How insurers use your height and weight
Every life insurance application asks for your height and weight. The insurer uses these to work out your BMI, which compares your weight with your height. It is a rough guide, and insurers know it does not tell the whole story, but it gives them a starting point.
Give your current measurements as accurately as you can. If the insurer arranges a nurse visit, the nurse will measure you, and a big difference from your form can slow things down or cause questions.
What else the underwriter looks at
A higher BMI on its own matters less than the conditions that can come with it. Underwriters look for raised blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnoea and joint problems. If your results for these are normal, that helps a great deal.
Some insurers also ask about your waist measurement, or take your age into account, since weight carries different risks at different ages. If you have had weight loss surgery, they will want to know the date, the type of operation and how your health has been since.
- Blood pressure and cholesterol readings
- Blood sugar and any diabetes diagnosis
- Sleep apnoea or breathing problems
- Weight loss surgery and recovery
- Your age and smoking status
The terms you could see
Insurers place you in a band based on your BMI. Each insurer sets its own bands, so the same BMI might mean standard terms with one insurer and a loading with another. A BMI a little above the healthy range is often treated as standard.
As BMI rises, so does the chance of a loading, and very high levels may lead to a postponement or decline, especially alongside other conditions. Critical illness cover can be stricter than life cover, as weight is linked to several of the illnesses it covers. A very low BMI can also lead to questions, as it may point to other health issues.
If your weight is changing
If you are losing weight, you can still apply now and be covered at your current terms. Once you reach a lower weight and keep it there, you can ask whether a new policy might cost less. An adviser can compare the two for you.
Recent rapid weight loss without a clear reason may lead an insurer to ask more questions or wait. If you are losing weight on purpose, say so, as it helps the insurer understand the change.
Weight, joint cover and other policies
Income protection insurers look at BMI too, because weight can affect conditions that keep people off work, such as back and joint problems. Terms there can differ from your life cover terms, so it is worth comparing each type of cover on its own.
If you apply jointly with a partner, the insurer assesses each of you separately. Your BMI does not change your partner's terms. If one of you gets a loading, two single policies can sometimes work out better than one joint policy, and we can compare both.
Muscle is denser than fat, so someone with a lot of muscle can have a high BMI without carrying much extra weight. Some insurers take this into account if you can show it, for example through a waist measurement taken at a nurse check.
How Hi Tomorrow helps
Because insurers set different BMI limits, the right choice of insurer can change your terms. We know which insurers on our panel are more relaxed about higher BMI and which are stricter, and we use that knowledge before you apply.
We will ask about any related conditions so we can give you a realistic idea of what to expect. If an insurer asks for a nurse visit or GP report, we will help it run smoothly. We will never suggest understating your weight, because that could put a claim at risk.