Life Insurance For High Risk Professions

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When it comes to life insurance, various factors are considered by insurers before providing a premium quote to an applicant. The cost of life insurance is often influenced by factors such as age, income, profession, location, health condition, smoking habits, etc. Here, the risk factor associated with an individual’s job can also influence the premium of a life insurance policy. The classification of these professions may differ from one company to another. Also, the premium calculation metrics may also differ among insurers in the market. However, the general guideline is that the cost of insurance will increase based on the level of risk associated with a job.

What constitutes a high-risk job?

Oftentimes, people may not even realize that their profession is a high-risk one. For instance, a regular construction worker may not realize that his profession is a high-risk one until he applies for a life insurance cover. The same applies for many other professions. However, there is no specific measure used for determining the risk level associated with a job. The premium calculation used for assessing professional risk many differ from one life insurance company to another. Moreover, a particular profession may not be deemed risky by all companies in the market.

In general, a high-risk job is one where the possibility of injury or death is significantly high. Some jobs, by nature, have a high level of exposure to dangerous situations. There are some jobs where the health of an individual is significantly affected due to chemicals or other hazardous materials. Any unforeseen accidents in these situations may lead to death or permanent disabilities. If these risks are significantly high in a particular job, an insurer may classify it as a high-risk profession.

High-risk jobs

The professions listed here are typically considered to be of high risk because of their exposure to various occupational hazards:

• Life insurance for commercial pilots: Though commercial airlines are now safer than ever, being a pilot for commercial or private jets is still considered a high-risk profession. Group insurance is provided by most airline companies in the world. Pilots can also buy life insurance coverage separately in a bid to keep their coverage even after leaving a job. The premium cost, in this case, is likely to be higher than that of regular insurance coverage.
• Life insurance for professional athletes: Various factors are taken into consideration before providing life insurance coverage for athletes. Some sports are a little bit riskier than others. The risk of physical strain and concussion is significantly high in various semi-contact or full-contact sports. Some insurers exclude individuals who play hazardous sports altogether. The ones that provide coverage will consider the type of sport in their premium calculation. The cost is likely to be higher than that of average life insurance coverage.
• Life insurance for firefighters: Firefighting is another profession where it is tough to get health or life insurance coverage. The risks faced by firefighters are multiple times higher than that of an average profession. Since firefighters are mostly employed with the government, the responsibility of providing coverage for these individuals typically falls on the government. India’s state-owned life insurance firm LIC has provisions to provide life insurance for these individuals.
• Life insurance for police and military professionals: Law enforcement professionals and members of the armed forces face significantly high risk because of their propensity to criminals and terrorists. For military professionals, the government provides coverage through the Army Group Insurance Fund (AGIF). Some of the private insurance companies like HDFC Life have also started providing special plans for these professionals. In most cases, private companies charge higher premiums for these professionals because of the risk associated with their jobs.
• Life insurance for medical professionals: Medical professionals face a considerable risk in their job because of their proximity to dangerous diseases. Most life insurance companies provide coverage for medical service professionals. However, the premiums charged for these policies are likely to be higher because of the risk associated with the profession.
• Life insurance for construction workers: Many insurers in the market exclude construction workers and labourers from their coverage list because of the hazardous nature of their jobs. These workers may get access to health or life insurance coverage through some state schemes specifically designed for labourers. The cost of insurance is likely to be higher when taken from a private insurer in the market.

Conclusion

The professions mentioned above are some of the high-risk jobs that make it difficult for a person to get life insurance coverage. All the top life insurers in the market have a clear list of exclusions for which no coverage will be provided. The policy document will have full details about these exclusions. If you are someone whose profession falls under the high-risk category, you need to check the insurer’s policy document information before applying for coverage. Also, it is better to get quotes from multiple insurers in order to avail the best possible discount on life insurance coverage.