How does lifestyle affect life insurance premiums?

It’s possible to reduce the cost of your life insurance premium without sacrificing your level of cover. The smartest way to do this is by choosing (and maintaining) a healthier lifestyle. That’s ensuring you have a balanced diet, don’t drink to excess and exercise regularly. Broadly speaking, to maintain a healthy weight, you should eat and drink around 2,000 calories a day if you’re a woman, and 2,500 if you’re a man.

Another big factor that an insurance provider will take into account is whether or not you’re a smoker. You’ll be eligible for a lower premium if you don’t smoke, have stopped smoking or are using a form of nicotine replacement for a period of 12 months or more. Read our guide to vaping and smoking to find out what insurance providers make of e-cigarettes.