Stay Healthy and Keep your Insurance Premiums Down

If you are an expat living here in Thailand you will inevitably get your own health insurance. Here are some facts to know about factors that affect the cost of its premiums.

Stay healthy, so you can switch plans. All health insurance plans have rate increases, and you have even seen premiums jump on some HSA plans. If a rate increase happens to you, you can switch to a different insurance company - but only if you pass their underwriting requirements. If chronic disease develops, you may be stuck with your current plan, and its accompanying rate increases, for eternity. Or at least it may seem that long. If you pay attention to the pharmaceutical commercials, you learn lifestyle really has nothing to do with disease, and it is natural and healthy to be on many medications for the rest of your life, which will then solve your health problems. If you pay attention to the science, you know the truth is quite different. It appears lifestyle is probably 95% of the picture, and you know the occurrence of degenerative disease can be dramatically reduced and even prevented.

Fortunately, many customers are interested in wellness, and disease prevention. After all, they're paying for their own doctor visits if they do get sick. It is because HSA owners are "forward thinking" people, and like to plan for their future - both financial and physical. You can improve your odds of excellent health with just a few key habits: Eat very high quantities of fresh vegetables and fruits. Shoot for 35% of your calories. This will lower your risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, and more. Limit your intake of sugar and starchy carbohydrates like bread and pasta. The majority of health problems in the U.S. are related to metabolic diseases that involve insulin resistance. Exercise and lift weights. Exercise guru Jack La Lanne just turned 92 on September 26, and he says if you have muscles you never feel old.

Life Quote Is About Life. Better Health Means Lower Insurance Rates.

Most people get nervous about their health and how it can affect their insurance rates. Your health is key in how much you'll pay for Life Insurance.

Life Insurance Facts:

• Cigarette smokers pay at least double the premium for life insurance than non-smokers.
• People, who are overweight, have high blood pressure or high cholesterol could pay more for life insurance.
• A family history of heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes or other chronic diseases will make your insurance rates increase.
• Having chronic diseases yourself can increase your Life Insurance Premiums.

Life Insurance companies classify people by different categories that essentially determine their risk of dying. The best category and lowest price is "Super Preferred", followed by "Preferred." Prices keep rising with "Standard" and "Special Class". To be honest, only the healthiest people in America are rated Super Preferred. The average person will qualify for a standard rate. The classifications vary from company to company the point is you do have control over lifestyle choices that can hurt your health. You should take a proactive approach and work at staying healthy, at the gym and at the doctors' office. Insurance companies will reward you for it! Which is why it’s a good idea to shop around.

Tips to Improve your Insurance Health:

Regular medical treatments to monitor and stabilize chronic diseases can influence insurance companies to offer you reasonable rates. Heart disease, cancer, diabetes and stroke are no longer uninsurable conditions.

Insurance companies just want to see proof that you're improving your health.

Lowering your weight and controlling your cholesterol or blood pressure with a low fat diet, regular exercise or medicines can result in a reduction in insurance premiums.

You can't change your family's medical history but you can certainly take care of your own with regular check-ups and by practicing healthy habits. Your clean bill of health counts with insurance companies too.

If you smoke, the surgeon general says quit. Insurance companies judge smoking as a critical risk factor in determining your premium. Do yourself a favor kick the habit. For your life, as well as your life insurance.

If you quit smoking now, your rates will drop significantly if you re-submit your "healthier" non-smoker status to insurance companies a year later. If this doesn't motivate you who knows what will. How about saving some money on your life insurance policy? If you end up paying more, don't get mad at the insurance companies. Get mad at yourself! For lifestyle tips and medical information to get you started, check out some of the leaders in the business of making you healthy—your doctor!