Rather than posing a threat, genetic testing presents a huge opportunity for life insurance customers according to Singularity University's Dr Raymond McCauley. 

Many of the disease risk factors identified by genomics can be addressed to some extent with modern medicine. For example, if a genetic test identifies the recipient as having a high risk of breast cancer, they may be more likely to implement good practices - checking and regular scans - to identify the cancer early. 

McCauley, speaking at AMP Amplify, said he believes this is where insurance companies can enter the equation and play a positive role, challenging the assumption that genomic information poses a threat to premiums for customers who use the testing. He believes that insurance companies have a future role in preventative medicine; a health-life coaching role. 

What does this look like? Well, with an abundance of health information available, insurers could play a role helping customers to translate that information into good practice. 

What if genetic testing indicates you have a high risk of developing bowel cancer? Insurers could play a role reminding you to undertake regular at-home screening once you enter the high-risk age group of 50+. 

“Medical systems and health advice is notoriously, grotesquely, complicated. For an insurer to help simplify that information would be immensely powerful,” McCauley said.

He argued that rather than cracking down, it’s about insurers taking a different path: 

"This is about presenting you with good choices and helping you to navigate a complicated health landscape." 

With all same amount of computer power NASA used to take the first man to the moon at our fingertips thanks to the smartphones we use, McCauley also believes we are yet to realise their most transformative and practical application in health. 

If your phone knows you have a high risk of heart disease, McCauley thinks it will start to play a “big sister” role: helping you to choose the kale before the donuts. Whether you like that idea or not, the future of preventative medicine and genomics is about much more than pharmacology.