Please don't give me a yes or no answer..give me your reasoning!!!
2007-01-14 08:34:42 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Business & Finance ➔ Insurance
Smokers do pay more than non smokers. A lot more! Smokers are people too! Smokers already pay more taxes, more health premiums, more in Doctor bills than non smokers. Smokers are rated as a higher risk, which is no different than covering people that have cancer, alzheimers, parkinsons in their family history. The odds may be higher that they need health care down the road, but it doesn't mean they may overload the system and cause healthy patients to pay higher rates or get less care when they need it. More overweight people overload the system than smokers (diabetes, high blood pressure, strokes, heart conditions), but overweight people shouldn't be not allowed insurance just as smokers shouldn't.
2007-01-14 14:00:58 · answer #1 · answered by Susan C 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Smokers are normal human being, they have the right to get insurance coverage too. The only different between smoker and non-smoker are smoker has higher health risk compared to non-smoker. Enough medical research has been done on the impact of smoking towards health. It is proven that the major cause of lung cancer is smoking.
Insurance companies have social responsibility like other profit organisations. The need to take care of smokers too.
2007-01-14 22:23:49 · answer #2 · answered by malaysiainsuranceguide 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
For the same reason car insurance companies should cover bad drivers. I do think that smokers should pay slightly higher premiums, however, just like the accident-prone driver pays higher premiums.
2007-01-14 16:43:45 · answer #3 · answered by Flug 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's a matter of good public policy. We need to cover high risk people - which includes smokers, drinkers, obese people, pregnant people, etc. It's a "common good" issue.
Just like, insurance companies need to cover 16 year old drivers.
2007-01-14 21:55:19 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Simple, we pay higher premiums generating more profit. Propaganda aside, the average smoker has about the same in monetary claims over a life time as a non smoker.
2007-01-14 16:44:31 · answer #5 · answered by bearcat 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because that would be a form of discrimination. If you logic was applied one could argue that for any form of risky behavior that people engage in. Example, why should insurance companies cover people who have unprotected sex? Drink alcohol?
2007-01-14 22:24:54 · answer #6 · answered by T N 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If there are money to be made, why not? And I think smokers paid a high premium too.
2007-01-14 16:44:44 · answer #7 · answered by JP E 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They should have to get special insurance, like bad drivers do. It sucks that the rest of us, who live healthy, have to pay for their stupid choices.
2007-01-14 17:19:04 · answer #8 · answered by sunny_day_grl 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋