How life insurance and lifestyle can affect your premiums

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Why are life insurance and lifestyle important?

Life insurance and lifestyle are important for many reasons. Living a healthy lifestyle can improve your general health, wellbeing and life expectancy. In turn, this reduces the likelihood of making a life insurance claim in the future.

By staying healthy, you can also lower your life insurance premiums without compromising your coverage. Not only could this save you money, but it will also give you peace of mind.

On the other hand, certain lifestyle habits or choices can shorten life expectancy. The lower your expected lifespan, the higher your insurance premiums are likely to be.

There are several types of life insurance available. When applying for life insurance , you’ll be asked about your lifestyle and may need to provide access to your medical records.

It’s important to be completely honest when it comes to life insurance and lifestyle. Hiding information might seem like it saves money, but if the insurer discovers any omissions, they could reduce or refuse a payout if you pass away.

Life insurance and lifestyle: What we consider when calculating the premium

When determining the cost of your life insurance, insurers assess your risk factors, taking into account the following information:

Your age

Age is a key factor in life insurance premiums. Older applicants face higher rates because the risk of health issues and potential payouts increases over time.

Height and Weight

Being overweight can raise your premiums, as obesity increases the risk of health issues and potential insurance payouts.

Pre-existing conditions

Pre-existing medical conditions, including diagnosed, treated or pending physical or mental health issues, can increase life insurance costs, as they raise the insurer’s risk.

Family health history

Premiums may increase if close relatives (parents/siblings) have a history of serious hereditary conditions like cancer, heart disease or diabetes.

Amount/length of cover

A higher amount of cover could mean a larger payout, while a longer term increases the likelihood of a claim as you age.

Occupation

High-risk occupations such as firefighter, construction worker, commercial diver or being in the armypose a greater risk to insurers and may incur higher premiums.

Driving record

Penalty points on your licence or a driving conviction can increase the cost of your life insurance as well as your vehicle insurance premiums.

Smoking or vaping

Your life insurance premiums can go up if you smoke or vape. However, if you stop completely for at least 12 months, you may qualify for lower rates.

Drinking alcohol

Regular heavy drinking can increase the risk of health problems, which may lead to higher insurance premiums.

History of drug use

Drug use can raise life insurance premiums as it raises the risk of serious health problems and early death.

Overseas travel

Travelling to high-risk destinations can impact life insurance premiums because it increases the likelihood of accidents or health emergencies. 

Dangerous hobbies

High-risk sports such as parachuting, scuba diving and motor sports can affect your policy. If you’re thinking of undertaking such activities on a one-off basis, you may want to get extra cover on your travel insurance.

Postcode

Living in an area with higher crime rates or environmental hazards can increase the cost of life insurance premiums.

What is a healthy lifestyle?

Life insurance and lifestyle choices go hand-in-hand. In 2026, the NHS highlights several ways to live a healthier lifestyle and potentially reduce your life insurance premiums.

• Consume a balanced diet: Include plenty of fruit, vegetables, fibre, protein and fluids, while limiting foods high in fat, salt, and sugar.

• Maintain a healthy weight: For most adults, a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered healthy.

• Drink in moderation: The NHS recommends no more than 14 units of alcohol per week, spread over three or more days.

• Exercise regularly: Adults aged 19–64 should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week, spread over four to seven days.

You’ll find that some life insurance policies promote a healthy lifestyle, offering apps, guidance and incentives to support both your physical and mental wellbeing.

Do I need both life insurance and health insurance?

Health insurance (private medical insurance) and life insurance serve different purposes.

Life insurance provides peace of mind, helping ensure your loved ones can manage financially if you pass away. Private health insurance gives you access to medical care if you fall ill or have an accident.

Adding critical illness cover to your life insurance can protect you if you develop a serious condition, helping cover household bills and treatment costs.

Whether you need one, two, or all three types of cover depends on factors like having dependents, holding a mortgage, or whether your employer offers private health insurance.

You may also tailor your coverage depending on your life insurance and lifestyle choices.

Why might you take out LV= Life Insurance?

• We aim to offer the majority of our customers our lowest premium rate.

• Getting healthy and taking steps to control or improve your health could help to keep the cost of life insurance down.

• Demonstrating that your health conditions are well managed, increases the chances of living a longer life, making you a less risky applicant.

To determine whether you qualify we’ll ask you a number of medical and lifestyle questions during the application process.

Like other life insurance companies, we determine through underwriting whether to accept an applicant and how much to charge for the insurance protection. Each company's underwriting rules are likely to differ, but the basic concepts are the same.

We’ll look closely at your present and past health, but we’ll also take into account a number of other factors when calculating the premium.

Find out more about our application process, the questions we ask and what to expect.

You can also get a life insurance quote in just 60 seconds to estimate what your premiums are likely to be.

Life insurance and lifestyle FAQs

We’ve pulled together some of your most frequently asked questions about life insurance and lifestyle to help you make an informed decision.

What are the different types of life insurance:

There are four main types of life insurance:

• Level term: fixed cover for a set period, ideal for protecting debts or family costs.

• Decreasing term: cover reduces over time, matching a repayment mortgage.

• Whole of life: lifetime cover, useful for leaving an inheritance.

• Over 50s: lifetime cover for ages 50–85, usually smaller payouts to help with funeral costs.

If my health changes, will it affect my life insurance premiums?

In most cases, you don’t need to tell your life insurance provider about changes to your health or lifestyle, your premium usually stays the same regardless. Life insurance is generally cheaper when you’re younger, but if you’ve improved your health or lifestyle, it can be worth comparing quotes to see if a new policy could save you money.

Which jobs are classed as being most dangerous?

While having a high-risk job won’t necessarily stop you from getting life insurance, certain professions in the UK are considered more dangerous than others. For instance, roofers face risks from working at heights, exposure to electricity, and chemical burns, while HGV, bus, and coach drivers spend long hours on the road, with fatigue increasing the chance of accidents. Firefighters encounter hazards from smoke, workplace injuries, and harmful substances, and police officers face dangers from confrontations, high-speed collisions, and job-related stress. Maritime workers, including deckhands, fishers and oil platform staff, deal with adverse weather, slippery surfaces and limited access to medical care while at sea.

Can dangerous jobs prevent you from getting life insurance?

Getting life insurance can be harder if you work in a dangerous job, but insurers also consider factors like age, smoking, and health. Armed forces personnel, for example, may need to complete a special questionnaire, and higher-risk roles like bomb disposal can mean higher premiums. If standard policies aren’t available, specialist high-risk life insurance providers may help. Additionally, some employees are covered by death in service benefits, which pay a lump sum to beneficiaries if you die while employed.