by Michael Challiner
As a nation, we are getting bigger. By 2025, according to
the latest government statistics, around 33% of girls and 25% of boys will be
classifiable as clinically obese. 'Obese' is defined as overweight to the
probable detriment of a person's health. In fact the rate at which
An estimated £4 billion a year is lost through obesity and
related conditions through time off work. Add in disability pay and lost taxes,
and the figure is said to top £20 billion.
It is generally more likely for an obese person to need to
see their family doctor, or visit an out patients' clinic, than their slimmer neighbour. They also need treatment more often. The
National Health Service estimates that £15 billion a year must be spent on
these patients, and this figure is set to rise as the new heavier generation
matures.
Insurers are following this progress with a beady eye. Many
applications for insurance now include a 'weigh on the day' clause that
specifies customer weight on the same day the form is filled in. They will no
longer accept the last known weight, because it's simply too tempting to
subtract a pound or two for the desert you promise not to eat tomorrow! Heavier
customers may be given a higher rate, or even refused certain policies.
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One of the
If he was asked to undergo a medical prior to taking up the
policy, and one or two health issues were raised, this would be quite common
for someone in his circumstances. Sadly, it would be equally common for his
premium to rise yet again, or for the policy to be refused.
Our poor client would most probably be denied critical illness
cover altogether. Problems such as raised cholesterol or high blood pressure,
while not exclusively related to a high weight, most certainly go hand in hand
with a high premium or in this case, almost certain refusal.
For women over 16 stone, the insurance situation is not much
better. They face an increase of 33% on the cost for someone of
"normal" weight. Once more, ill health or significantly higher weight further increase the cost of a policy, or even the
ability to get cover at all.
So neither gender has it easy when it comes to insurance for
heavier clients. The insurance companies naturally feel a need to increase
their costs in line with their risks, but for those at risk of suffering from
health problems life insurance becomes even more important.
There is undoubtedly an issue of increased costs facing the
overweight customer looking for insurance. The extra cost and weight go hand in
hand. So what can be done to help the situation?
In fact, it's especially important to get good Life Insurance
in this situation. If finding this insurance is a problem due to higher weight
or possible ill health due to the condition, a good insurance broker is your
key to a suitable policy. There is the issue of increased cost to consider. But
think about it this way: your new policy at your current weight can always be
updated if your weight drops. You'll enjoy the reduced costs too as your
premiums will get lower.
Not only that, but these changes will probably affect your
premium costs for Life and Travel Insurance too, as well as Critical Illness
Cover.
There is a more insidious problem facing the overweight when
it comes to the NHS. Patients defined as obese are entitled to treatment in the
same way as everyone else, yet many people feel that they will not be given an
equal chance. In a recent survey of 70,000 hospital doctors, almost 50% were
reported as saying that overweight patients should not be given a replacement
hip or other such surgery. Treatment with free anti-obesity drugs might seem a
good solution, but it has been judged undesirable by a third of these doctors.
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Some family GPs do little to help
the situation. Their message is that the overweight patient is just someone who
should get off their couch and do something about it, without offering any real
help, support or information about useful changes. Thankfully this is by no
means everyone's attitude! Many other family practitioners do offer a lot of
encouragement, advice and help to their lucky patients, but it can be a bit of
a lottery.
If you find working in a group of like-minded people useful,
you could try one of the many slimming clubs on offer. Some people find them
very motivating. They enjoy sharing their experiences with others, and if this
approach is for you then the results can be excellent. Some clubs combine diet
with an exercise programme, and exercise has long
been known to be useful in increasing fitness as well as weight loss.
People who have discovered a suitable programme
of exercise and diet, along with a considerable application of willpower and
determination, often find that achieving and maintaining their ideal weight is
possible and practical. Others however have opted for more extreme measures to
get into that elusive perfect height-weight zone.
These people have chosen to have an operation called a
gastric bypass, a serious matter - and it costs the NHS about £12,000 a time.
All operations, including this one, have their risks. Five hours under the
knife is certainly not something to be done on a whim! But those who have taken
this route say that the results are impressive enough to warrant taking the
chance. Additionally, there are possible benefits to be gained for
obesity-related conditions that are avoided, such as some types of diabetes,
that add up to a much higher bill for the NHS as well as causing patients
problems. Indeed one lady who had the operation reduced by 12 stone and, as her
impressive "Before" and "After" photos show, she's well on
the way to her target weight and enjoying her new lifestyle.
Once you reach a lower weight, insurance companies will be
more than happy to give you a policy. So make sure that you have a good set of
insurance to see you though to that day - and don't forget to update them as
your weight changes! Remember, as you lose weight, you gain in savings on
premium costs.
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Look though your local insurance companies, but don't forget
that there are many great deals available online - find yourself an Internet
broker, and they'll be able to find you specialist and up-to-date help with all
the latest offers!
About the Author
Life insurance protection provides free and amazing articles
based on life insurance quotes.
When you have a whole life policy you have assurance that you will have coverage as long as you live. As long as you pay your premium, the company will guarantee that benefits will be paid to your heirs.