An insurance company in central China's Henan Province launched a new policy on October 25 that promises compensation of up to 300,000 yuan (US$37,115) in case of HIV infection, according to today's China Daily.

Peng Dahua, an executive at China Taiping Life Insurance Co's Henan branch, said the company was authorized by the China Insurance Regulatory Commission in early October to offer HIV insurance nationwide.

He said that, as a group insurance product, the policies are designed principally for companies, hospitals and law enforcement organizations to buy for their staff, rather than for individuals, and that no one had signed up for a policy by the weekend.

Policyholders can pay an annual premium of 12.9 yuan (US$1.6) to secure a 10,000 yuan (US$1,235) payout if they are infected with HIV during the year.

Each policyholder can pay up to 387 yuan (US$48) in annual premiums for a total insured amount of 300,000 yuan (US$37,050).

The policy exempts people with hemophilia, drug addicts, victims of nuclear radiation and those who have received blood transfusions from illegally acquired blood products, or who are infected as a result of medical malpractice.

Gay men are fully covered by the policy, Peng said.

Taiping Life chose Henan for the new product because it is one of the areas of the country worst affected by HIV and AIDS, he added.

According to the provincial health department, 25,036 people in Henan had been confirmed HIV positive and 11,815 with AIDS by 2004.

(China Daily October 31, 2005)