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What Your Age and Habits Could Mean in Obtaining a Health Insurance Quote
from:Many people don’t start to think about life insurance until they have gotten older, married, had children, or have settled down. There are many risks to waiting that long. The older you are and the more you have put yourself through over the years can come back to haunt you. A single person in their 20s who doesn’t smoke and is in perfect health can get a much larger policy at a better cost than the same person in their 50s, or someone who smokes and abuses drugs or alcohol. Age and lifestyle habits play a big role in how much coverage you will get and at what price you will pay. Many people think they can keep this hidden. Not only is that not always the case, you can get dropped and in some cases sued if you lied. Many companies have you get an exam and have all your previous records sent to them before determining your eligibility.
Most insurance companies want you to be in the best health. This means you will pay more over time and have less need to use it. So the company makes a big profit off of you. There are typically three types of premiums, standard, preferred, and preferred plus. If you have not had a cigarette in more than five years of never had one your premiums will be lower than if you have had one in the last five years or are currently smoking, this would be the preferred plus program. Being an averagely healthy person and not smoking in the last three years will buy you the next best rate, preferred, at a lower cost than many. The standard is for those individuals who might have some health issues and have not smoked in at least 12 months, they are still pretty good rates as well.
Then, you have the rate for smokers, which is about three times higher than those who haven’t smoked or in the last 12 months. This is what makes many people lie about whether they smoke or not. But you have to think if you are being treated for multiple bouts of bronchitis, pneumonia, and upper respiratory infections each year, they will get suspicious. Plus, your doctor will be able to smell it on you and has to inform the company if they think you smoke or live with a smoker. Some insurance companies will require a urine sample to see if you have nicotine in your system. It is harder than you think to lie to them. It is possible to cheat if you stop smoking for 72 plus hours before your urine sample is taken, nicotine is gone by then. But you never know when they will ask for another sample unannounced. There of plenty of insurance companies that don’t care if you start smoking after you got the policy as much as lying to get it.
Alcohol is another reason your insurance premium can go skyrocketing out of control. Even just moderate drinking can cause some companies to up your cost or deny you a plan. Some insurance companies don’t care how much you indulge as long as you don’t need treatment or sought treatment for alcoholism. Alcohol abuse can cause many health issues and reduce a person’s life by a minimum of 10-15 years or more in some cases. The insurance companies will also want to know great lengths about your medical history and probably demand records as well. This can give them plenty of insight to your alcohol use. They will be looking for specific alcohol related diseases that you might be treated for. They will also look at your driving record to see if there is any alcohol related incidents, which would bump you to a higher premium.
As far as age is concerned, usually people under 60 in very good health can get a good policy for a great price. The prices tend to go up as people age due to the fact that they are not expected to live as long and the company won’t make as much money. If you have other health issues or bad habits that can make the plan rise in cost too. Now, there are several insurance companies that cater to the older groups of people for a decent price and all right coverage. You want to look at several companies to find out what you need and what works for you.
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Family Health Insurance News
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