Best life insurance for cyclists
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For the millions of Americans who enjoy cycling, life insurance can be an important part of protecting your family in the event of an unexpected tragedy. But when it comes to finding the best life insurance policy for cyclists, there are a few important things to consider. Before you make a decision on a life insurance policy, it’s important to understand what the different types of life insurance policies are, how cycling can indirectly lower your life insurance rates, and other important factors to consider when looking for life insurance.
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Whole life insurance combines life insurance with an investment component.
- Coverage for life
- Tax-deferred savings benefit if premiums are paid
- 3 variations of permanent insurance: whole life, universal life and variable life include investment component
Term life insurance is precisely what the name implies: an insurance policy that is good for a specific term of time.
- Fixed premium over term
- No savings benefits
- Outliving policy or policy cancellation results in no money back
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Can being a cyclist impact life insurance rates?
When you apply for life insurance, your insurance company will go through an underwriting process to determine the risk associated with insuring you. The underwriting process usually involves a medical exam, family medical history check and questions regarding your age, hobbies, and more. Cycling could affect your life insurance in various ways. While it may not directly impact your life insurance rates, the benefits of cycling may have an indirect impact.
Cycling often leads to many physical and mental health benefits such as decreased stress and a healthier physique. Healthier people generally pay less for life insurance because insurers associate health with lower risk. Therefore, cycling has the potential to indirectly lower your life insurance rates.
Some other potential health benefits that cyclists often experience are:
- Weight control: Cycling may be a good way to maintain or even reduce your weight and body mass index. The sport can help build muscle and burn fat and calories. Cyclists can also change the intensity and velocity of cycling for a higher impact workout.
- Prevents diabetes: One in 10 Americans have diabetes and one in three have prediabetes according to the CDC. Lack of physical activity is often one of the major causes of diabetes.
- Improves joint mobility: As people get older, joint mobility usually decreases and the possibility of arthritis increases. Because cycling utilizes coordination, movement, balance and strength without needing to be high-impact, it is often recommended to those with knee arthritis to reduce their symptoms.
- Improves mental health: Studies have shown the impact of exercise on the brain. Since cycling qualifies as exercise, it could help reduce anxiety, depression and poor moods. Exercise could also lead to improved self-esteem and brain functionality through the endorphins it releases to the brain during physical activity.
Best life insurance for cyclists
There are different classifications of life insurance. The four types are preferred plus, preferred, standard plus, and standard, which all have different meanings as the table below shows:
| Life insurance classifications | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Preferred Plus | Preferred plus is generally reserved for very healthy individuals. With this classification, you are more likely to receive a quote that is less expensive than someone who falls under a lower category. |
| Preferred | The preferred life insurance classification is still assigned to healthy individuals. However, these individuals may have minor health conditions, like high blood pressure. |
| Standard Plus | Those who qualify for standard plus are still considered healthy, but may have a few health concerns that need closer attention as time progresses. |
| Standard | The standard life insurance classification is usually for applicants who are considered riskier to insure than those who qualify for standard plus and above. If your weight to height ratio is less than ideal or if your medical exam reveals progressing health issues, then you might be put into this category. |
Because of the health benefits from cycling, cyclists might expect to fall under the preferred or preferred plus life insurance classifications. However, due to the risk associated with cycling, providers may also include those factors in underwriting life insurance policies for bikers.
Bear in mind that your total health accounts for more than a single activity. Your family history, age and other hobbies could place you in either insurance classification for any given reason. The best way to see how much life insurance might cost for you is to obtain a life insurance quote from a few different carriers.
Term life
Term life insurance provides coverage for a limited period of time. Usually, term lengths between 10 and 40 years are available for selection. If you die before the term ends, then a death benefit would be provided to your beneficiaries. At the end of the term, you might be able to renew your policy, although your rates will go up as you age. Some term life insurance includes the option to convert your term policy to a whole life policy, but you’ll need to include that option when you initially purchase the policy and there will be a deadline sometime before the policy ends for you to convert the policy.
For cyclists, term life insurance could be a beneficial option as it is generally cheaper than a whole life policy and could help make up for any potential risk insurers associate with cycling. The death benefit can be used to cover outstanding debt, funeral costs and more.
Whole life
Whole life insurance, a common type of permanent life insurance, provides coverage for your entire life, as long as all premiums are paid. However, whole life insurance is typically one of the more expensive life insurance types, especially when compared to term life insurance.
However, if you have the financial means to invest in whole life insurance, it may provide the coverage you are looking for as a cyclist.The cost of whole life may be worth it since the policies are typically able to accumulate cash value over time and provide additional funds in case of an emergency. Some other types of permanent life insurance even offer flexible options for paying.
Life insurance for healthy individuals
Many individuals may not consider purchasing life insurance until they become worried about their health or become older. However, it is impossible to plan for unexpected tragedy and may be worth considering life insurance while young, when rates are generally lower.
Cyclists may consider insurance providers that specialize in coverage for healthy individuals, as you may save more on life insurance premiums than with traditional life insurance firms. For example, HealthIQ specializes in offering coverage for people with healthy lifestyles and reports that its insureds can save up to 41% on premiums. To begin the quote process, you can answer personal health-related questions, take its health literacy test and verify the types of activities you participate in.
Other considerations for life insurance
Being a cyclist and leading a healthy lifestyle are not the only things that life insurance companies will look at when determining your risk and life insurance premium. Other factors cyclists may consider when applying for coverage include:
- Family medical history: During the underwriting process, the life insurance company will likely review your family medical history to check for any health concerns that arise. If you have a family medical history of heart disease, for example, it could be the difference from being placed into the preferred classification versus preferred plus.
- High cholesterol: Insurance companies might increase your insurance rates if your cholesterol levels are considered high. It may be worth keeping in mind that cycling might increase your cholesterol if the exercise is highly intense or you are new to it.
- Occupation: Life insurers also consider your occupation in the underwriting process, as it could come with its own set of risks. For example, active-duty military and construction work might be more likely to injure themselves than someone working a standard office job. Even if you participate in a healthy activity, like biking, you may see higher rates due to your job.
Cyclists are likely to experience several health benefits resulting from their regular physical activity, but it may not always transfer to insurance rates. If you feel that your current life insurance company does not reflect your healthy lifestyle, it could be worth speaking to an agent to figure out your options. Multiple companies are available if you decide that switching your life insurance to another company better suits your circumstances.
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