Obese States Pay More for Life Insurance

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently published a survey of the most obese states in the U.S. Southern states comprised most of the top ten fattest states due to region-specific dietary habits. Southern states are more likely to consume high-fat and fried foods, which contribute to the obesity epidemic. Not surprisingly, the states with the most obese residents also had the highest life insurance premiums. This makes sense because obesity is associated with an endless list of ailments and fatal diseases. In this post, we’ll discuss the nation’s fattest states and explain why they pay the most for life insurance.

The Top 10 Fattest States

Using BMI (body mass index) as an indicator, the CDC found the following states to have the highest percentage of obese residents:

1. Mississippi – 32%
2. Tennessee – 30.1%
3. Alabama – 30%
4. Louisiana – 29.8%
5. West Virginia – 29.5%
6. Arkansas – 28.7%
7. South Carolina – 28.4%
8. Georgia – 28.2%
9. Oklahoma – 28.1%
10. Texas – 28.1%

So Why the High Premiums?

Every life insurance company will take your physical build into consideration when underwriting your life insurance application. Your insurer will measure your height and weight in order to determine which rating category you should be in. To do this, life insurers usually look at an applicant’s BMI, which is computed by taking your weight in kilograms and dividing it by your height in meters squared. People with high BMI’s (over the normal range of 18.5-24.9) can still get life insurance coverage, but they will not receive the best premiums. Here are just a few of the reasons why obesity can shorten the length of your life, thus making you a higher risk to a life insurer:

• Hypertension
• Type II diabetes
• High cholesterol
• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Some cancers

Additional Resource:

• Health Consequences of Obesity