Weighing Up Your Life Insurance

Britain, as a nation, is getting bigger. Obesity costs the UK an average of £20 billion per annum in disability pay and lost tax payments, and around £15 billion per year for NHS fees, as obese people tend to visit the doctor more frequently. The Government estimates that by 2025 33% of girls and 25% of boys will be of a weight which is hazardous to their health, or clinically obese.

Naturally, these predictions are causing the life insurance companies some concern. On many applications you are asked your current weight – i.e. your weight on the day you fill in your form. If the insurer doesn't like the answer you may find yourself with a significantly raised premium, or even refused cover altogether.

The toll that extra weight takes on a body is well-known by insurers. Obesity can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart problems, among other things, all of which make you an insurance risk. For example, a 40 year old man, 5'10" tall and weighing 12 stone could pay a much lower premium than a man of the same age and height weighing 18 stone. Likewise, women weighing more than 16 stone tend to be quoted more than their lighter counterparts.

Of course, if you are overweight and paying a high premium, this can be reduced by losing weight; either by diet and exercise, anti-obesity medications or, in extreme cases, gastric bypass surgery. The latter isn't suitable for everyone but can help a severely overweight person to begin losing weight.

Never be tempted to shave a few pounds off your weight in order to get lower premiums; if you have to make a claim it could be refused because you weren't honest with your application.

Save money on your life insurance by leading a healthy lifestyle. Obesity is a major factor in term assurance premiums. Lose weight - your life assurance might just depend on it.