Life Insurance Discount for Vegetarians
A British insurance agency is offering cheaper life insurance to vegetarians, believing that they’re less likely to suffer from heart disease and other ailments— and more likely to live longer.
The Animal Friends Insurance (AFI) agency is offering the Vegetarian Term Life policy through Liverpool Victoria Life Company, discounting premiums by 25 percent during the first year, according a report in London’s Daily Mail.
“There is plenty of clear factual evidence to demonstrate the health benefits of being a vegetarian which should be recognized across the insurance industry,” said Chris Fairfax, who runs the agency with his wife, Elaine.
He makes a compelling argument. After all, when insurance companies are figuring out your premiums, they consider your family medical history, as well as whether you smoke or drink. Surely you deserve a break if you forgo meat and eat lots of fruits and vegetables.
But here’s the rub: not all vegetarian diets are healthy. Some are loaded with fat. And some don’t involve much in the way of vegetables. French fries or cheese pizza anyone?
Just go to an Indian vegetarian buffet and you’re likely to see lots of oily food, some of it deep-fried. You may also see a few patrons who are having trouble fitting into their chairs, not to mention their clothes. If an insurance company offers them a discount on life insurance premiums, perhaps they shouldn’t be too happy. After all, they might just outlive the company.
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