How Your Lifestyle Can Affect Life Insurance Rates

December 11, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 

Shopping for life insurance can be a daunting task. Which company should I choose? How much coverage do I need? What term length is right for me? Will I even qualify for coverage? These are a few lifestyle factors to consider when trying to figure out what your options are.

Most people know that certain lifestyle choices, such as smoking, can have a negative effect on your eligibility for life insurance. Tobacco use is one of the main dividing factors that life insurance companies use to determine whether or not you will qualify for premium rates. Some insurance companies will even deny coverage to a potential customer if they use tobacco products. While the best solution here is to quit using tobacco altogether, there are a few alternatives if youre not ready to give it up completely. Did you know that some insurance companies will charge you less if you only smoke the occasional cigar, rather than actual cigarettes? Most insurance companies do not differentiate between smoking and using smokeless tobacco, but for those who dip or chew, there are a few companies out there that will be able to give you a better rate since chewing tobacco is known to cause less cancers than smoking.

Smoking may be one of the most obvious elements that can affect your premiums, but it is definitely not the only lifestyle choice that insurance companies consider when providing quotes. Did you know that your occupation, hobbies, weight, and medical history can all be used to determine your rate?

If your job is considered high risk, you may end up paying more for both life and health insurance. You may qualify for premium rates if you work in an office, but a firefighter or welder may have to shop around to get a good quote or even to find a company willing to offer them coverage. If you have a dangerous hobby, such as horseback riding or scuba diving, you will probably end up paying more for coverage than if you have a hobby that is considered safe by the insurance company, such as painting.

Obesity is a risk factor for many health issues, such as diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, stroke, and other ailments. Because of these risk factors, an otherwise healthy person who is obese will not receive premium insurance quotes. In order to qualify for a premium quote, you should be within the normal range on the Body Mass Index (BMI). If you are in the overweight or obese range, you may still qualify for a reasonable quote if you agree to take certain tests to prove that your overall fitness level is at acceptable levels. Your previous medical history may also have an effect on your quote. If you have a history of heart disease, or have taken antidepressants in the past year or 2, you may not get premium prices on your quote.

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