What does your Health IQ have to do with Life Insurance?

To be a health nut, you simply have to take regular care of your health through exercise and diet. You may participate in one or more of these activities/practices. Sometimes this is called having a high health IQ. The healthier your lifestyle practices in both diet and activity, the higher your health IQ is considered to be. Health IQ is now considered a scientific method to determine how health conscious a person is.

Long Distance Runners: Someone who runs more than 20 miles per week can be considered a long distance runner. Training for and running half marathons or marathons is often the ultimate goal of a long distance runner. Although excessive training can lead to some imbalances or enlarged hearts, for the typical runner engaging in moderate runs will greatly increase your chances of getting that top health category.

Weight Lifter: You don’t have to be an out and out body builder to be a weight lifter, but if you take hitting the gym and pumping some iron seriously, then you’re probably a weight lifter. Even if you lift light weights, but do it at least a few times a week to tone and stay fit, then you are a weight lifter.

Sometimes body builders/power lifters have a larger build. As a result, many companies may not give you the best rate class. However, there are many companies that offer credits (see the section on healthy credits below) to super healthy individuals so you can still get that preferred plus health class even if you do not fit the typically build requirements.

Cycling: Cycling can be an indoor or outdoor sport. If you attend spinning classes regularly, or hit the trails with your bicycle, then you are a cyclist. Most avid cyclists will qualify at a top health category rate class a long as there are no problem with family history.

Swimming: Swimming laps in a local pool is great for overall health and body strength. Swimming also provides a great overall body workout.

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): Working on your anaerobic health through HIIT is a great way to maintain heart health. However, you may want to consider building up your aerobic base before going to crazy with HIIT!

Vegetarian/Vegan diets: People who monitor their animal product intake are generally (but not always) healthier people. The trick is to make sure you still get enough vitamins, nutrients, and protein in your diet. Becoming a vegan shouldn’t mean a diet of potato chips. Be sure to include legumes, beans, and lots of vegetables in your regular diet.

The answer is generally yes. Whether it is cycling regularly or going for a run, whenever you can prove that you exercise at least 2 times a week, your life insurance rates are normally better. The trick is that you should not be involved in any exercise that is considered “risky”.

For example, adventure sports like rock climbing may be great for strength conditioning, but they also come with dangers. If you stick to running, cycling, and hitting the gym, then you’re doing your body a favor and your life insurance rate!

For more on this please check out our article on dangerous hobbies life insurance.

As we mentioned, dietary restrictions such as being a vegan or vegetarian can often help your life insurance rate, however, simply being one may not. The way being a vegan or vegetarian helps you get the lowest life insurance rates is because often times such dietary restrictions will improve your health. Vegans normally:

• have lower cholesterol rates
• have lower blood pressure
• are at less risk of breast cancer
• have lower body mass index

That being said, if you do not eat a balanced diet you can still have terrible health while being a vegan or vegetarian. You are also at risk of developing anemia.

We mention all this because the bottom line is, if you are healthy you can get the best rate class. However, you may think you are healthy but you have some issue that is asymptomatic, that is, it is latent and you have no symptoms.

By taking great care of your health, you will be financially rewarded with great life insurance rates. If you are a super healthy person and utilize your high health IQ, then you will likely qualify for more than just the lowest life insurance rate. Good health practices can actually get you a preferred or preferred plus life insurance rate.

Preferred best and preferred plus are the highest possible life insurance health classes. This is sometimes called preferred elite or super preferred. In addition to great health, you should have no evident genetic health risks in your family history. If you have amazing health but are genetically predisposed to some disease, such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes or stroke, then you may get standard plus rates with certain carriers. Once again, it comes down to which company you choose to apply with.

Many companies offer healthy lifestyle credits. These credits will help you achieve the best health category. Some factors that life insurance companies consider when deciding to apply credits to an applicant or not are:

• Normal Stress EKG
• Exceptional Cholesterol Levels, HDL Levels and LDL Levels
• Superior Body Mass Index
• Blood Pressure (ideally, 120/80 or Better)
• Resting Pulse Rate
• Family History (i.e. Parents Lived into their 80s)
• Routine Physicals and Wellness Exams
• Preventative Screening Tests
• Low Hemoglobin A1C Levels
• No Tobacco Use For Extended Period

One company even offers a Fitbit device to the insured in order to motivate those it covers to lead active lifestyles in return for lower premiums.