What is BMI?
BMI or Body Mass Index is the measure of a person’s body fat. It is important because a high BMI can affect your insurance policy and the overall cost. A high BMI can lead to an automatic decline of a policy from carriers, whether that is for Medicare or Life insurance.
How can a high Body Mass Index affect my insurance cost?
A high Body Mass Index can lead to much higher premium costs because you are at a much higher health risk. This is especially prevalent when it comes to life insurance. When you want 1 million dollars in life insurance on a whole life policy to protect your family you’re bound to have to go through underwriting. Especially if your Body Mass Index is higher than usual. In some instances, if you have a high enough Body Mass Index your application would be automatically denied. However, in some instances, you can take an exam and as long as you pass you may be able to pass through underwriting with a larger BMI. If you go through underwriting the first time and are automatically declined, you can go through underwriting again in the future. This does not permanently bar you from getting a life insurance policy or even a Medicare policy.
What is a high BMI?
A high Body Mass Index is considered to be over 25.0 then you’re considered to be overweight and to be at risk for other health issues. If you are less than 18.5 you are underweight. You are between 18.5 and 24.9 you are in a normal weight range. If you are between 25.0 and 29.9 you are considered overweight. If you are over 30.0 you are considered to be obese.
How can I avoid a high body mass index?
BMI is based on your weight and height. Cutting back on unhealthy foods and exercising more is always a good approach. Start eating salads, cut back on carbs, and maybe even cut back on sugars and high-fat foods. If you want to know how I stick to a diet, you can read my article on it here. Diets are difficult but very important to help us reduce our BMI and get just a little bit healthier. Exercise is also necessary to live a healthier lifestyle and can help drastically reduce BMI. There are other ways to stick with a diet and you should try what works best for you. However, I have found that once you have the motivation and support you need, you are able to accomplish pretty much anything.