How does my health affect my life insurance?

There are several factors that can affect the cost of your life insurance premium. Your premium is calculated using statistical analysis. So, the lower ‘risk’ you are considered to be, the lower your premiums! We have put together some factors that may affect your premium, so you can know what to expect when you’re looking for life insurance.


First of all, most insurers look at your date of birth before anything else. Your age can be a good indicator of your general health, as the younger you are the healthier you are likely to be. Clearly, you can’t do anything about your age, so this isn’t so much a health factor. But, it is good to know in advance that older people are likely to have higher premiums. This is one of the reasons why over 50’s life insurance is so helpful. It’s designed specifically for those looking for insurance later in life.


If you’re a smoker, your premium is likely to be higher. This is a result of the higher chance you may have a serious illness later in life. Also, smokers have a shorter life expectancy than non smokers. For this reason, it is a good idea to try and give up smoking for a year  before you take out a life insurance policy (after during the policy!).

Your health history

Most insurers will look at your previous health history to assess how much of a risk you are. If you have some preexisting conditions, such as type 1 diabetes, high blood pressure, or high levels of cholesterol, you premiums are likely to be higher. This is the case too, if you have, or have previously had, cancer. Also, insurers may look at your height and weight to calculate your BMI. as a general rule, people with a higher BMI are more at risk of some diseases. There may be some policies that do not check your health history, but these will probably have a higher premium as standard.

Your activities

Some hobbies and activities are considered high risk by insurers. These include extreme sports such as skydiving or mountain climbing. If you regularly take part in one of these activities your premium prices are likely to be higher. This is because you are more likely to suffer ill health or, in the worst case, death, with these activities. It’s important to let the insurers know if you’re an avid fan of adrenaline inducing activities!

Your job

Similarly, some jobs are considered to be higher risk than others. These include jobs such as pilots, police officers, firefighters and construction workers. Again, this is not so much of a health factor, but these jobs are considered to be more dangerous. As a result, you will likely have to pay a higher life insurance premium.

These factors are not the only things used by insurers to calculate your premium price, but they are useful to know about. As Freedom to Insure have access to the whole of the UK market, we’re confident we can find you an insurer who will take into account your requirements. There are many options available, so there is sure to be one that caters to your budget and needs, whatever these may be. Why not find out more today today?