Insurance Incentives For those who train?

YellowJacket

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I know at a couple of my old jobs and 1 of my current ones, we are awarded insurance "breaks" if we choose to train and workout, cardio, etc. Most companies are catching on to this new trend (Toyota, Dow Chemical Plant, Home Depot, etc.) If you think about it, it makes sense. They plans I have encountered offer nutrition advice (very simple), weight training programs and cardiovascular work through treadmills. Physically healthier people like healthier lives, simple. If you're in shape, eating right, you're going to live longer and less likely to be injured on the job. So the companies offer insurance "breaks" to you for being healthy.... save money by lifting weights, great huh??

On the other hand, what about those "heavier" people or people who really have no desire to take time out of their day to weight train, etc. Should they be required to? The reason behind setting this system up for the insurance company is to save their asses. Cant hide that fact, if they get you in shape and healthy, you're less likely to be sick, injured, etc. So that makes them look good and thats the less money they'll have to pay out, so they're making themselves rich by putting you through "boot camp"

So my question is do you think those who choose to be in shape and train and eat healthy should be given these breaks? Or should it be a fact of life to take care of your body and not be rewarded? Lets be unbiased here as weight trainers, not everyone likes soccer, or hockey so not everyone likes weight training and running. So do you have any ideas on this? Is it fair to discriminate against those who decline to take the time to commit to this?
 

windwords7

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They give better rates to non-smokers than smokers, seems like this could be similar is some respects, but that's just a quick thought and not a definitive position. ;)
 

Dr of Golf

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So my question is do you think those who choose to be in shape and train and eat healthy should be given these breaks? Or should it be a fact of life to take care of your body and not be rewarded? Lets be unbiased here as weight trainers, not everyone likes soccer, or hockey so not everyone likes weight training and running. So do you have any ideas on this? Is it fair to discriminate against those who decline to take the time to commit to this?

I defintely believe that people who take care of themselves; eat right, exercise, and keep fit should be given those breaks. If you go to the hospitals, you will notice that the majority of the people there for treatment (not talking accidents now) are usually out of shape, overweight, and in dire need of exercise. Therefore, those folks that stay healthy SHOULD be rewarded.

Like WW7 pointed out, they give breaks to non-smokers over smokers when it comes to insurance so why not those that decide on healthy living?

Just my 2 cents. :)
 

Matthew D

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Personally, I think that you should get a break.. if you are working hard to get your weight under control and keep it there then you should get something extra for it.. but I don't want the insurnance companies to use something lame like BMI to decide if you are over weight or not.. that would really screw over people that are big but have low bf% like those of us that weight train to gain mass..

 
 

DarCSA

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This is a very good thread. In the clinical setting I see hundreds who are out of shape and not worthy of an insurance discount. These people have never taken care of their selves and are worthless. There are people I work with who care about what they eat and how they live. I just wish there was this option offered on all health care plans. I would definently take advantage of it. I just wish that they had more options open to us that did do what seems to be a normal fascit of everyday life. Hope to see it goes through on a large scale.
 

jweave23

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Originally posted by DarCSA
This is a very good thread.
Yes it is! I've been thinking and I believe that I'm with giving breaks to those who choose to lead a healthier lifestyle. My only problem with this is that the insurance companies are solely basing this on not losing money through payouts, and could give a crap about people's overall health. I understand that business is business, but that will always be there lurking in the background to a jaded guy like myself. ;)

 

Is it completely impossible then for insurance companies in the future to deny coverage to possibly "unhealthy" people using their guidelines (something akin to MattD's BMI question I guess)? Or am I completely paranoid and jaded? :D Can we be certain that obese and unhealthy people wouldn't have to be forced into "boot camps" to get coverage (of corse that's an exaggeration, silly).

 

With that said, isn't it a good idea that the unhealthy ones do a enroll in a  form of "camp" anyway, for their own benefit? But is that for insurance companies to decide, and does that limit any freedoms, basic humanitarian ideas, or democratic principles in America? Just some food for thought, but I'm still for it :D
 
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Jorta

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My experience with insurers outside the group insurance setting has been just the opposite. I purchased some life insurance a few years back and they actually charged me extra because I worked out!

Well, it was not exactly like that. I weighed about 280, but my bodyfat was about 10%. Their charts said I was morbidly obese despite the bodyfat percentage and the (hopefully) obvious fact that I worked out and took good care of myself.

Jorta
 

Dr of Golf

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My experience with insurers outside the group insurance setting has been just the opposite. I purchased some life insurance a few years back and they actually charged me extra because I worked out!

Well, it was not exactly like that. I weighed about 280, but my bodyfat was about 10%. Their charts said I was morbidly obese despite the bodyfat percentage and the (hopefully) obvious fact that I worked out and took good care of myself.

Jorta

I know what you mean, Jorta. My best friend from college was in the Army and is physician and a bodybuilder. He's 6'1", weighs 230 and has bodyfat of about 10% also. According to the Army's criteria, he too was considered overweight and some dumb butt in personnel who was only looking at a piece of paper with his height and weight wanted him put on the Army's weight reduction program because of that.

Needless to say, that never did happen .... but .... when people with no real knowledge get put into positions where they make such decisions, stupid crap will happen. :rolleyes:
 

Buck

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Insurance

Well funny you guys mention this. I am a licensed life insurance salesman. No, I don't sell it, just licensed to sell it. That is a long story in itself.

Anyway my point is this. Insurance companies use what is called the Theory of Large Numbers. What they do is group people in like categories. However, most of the time, physical conditioning isn't a category UNLESS it is considered a risk.

Insurance companies as a whole are out to make money. That is one of the reasons I only subscribe to the TERM life insurance method. It is pure insurance and is cheap. Whole life is a rip off big time.

As far as health insurance, the wife and I just switched off of our HMO to a PPO because of the ever rising cost. We reduced our premiums by half and our office visits will actually be $3 less than if we used the copay of the HMO. We have a deductible that we have to meet each year but in the long run it is still cheaper.
 

YellowJacket

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Coll **** Buck, how awesome is that that we get to hear it straight from a potential salesman? Very nice.
 

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