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Obesity and life underwriting.

A A Moy¹, C J Schmidt

¹Phoenix Reinsurance, Enfield, CT 06083, USA.

Journal of Insurance Medicine (New York, N.Y.)

|December 8, 1997

Summary

Obesity affects one-third of US adults, driven by complex genetics and environment. Current life insurance practices may underestimate obesity-related health risks, necessitating a review of underwriting standards.

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Area of Science:

Physiology
Public Health
Epidemiology

Background:

Rising obesity rates in the US population, impacting approximately one-third of adults.
Obesity's complex physiology involves genetic predisposition and environmental factors.
Established methods for measuring obesity include body fat percentage, body mass index (BMI), and visceral adiposity.

Observation:

Life insurance companies traditionally assess obesity using height and weight (build) measurements.
A trend towards liberalizing traditional build table ratings in life insurance underwriting is observed.
A case history will be presented to illustrate the potential risks associated with obesity.

Findings:

The paper reviews the physiological aspects of obesity and associated life risks.
Analysis suggests that current underwriting trends may not adequately account for obesity-related mortality.
The complexity of obesity's impact on health and longevity is highlighted.

Implications:

Re-evaluation of life insurance underwriting practices for obesity is recommended.
Current liberalization of build table ratings may pose financial risks to insurers.
A more nuanced approach to assessing obesity in life insurance is crucial for accurate risk assessment.

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