2007-11-25 16:46:45 · 10 answers · asked by STUDY 3 in Health ➔ Other - Health
Insurance is provided only for those activities which have a low risk of causing claims, especially due to death or serious illness. Think about it: who would offer insurance to a person who took part in sky diving, fetish asphyxiation, drank a bottle of whisky every day and smoked 40 high tar cigarettes? Would you put your money behind that person's chances of surviving into old age.
The whole idea of insurance is that low-risk people pay higher premiums than they should so that higher-risk people can get some cover at a premium they may be able to afford. All customers share each others risks to a large extent.
Smoking is established through mortality tables to be a major cause of early death or serious chronic illness. It's probably the most secure data available to insurance companies at the moment although they're working to get data on alcohol and other drug abuse, number of divorces you've been through, being single after the age of 50, working in certain occupations and so on. If you are a non-smoker, light drinker, happily married just once and in a very safe occupation - why would you want to pay higher premiums to bale out heavy smokers who are practically certain to use up your money in their claims?
2007-11-25 17:16:29 · answer #1 · answered by Diapason45 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They do a life expectancy calculation. The longer you live, the more money they make from you paying your premiums. If you are a smoker, you unfortunately run a higher risk of passing away earlier than somebody who does not. This means you may have to pay higher premiums or they may not take you on as a client.
2007-11-26 00:53:35 · answer #2 · answered by Allie G 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Non-smokers live longer. Smokers health risks can be exacerbated by their smoking & are therefore they are a greater health risk & so are more likely to claim. If you cheat, tests can confirm that you're a smoker and may have to be reported by the hospital in the event of a claim - this could nullify your claim.
2007-11-26 05:28:44 · answer #3 · answered by Monty Montezuma 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because smoking is more likely to kill you at a younger age.
Therefore the company would have to pay out sooner than for a non smoker.
With pensions it works in the opposite way because smokers die sooner and the pension company would have to make fewer annual payments thus making more profit.
2007-11-26 01:43:01 · answer #4 · answered by brainstorm 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To put it simply - people who smoke die younger on average - so their premiums are higher. Insurers have definite statistics to confirm this. Some insurers are now loading certain areas of the country as life expectancy in Scotland, North of England, Manchester and Merseyside is less than in other areas.
The other main factor is sex (male or female - not quantity) as women live longer they pay lower premiums.
2007-11-27 12:21:48 · answer #5 · answered by welcome news 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Being a smoker - or use of any form of tobacco puts you at a higher risk of a variety of cancers.
2007-11-26 00:50:59 · answer #6 · answered by bakfanlin 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, if you smoke you are more of a risk to them, meaning they may have to pay out earlier than a non-smoker if you die of lung cancer!
2007-11-26 00:52:01 · answer #7 · answered by JR 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
smokers are at a high risk of getting cancer or dying of a lung disese
2007-11-26 00:53:20 · answer #8 · answered by nice3fishinggal 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because people who smoke are voluntarily exposing themselves to chemicals known to cause cancer and a variety of other health problems.
2007-11-26 00:52:06 · answer #9 · answered by Genie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just a way of getting more money out of people! Greedy gits!
2007-11-26 00:51:17 · answer #10 · answered by comelucky96 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋