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5TH SEP 2008
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 Insurers are not happy with overweight clients. They may refuse insurance in some circumstances. Lose some weight and the position will change for the better. The Government predicts that by 2025, obesity rates in children will be a frightening statistic. It is thought that around 33% of girls and 25% of boys will be clinically obese. This means overweight to the extent that their health will be likely to suffer.
The rate at which UK children are getting fat is the worst in the world. There are experts that believe that the UK will top the tables as the most obese country, overtaking the USA.
Obesity and conditions related to this condition are costing the country £4billion in working days lost. Disability pay and lost tax payments through being unable to work are believed to be costing up to £20billion per annum.
Obese people are likely to visit the GP’s surgeries and hospital clinic’s more frequently than average weight patients and there is an increased need for treatment. With the National Health Service’s cost for these “obesity” patients estimated to be at £15billion per year, it’s a worrying thought that these costs will spiral as the younger
generation figures come into play.
Naturally, insurance companies are showing a lot of concern about these predictions. Many of them now ask specifically for the weight of the applicant on the day that they fill in the form. Asking how heavy you were when last weighed is not quite the same thing. It’s easy to get “weight amnesia” and omit a few pounds ………or more. If the answer is not to the insurer’s liking the premium could rise significantly, or you may
even be refused cover.
We have some figures from one of the main insurer’s. Take, for example, a man in good health and aged 40 and applying for 20 years life insurance worth £100,000. If he’s Mr Average, he’ll weigh around 12 stone and be 5ft 10ins tall. Now consider the same person but put his weight at 18 stone. Still in good health, but the premium for his life insurance would rise by over 50%. If a medical was insisted on and he was found to have one or two problems which would be quite usual for a person of his age and weight, then either the premiums would be considerably higher or he would be
refused cover.
Provided by The Student Zone (United Kingdom)
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