By Lance Peterson
Being obese can lead to many serious health problems, which in turn can make it difficult to find life insurance. Some patients don’t realize the seriousness of obesity and may not understand all the health concerns that are linked to the condition, so they may not understand why they need to look harder for life insurance or are being denied coverage by their insurance carrier. Consider why obesity involves such high risks and how you can find the right life insurance for you, regardless of any health concerns you might have.
Obesity can lead to increased risk of heart attacks and heart disease, because an obese person usually has stores of fat that collect around the internal systems, including the heart and arteries. The heart needs to work harder to push blood to all the extremities when a person is obese, and this puts a great strain on the circulatory system.
Being obese is also linked to severe asthma, which can be serious and even fatal. Those fat stores can collect around the lungs and the body’s own weight can push down on the respiratory system so the patient cannot breathe very easily. Many who are obese also suffer from sleep apnea, which is a cessation of breathing while sleeping. Usually the body wakes up long enough to start breathing again but in some cases, this too can prove fatal. Obesity is also linked to certain forms of cancer and many other serious health concerns.
Because of these risk factors, obese persons usually need to shop for high risk life insurance.
One way to find life insurance if you’re obese is to compare term life insurance quotes. Term insurance means that it must be redeemed within the term of the policy, typically at 20 years or 30 years. This is usually the best choice for those in high risk groups and comparing quotes will allow you to find the company that offers the coverage you want at a price you can afford. Term insurance differs from whole life insurance; a whole life insurance policy is good for as long as the premium is being paid, rather than being limited to a certain term.
Many of the top term life insurance companies will have policies that are specifically written for those with higher risk, such as those over 50, those with diabetes or hypertension, and those who are obese. Because the condition is becoming more and more common, companies are providing the life insurance needs to these patients even if they’re high risk.
If you prefer whole life insurance and are considered obese, your best solution may be to shop around to find the policy that suits you. There are companies that do offer any type of policy you need no matter your health and without a medical exam. You can find the insurance you need even if you are obese or have other medical conditions, so don’t let your health concerns keep you from shopping for the policy that’s right for you.
– My name is Lance Peterson; I am a graduate in Finance from UPenn. I am a banker, whose expertise stretches to areas like loans, investments, hedge funds, insurance and other related fields. I am also the Content Manager for Chooseterm.com. I like keeping myself updated about the global financial scene.