Overweight? Smoker? WOW! Are you in trouble!
According to NHANES 2001 to 2004, about two-thirds of adults in the U.S. are overweight and almost one-third are obese. If this were to last longer, everyone in the U.S. could be overweight in forty years time. Some groups are already heading in that direction. For example, 80% of African-American women are overweight. Some 90% of Mexican-American men could be overweight in 25 years time. We’ll probably never actually get to 100%. Whoopee! Why should this matter? Well, there’s a proven link between being overweight and life-shortening conditions such as stroke, congestive heart failure, cancer and osteoarthritis. It would be clean to say that insurance companies get very interested when you start talking about behavioral risk factors and mortality rates.
The average U.S. life pays the “standard” rate. Well, your premiums will be high if you are overweight. The rates will rise further if you have high blood pressure or high levels of cholesterol. If there’s a family history of cancer, stroke, heart disease or anything else dealing out death, more increases. And then some companies double the rate if you’re a smoker.
What should you do? Well, never get wrong about it. That gives life insurance companies the right to cancel the policy. The companies want real evidence that you’re prepared to change your lifestyle. It is obvious, you can’t do anything about your family history, but you can quit smoking and lose weight. Make regular visits with your local health provider and have blood tests to show improving levels of cholesterol and lipids, keep records of falling blood pressure, etc.
