Do I need specialist life insurance for my profession?

Having a profession that is deemed “dangerous” or “hazardous” is probably more common than you would think. When it comes to taking out a life insurance policy, you will be asked to disclose your profession at the application stage, to ensure you are covered if your job title fall under that category.

When you apply for a life insurance policy, the insurer will consider a wide range of factors to assess how likely you are to make a claim. This includes a range of personal circumstances, which include things like:

• Your age
• Your BMI and weight
• Whether you smoke or vape
• If you have a pre-existing medical condition
• Your occupation
• Any hazardous hobbies you might enjoy

Life insurance and your occupation

You are often asked about your occupation as certain professions will carry a higher risk than others. When an insurance provider is putting together a policy, they will take this into account. It’s not always easy to know how exactly your job role will affect your policy. It can be difficult to know what qualifies as a risky occupation and whether that means to your premiums. We’ve put together a guide, so you know what to expect:

What qualifies as a risky job?

Every circumstance is different, so if you are concerned about your job being deemed as risky, the best thing to do is speak to a specialised life insurance broker like The Insurance Surgery. It can often be left slightly open to interpretation, but there are obviously some roles which will leap out at an insurer as being high risk.

For example, working a 9-5 office job would be deemed a lot less likely to have occupational hazards, so will therefore be considered as a “safe” job role.

On the other hand, if you’re a rescue worker or work in bomb disposal and deal predominately with dangerous situations, you will be deemed as having a high risk occupation by insurers.

A not so obvious factor to your job that may be deemed as risky is if you travel a lot for work. If you are on the road a lot, insurance providers will factor this in as an increased risk of being in an accident.

There are also factors that classify your occupation as high pressure, where you may encounter a greater than usual level of stress. This would make insurers think about how you will be affected in the long term as it could affect your heath in a less obvious way.

A general rule is that the more elements a job contains that could increase the chances of causing harm to yourself, the more likely an insurer will classify you as being in a risky job.

Can I get life insurance if my job is dangerous?

If you are looking for life insurance and have a hazardous occupation or dangerous job, you may find it can be difficult to get the cover in place to protect you and your family. If you have been declined elsewhere, The Insurance Surgery can help.

We specialise in helping people who have been declined elsewhere find the life insurance policy that they deserve. We know which insurance providers would accept your application and we aim to save you money on your premiums. If you have been declined cover in the past or had cover accepted on special terms due to your occupation then we are here to help.

Some of the main occupations we work include:
– Armed Forces
– Builders / Construction Workers
– Emergency Services (e.g. Police, Firefighters or Ambulance)
– Offshore Workers (e.g. Oil & Gas, Divers, Rig Workers etc.)
– Pilots

You can find a full range of the occupations we can help, here.

How much will my occupation affect my life insurance policy?

When it comes to risk, every insurance provider will have a different take on what they can offer an individual. Some providers will base their decision off government statistics, whereas others will calculate risk through studies that have been conducted. Therefore, if you have been declined by a provider before, we may be able to find someone who can help.

Exactly how much more you would pay on top of the ‘normal’ premium depends on how much the insurance provider considers you a risk. Things such as the number of hours you work will also play a part in it, plus your age and any pre-existing health conditions.

Essentially if you work in a job that could increase the chances of death, you will end up paying more for your policy.

Will a dangerous job prevent me from taking out a policy?

There is always a chance that your job could prevent you from being able to take out a life insurance policy, but we will always try to find the best provider for you. However, there will be times where it is difficult to get a policy. If you are in the armed forces for example, you are at very high risk of exposure to dangerous situations and many insurers will refuse to issue you a standard policy altogether.

A job with high-risk fatalities will also face similar difficulties. We can help you find a specialist policy that will cover you.

What if my job benefits my heath?

Insurers will also consider if your occupation has benefits to your health and helps you lead a healthier lifestyle. For example, if you work as a personal trainer, the role requires a high level of fitness, and an insurance provider will take that into consideration. You may not realise that you can get a better rate because of this.

Is your employment affecting your life insurance premiums?

If you are working in a career that carries a level of danger, there’s no way of preventing your employment from affecting your life insurance premiums, unless you decide on a career change.

However, some factors will be in your control, such as reducing the amount you travel you do on a day-to-day basis or reducing the hours that you work. Working for a company that has a good level of health and safety standards may also come into play, especially if you work in construction for a company that might have a high level of accidents. This will be a red flag to insurance providers.

When it comes to trying to save money on your life insurance one important thing to remember is to include all the details of your work when applying. If you do decide to not disclose your full working details, your policy may be void if your family needs to claim against it.

Looking for an insurance policy? We can help.

At The Insurance Surgery, we are specialists in finding life cover for people with dangerous occupations or have pre-existing medical conditions.

Fill in our online life insurance application form here to start the process today.