As the summer months are getting into full swing, men and women across the UK are turning their attention to their weight and how they're going to look on the beach. It's a natural - albeit superficial - tendancy which is shared by thousands across the UK. But most peoples don't realise that achieving a healthy weight can also really cut your health insurance quotes too.
The effect on health insurance costs
Bear in mind that health insurance premiums are based on the chances of you needing to make a claim and the potential cost of that claim. So, it's easy to see how your weight and your lifestyle can affect how cheap your health insurance premiums will be.
2 in 5 adults in the UK are overweight and a further 1 in 5 of those are obese. Those who are overweight face a heightened series of health risks as a result. Some of the problems include diabetes, high blood pressure, strokes, heart problems, cancer, arthritis, gallstones, menstrual problems, incontinence, breathing issues, pregnancy complications and depression.
With the increased requirement for treatment required by the 'average' overweight person and the fact that treatment for these sorts of complications are likely to be long term and expensive, it's no wonder the health insurance quotes for overweight peoples are that much higher. In fact, for some health insurance companies, 1% of policyholders can represent 40-50% of their claims due to their poorer state of health.
What can you do to reduce your health insurance quotes?
Medical professionals have found that an overweight person losing 5-10% of their weight can extend their life expectancy by 20%. Not only that, it can also reduce your health insurance premiums due to the huge reduction in the requirement for medical treatment. Cheaper health insurance quotes means you pocket more of the money you earn, helping you to afford more holidays and you even end up looking better on the beach when you're there!
