Buying life and health insurance products is something that many of us keep putting off for as long as we possibly can. We know that we should buy into these insurance policies but we tend to shelf the idea, preferring to live for today rather than plan for tomorrow. Rather like an ostrich sticking its head in the sand, a lot of us it seems choose to take our chances in the hope that our circumstances will never merit the use of life or health insurance. But it can be an awfully big gamble to take.
Advantages of a life and health insurance policy
As we get older we often become more susceptible to health problems, disability and poor mobility; eventually of course we will all die. Both situations are naturally very distressing for family and dependants. However, the situation can be made worse if the ill / deceased was the main income producer and there are still bills to pay. The last thing anybody wants in this situation is to have the bailiffs knocking at the door, or your home repossessed because you cannot keep up your mortgage repayments.
A life and health insurance policy combines cover for the likely and the inevitable. By opting to take out a life and health insurance policy you and your family will have peace of mind that should you become critically ill or die during the term of the policy, your family and dependants will be financially secure. There will be no worries about bailiffs or repossession orders and through the health insurance side of the policy you'll be able to select a level of quality health care to suit your needs rather than relying on treatment through the NHS.
Cover provided by a life and health insurance policy
The cover provided by a life and health insurance policy is quite comprehensive. On the life insurance side of the policy you will be able to choose between a term life insurance product and a reducing or decreasing life insurance product.
Term life insurance via the policy pays out a fixed lump sum upon the death of the policyholder, providing the insurance policy is still active. A reducing term life insurance policy is a type of insurance where the amount paid out upon death reduces to zero in line with the policyholder's mortgage balance, and is suitable only as a financial instrument with which to pay off the mortgage in the event of an early death. If you want to leave your loved ones in complete financial security then a term life option on the policy is recommended.
The health insurance part of the mega insurance policy provides comprehensive health care. It will cover you for all diagnosis, treatment and recovery costs associated with the illnesses, disability and diseases noted on the mega policy. Health insurance also means that you do not have to wait for treatment on the NHS. Instead, you will be able to select when and where you want to receive treatment, so tailoring it to your own convenience.
Life And Health Insurance Co
Do you know your BMI figure? BMI stands for body mass indicator and is used to ascertain whether you are underweight, normal weight, or obese. It works in the following way:
You will need to know your weight and height, using metric measures.
Multiply your height by itself, and then divide the result by your weight. Hopefully the result will be in the 18.5 to 24.9 range, which is absolutely fine. The BMI categories are listed below.
?Less then 18.5 is classified as underweight
?18.5 to 24.9 is classified as normal weight
?25 to 29.9 is classified as overweight
?30 or greater is classified as obese
These figures are for adults. There is a slight variation in that it is possible that this method overestimates fatness in people who are muscular or athletic.
Worryingly for the insurance companies, if not for the fatties themselves, is that, according to a recent survey, 1 in 4 of UK adults is overweight. According to Cancer research UK, 1 in 4 of these overweight adults is simply not interested in losing weight. The UK government is also concerned about these figures and a campaign has just been announced to urge GP's to encourage patients to consider weight reducing measures. It is a sad fact that we, as a nation, are second only to Greece in obesity levels in Europe.
In view of these facts and in an effort to get at the truth, Scottish Provident, one of the UK's biggest life insurers, have introduced a new question into their insurance application forms. As well as asking your weight, you'll be asked when you last weighed yourself. Scottish Provident believes that many people understate their weight, feeling sensitive about the subject. It may be some time since they last weighed themselves and the memory can be very hazy when it comes to something you'd prefer to forget! In some cases, people are deliberately lying in an effort to get cheaper premiums or even to get insurance cover at all.
Are these fair measures? I believe so. The life insurance industry has taken a BMI level of 30 as acceptable, which I think is generous. Beyond that figure, you may have to pay an increased premium or in a worst case scenario, be refused your health or life insurance.
The Lancet recently reported the results of a study of 33,000 adults and considered that a BMI of over 25 is fine. This is an increase of the over 24 definition that the medical profession was recommending ? the equivalent of an extra half stone, or around 15kg. They also, reassuringly, found that only adults with a BMI in excess of 35 were in danger of suffering a serious lowering of life expectancy.
The facts given in health or life applications forms form the basis of your agreement with the insurance company. You can't blame them for insisting on complete honesty. Would you want it any other way?
Both Gary Tallon & are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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