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Anthony Devlin/PA Wire

Lifestyle ‘vices’ pushing up life assurance premiums, says insurer

Smoking, drinking and over-eating are causing insurance policies to rise, says Caledonian Life.

LIFESTYLE “VICES” ARE cutting life expectancy and pushing up life insurance premiums, according to insurance company Caledonian Life.

The company has cited expert research by the Irish Heart Foundation showing that 39 per cent of Irish adults are overweight and 25 per cent are obese – which is in turn causing premiums to rise.

The company also states that 7,000 people die from smoking related disease in Ireland every year, which is just one of the lifestyle characteristics which are pushing up the life assurance premiums of certain demographics in the country.

Lifestyle ‘vices’ such as smoking and alcohol consumption are all taken into account when pricing a policy, the company says.

“When we underwrite Specified Serious Illness and Life assurance applications, the most common medical issues that we encounter are obesity, elevated lipids (cholesterol) and hypertension (raised blood pressure). There has also been a rise in the numbers of applicants with Type 2 Diabetes which is often related to obesity,” said Daragh Feely Sales Manager at Caledonian Life. “A higher than average Body Mass Index (BMI) continues to be a tell-tale sign of potential problems down the road for many people.”

If a person is obese and has additional medical conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure they could have difficulty getting approved for life assurance and, where it is approved, they will invariably pay considerably more, Feely said: “A doubling or more of an applicant’s premium due to obesity used to be unusual, but not any more.”

Paddy Mahony a Chartered Accountant and Director at online Insurance intermediary SmartQuotes.ie added: ”Underwriters are particularly conscious of obesity, smoking and alcohol intake as they do not exist in a vacuum; they can lead to other serious health conditions, which is why it can affect your Life assurance rates.”

Those who are considered underweight may also be asked to undergo a medical examination.

However, Caledonian also notes numerous exceptions and variations among life assurance companies – and that  senior citizens (aged over 65) are often held to less strict weight standards.

Read: New rules on advertising of ‘unhealthy’ food and drink to children>
Read: Does a junk food diet lower children’s IQ?>

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34 Comments
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    Mute John Mulligan
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    Mar 10th 2021, 10:59 AM

    There is no possibility of Irish unity while sinn fein and the DUP are the main voices in northern politics . Two bitter, sectarian sides of the same coin, they need each other, feed off each other. But while either or both of them are on the pitch, nobody can win the game.

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    Mute postmanbill
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    Mar 10th 2021, 11:04 AM

    @John Mulligan: Well said John, could not agree with you more.

    91
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    Mute Padraig O'Shea
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    Mar 15th 2021, 5:48 PM

    @John Mulligan: rubbished

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    Mute JusticeForJoe
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    Mar 15th 2021, 6:40 PM

    @John Mulligan: Nonsense

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    Mute Alan Wright
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    Mar 10th 2021, 11:00 AM

    Here’s a simple “FactFind” for the Journal. Who placed the ad’s in US papers for a United Ireland? After that fact is checked, please amend your click bait headline in the other article.

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    Mute Diarmuid Hunt
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    Mar 15th 2021, 6:09 PM

    @Alan Wright: They stated “Friend of Sinn Féin”, have you found different?

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    Mute Marc Power
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    Mar 15th 2021, 4:54 PM

    A border poll is pointless as long as the large number of unionists who identify as British in the north are ignored or conveniently not part of such a process. They won’t go quietly and will not shy from fighting for what they hold close to their hearts. Like most Republicans I want a United Ireland….. but not at any cost

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    Mute M Bowe
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    Mar 15th 2021, 5:38 PM

    @Marc Power: so once again you democracy within this island is to be suspended because of actual or perceived threats of Unionist/ loyalist violence. That was how the dysfunctional state was created in first place.

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    Mute M Bowe
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    Mar 15th 2021, 5:52 PM

    @Marc Power: no one is advocating excluding or ignoring unionism, you’re confusing their unwillingness to engage in any form of discussion as them being ignored. But the Unionist veto is gone forever.

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    Mute Marc Power
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    Mar 15th 2021, 6:36 PM

    @M Bowe: I never said that so please stop stating nonsense and read my post again

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    Mute M Bowe
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    Mar 15th 2021, 6:46 PM

    @Marc Power: a border poll is pointless if
    1/ unionism is ignored
    2/ they won’t go quietly and will fight
    3/ you want unification but not at any price, ie the costs of above.
    You are precisely saying that a democratic poll is pointless because of those factors.

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    Mute Richard Russell
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    Mar 15th 2021, 6:08 PM

    I will vote no. It will cost us at least €10 billion which of course will but an end to Limerick to Cork motorway plus other projects. We would also have to put up with the bigotry of DUP and Sinn Fein. The only people who vote yes will be the shiners and some FF’ s

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    Mute O Swetenham
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    Mar 15th 2021, 6:18 PM

    @Richard Russell: “The only people who vote yes will be the shiners and FF’s”

    Do you honestly think that’s true?? Really?

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    Mute Justin Gillespie
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    Mar 15th 2021, 6:23 PM

    @O Swetenham: How people will vote will depend on the proposition put in front of them.
    I have yet to see any proposal telling me what a united Ireland will actually look like.

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    Mute O Swetenham
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    Mar 15th 2021, 6:27 PM

    @Justin Gillespie: absolutely true. Couldn’t agree more, but I think suggesting that “only shinners and some ff’s” would vote for a United Ireland is a strange assumption.

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    Mute shake n’ break
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    Mar 16th 2021, 12:53 AM

    @Richard Russell: an ignorant comment with a nonsense figure thrown in! You haven’t even bothered researching what the northern irish economy has to offer. We may have a chance to make our country bigger and better but you’d rather spend it on a flipping road from cork to limerick.

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    Mute Shawn O'Ceallaghan
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    Mar 15th 2021, 4:49 PM

    Answer: NI decided they want a border poll. If they vote yes. ROI decide if we want them.

    Remainder of U.K. and ROI should not interfere till NI figure out what the want.

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    Mute Sheila McNulty
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    Mar 15th 2021, 5:31 PM

    @Shawn O’Ceallaghan: Do they honestly think this is going to happen with a border poll ,get real we will end up back in the Troubles it will cause a lot of problems,

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    Mute Gerard
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    Mar 15th 2021, 6:16 PM

    It can’t be “Eff the unionists, because they lost”. That’s not how you treat somebody just because you disagree with their opinion. You’d have to do things like provide for schools where Irish is indeed an optional subject. And that’d just be the tip of the iceberg.

    Reunification is supposedly the only goal of nationalism, so if you can achieve that, any other olive branches you can offer to unionists should be on the table.

    The only thing worse than a sore loser is a sore winner. If nationalists win, people need to be prepared to be gracious winners. That’s all.

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    Mute John Hetherton
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    Mar 15th 2021, 6:41 PM

    @Gerard: well Gerard that is indeed an interesting position to take. The majority of the population of Ireland wanted independence in 1919/1920, but hey the brits and the unionists didn’t agree hence we are where we are today. Sauce for the goose then, but not acceptable now according to your stance

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    Mute John Hetherton
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    Mar 15th 2021, 6:41 PM

    @Gerard: well Gerard that is indeed an interesting position to take. The majority of the population of Ireland wanted independence in 1919/1920, but hey the brits and the unionists didn’t agree hence we are where we are today. Sauce for the goose then, but not acceptable now according to your stance

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    Mute jp tobin
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    Mar 15th 2021, 6:46 PM

    2250 would be a good date

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    Mute Paul Hussey
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    Mar 15th 2021, 6:38 PM

    The only people who would have a vote are the people of northern Ireland. 90 % of the unionist population would vote no about 30% of the Catholic population would vote no. Can’t see it going thru. The people in the south can’t vote. As the population of GB can’t vote.

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    Mute LiamMac2018
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    Mar 16th 2021, 12:03 AM

    @Paul Hussey: actually, people in the republic will also have to vote on it. So yeah, nah, you’re wrong there

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    Mute Patrick Corr
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    Mar 15th 2021, 5:47 PM

    3rd and 4th paragraphs copied and pasted twice consecutively.

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    Mute leartius
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    Mar 15th 2021, 7:43 PM

    It’s SF making political gain while this government staggers along drunk on this own PR spin. While Leo is busy dancing a tango around the fuzz. Micheál has gone virtual to impress. A welcome distraction on capitol hill. Even St Paddy himself would be applauded how community divides have being ripped open in America. All in the interest of one man. Who not only lost an election but also lost a coup attempt. Still leads a political party and holds court in this Florida palace. What good are virtual shamrocks when democracy is under attack.

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    Mute Matt
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    Mar 15th 2021, 6:53 PM

    Ah sure why not. It wont amount to much. Just more time wasting. The only time ireland will be free is when the liffy flows backwards.

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    Mute Martin Dunn
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    Mar 15th 2021, 7:19 PM

    Should voters on both sides of the border agree ………….

    If we are a national community we must have sensitivity to all shades of Irishness … even the Ulster Scot who has resided on this island for centuries ..

    A majority or even a two thirds majority for anything does not define agree …..
    there is enormous need for agreement and that takes patience and time and understanding …there is no need for a vote ever …… just let it happen
    Any vote will simply drive us apart

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    Mute Gerard
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    Mar 15th 2021, 6:20 PM

    It can’t be “Eff the unionists, because they lost”. That’s not how you treat somebody just because you disagree with their opinion. You’d have to do things like provide for schools where Irish is indeed an optional subject. And that’d just be the tip of the iceberg.

    Reunification is supposedly the only goal of nationalism, so if you can achieve that, any other olive branches you can offer to unionists should be on the table.

    Cost issues would evaporate over time, because the social divide issues would. Reunification is a one way door, and sooner or later, most unionists would see it was a lost cause.

    The only thing worse than a sore loser is a sore winner. If nationalists win, people need to be prepared to be gracious winners. That’s all.

    4
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