds of coverage based on classification of risk, but may not refuse to insure, or refuse to continue to insure, or limit the amount, extent, or kind of coverage available to an individual, or charge a different rate for the same coverage solely because of a physical or mental impairment, except where the refusal, limitation, or rate differential is based on sound actuarial principles or is related to actual or reasonably anticipated experience. The ADA, therefore, does not prohibit use of legitimate actuarial considerations to justify differential treatment of individuals with disabilities in insurance.

ILLUSTRATION: A person who has cerebral palsy may not be denied coverage based on disability independent of actuarial risk classification.

Can a group health insurance policy have a pre-existing condition exclusion? Yes. An individual with a pre-existing condition may be denied coverage for that condition for the period specified in the policy. However, the individual cannot be denied coverage for illness or injuries unrelated to the pre-existing condition.

Can an insurance policy limit coverage for certain procedures or treatments? Yes, but it may not entirely deny coverage to a person with a disability.

Does the ADA require insurance companies to provide a copy of the actuarial data on which its actions are based at the request of the applicant? The ADA does not require it. Under some State regulatory schemes, however, insurers may have to file such actuarial information with the State regulatory agency, and this information may be obtainable at the State level.

Does the ADA apply only to life and health insurance? No. Although life and health insurance are the areas where the ADA will have its greatest application, the ADA applies equally to unjustified discrimination in all types of insurance, including property and casualty insurance, provided by public accommodations.

ILLUSTRATION: Differential treatment of individuals with disabilities, including individuals who have been treated for alcoholism, applying for automobile insurance would have to be justified by legitimate actuarial considerations.

BUT: An individual's driving record, including any alcohol-related violations, may be considered.

May a public accommodation refuse to serve an individual with a disability because of limitations on coverage or rates in its insurance policies? No. A public accommodation may not rely on such limitations to justify exclusion of individuals with disabilities. Any exclusion must be based on legitimate safety concerns (see III−4.1200), rather than on the terms of the insurance contract.

ILLUSTRATION: An amusement park requires individuals to meet a minimum height requirement that excludes some individuals with disabilities for certain rides because of a limitation in its liability insurance coverage. The limitation in insurance coverage is not a permissible basis for the exclusion.

BUT: The minimum height requirement would be a permissible safety criterion, if it is necessary for the safe operation of the ride.