Saudi Arabia - Health insurers look at smoking & obesity

Source: Middle East Insurance Review | Nov 2016

Several health insurance companies favour including smoking and obesity among the factors used to determine insurance premiums. Many also want customers to undergo a medical test before they purchase health insurance.

The Council of Cooperative Health Insurance (CCHI) said that these were findings from a study it had conducted last year on preventive health and the implications of its implementation by insurance companies for the insured, reported Al Watan.

The study found that of the 25 insurers which offered health insurance products, 19 companies considered the customer’s lifestyle in the underwriting process and 18 backed the idea for smoking and obesity to be included as factors that would determine the premium rate. In addition, 15 insurers asked for medical tests to be conducted on prospective buyers of health insurance policies.

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