The overwhelming majority of Hepatitis C sufferers have not sought any form of cover because of their diagnosis, an advice firm has reported.
Medical financial advice firm Unusual Risks has published research into the financial needs of people living with Hepatitis C that shows 90% have not attempted to get any financial services products.
It also showed 10% of respondents found it specifically difficult to obtain mortgage and insurance products.
The firm stated that life assurance and mortgages have been available to people living with Hepatitis C for some time, but can be hard to obtain due to additional medical requirements, adding: "Product providers can also be insensitive towards their financial needs."
Chris Morgan, practice manager of Unusual Risks, said he was surprised by the research findings.
He said: "It certainly appears that a significant number of Hepatitis C sufferers have found it difficult to obtain mortgages and insurance products in the past. This in turn has led to a perception within the Hepatitis C community that it is difficult, or nigh on impossible to obtain insurance and mortgage products in these circumstances.
"As a result of this some people may have delayed important financial decisions. It is true to say that some financial products such as health insurance are still very difficult to obtain for people with Hepatitis C.
"However, we are now successfully obtaining Life Assurance and Mortgage products for people living with Hepatitis C on a regular basis."
