Life Insurance for Dangerous Hobbies: Get Fair Rates
To all you freestyle rock climbing, scuba diving, skydiving, and private plane flying thrill-seekers, do you need adrenaline junkie life insurance?
Well, it’s not actually called adrenaline junkie’s life insurance; it is referred to in the insurance vertical as life insurance for dangerous hobbies, and it’s real.
Four Factors to Keep in Mind When Purchasing Life Insurance for Dangerous Hobbies:
- Understand that frequency does matter.
If you only participate in certain activities on occasion, it may not affect your insurance rates too badly. For example, if you only surf twice per year, it’s probably not that big a deal and your rates may not be affected.
One caveat that many thrill-seekers may not know is that life insurance policies can take into account a one-time or an unexpected event such as bungee jumping.Let’s say that your best friend is getting married, and she wants all the bridesmaids to bungee together, holding hands. If you tell your life insurance company beforehand, they might make an exception for you.
Or, if it is a brand new policy, tell the life insurance company right on the application about the wedding, the bungee jumping, and what you plan to do.
If they sign off and give you a policy because you were forthcoming, you’re covered in the event things go south while bungee jumping.
- Expect to pay rates that are higher, of course.
Insurance companies across the country all have different rates and different underwriting procedures. It is not far-fetched for an insurance company to add a “flat extra” if you participate in extreme sports.
For example, you want to go hang gliding and decide to take out a 10-year term policy for $500,000 beforehand. Let’s say the “normal” premium of a 10-year term would be $1000 per year. If you are considered high risk because you are involved in a dangerous hobby, the insurance company could tack on an additional $5 per $1000 for five years. That’s $12,500 additional dollars you’d have to pay over that same five-year period.
This is just an example to show how your life insurance rate could be affected. To get an exact quote, you’ll need to discuss this with multiple companies or work with a broker who can do this on your behalf.
- Know the contestability period.
Listen up here, thrill-seekers. This is a very important clause to be fully aware of. The insurance industry calls it the contestability period. This is just a probationary period, basically.
However, this period can last anywhere from one to two years, and if the insurance company finds that you gave false answers on your life insurance application about your hobbies, they reserve the right to cancel your policy.
Also, for the gut punch- They could deny a claim submitted by your family during this time period, so know the contestability period of any policy you purchase. Moral of the story, never lie on a life insurance application, because your family could be the ones left with nothing because you lied on your application.
4. Understand that coverage could be denied altogether.
Sometimes the cookie doesn’t crumble your way, and a particular insurance carrier just feels your dangerous hobby is too much for them to even think about dealing with. When this happens, the carrier will deny coverage.
However, do not give up (like a thrill-seeker would ever do that). There are other carriers out there that can and will give you a chance; you just need to find the right one.
How Do I Get Life Insurance for Dangerous Hobbies?
Just because you participate in a dangerous hobby doesn’t mean you have to settle for cut-rate insurance or inadequate insurance limits. You will still want to locate the most competitive rates for your situation.
A good high-risk life insurance broker will be familiar with life insurance for dangerous hobbies and know just which carriers with whom they can get you an amazing policy.
What Do Most Life Insurance Companies Consider to Be Dangerous Hobbies?
- Parachuting
- Skydiving
- Hang gliding
- Rock climbing
- Motorsports
- Scuba diving
- Surfing
- Bungee jumping
- And many more!
If you participate in any of these dangerous hobbies, make sure to go with the right carrier who gets you the best rate and is familiar with these hobbies and others like them.
Always remember that premiums can vary widely between companies.
That’s why it’s SO important that you understand how the different carriers might view your personal situation. Shopping around will result in you getting the best life insurance coverage for your needs at an affordable premium.
Please keep in mind that underwriting guidelines can and DO vary greatly between carriers and this is often a complicated maze for consumers to navigate.
The secret to getting the lowest rate is placing you in a policy with the company who views you in the most favorable light.
To be totally honest…. if you are applying for life insurance and like to engage in any of these hobbies that may be considered dangerous, you need to work with someone who understands the complicated guidelines and will fight on your behalf to get the lowest rate for your situation.
We are one of the rare independent brokers that only sells life insurance and our clients benefit from that expertise.
If you are ready to get started, please fill out a quote request or always feel free to contact us with any questions.
We are here to help and will never pressure you in any way.
