Do fitness trackers lower life insurance costs?

Personal wearables can be a great way to help you maintain a healthier lifestyle. But can fitness trackers lower life insurance costs and help save money on your premiums? Find out in our guide.

Written by

Tim Knighton

Life, health and income protection insurance expert

Reviewed by

Rebecca Goodman

Personal finance expert

Last Updated

28 JUNE 2024

3 min read

What are fitness trackers and wearables?

A fitness tracker is an electronic device that you wear as a watch or bracelet. Using sensors and GPS, it can track your physical activity and other aspects of your general health. You can sync this data to a smartphone app.

Fitness trackers are typically used every day to track and measure:

Step count
Inclines and declines
Weight
Calories burned
Sleep patterns
Heart rate.

Some devices also track exercises related to particular sports, including running, swimming and workout sessions.

Another popular feature is an ‘inactivity alert’ – your device will alert you if you’ve been still for too long.

What are the benefits of wearables and fitness trackers?

Wearable tech won’t magically make you healthy. But fans of the devices believe they can help you stay motivated and encourage you to maintain a healthier lifestyle.

According to the NHS, a minimum of 150 minutes of physical activity a week could lower the risk of early death by up to 30%. Regular exercise is also linked with a reduced risk of diabetes, cancer and heart disease.

The NHS has its own fitness tracker and training programme apps – Couch to 5K and Active 10 – that you can download onto your smartphone.

Did you know?

It seems we Brits are becoming increasingly more health conscious. This is leading to a surge in demand for fitness trackers, according to Statista.

2024 figures from YouGov UK reveal that 35% of Brits currently own and use a wearable device compared to 19% in 2019. Statista forecasts that the number of users will continuously increase year on year to peak at 6.47 million by 2028.

Do fitness trackers lower life insurance premiums?

Just owning a personal wearable won’t, in itself, have a direct impact on your life insurance premium.

When you apply for life insurance, your insurance provider will ask questions relating to your health and lifestyle.

These could include questions about:

Whether you smoke
Alcohol consumption
Height and weight
Physical activity
Whether you take part in dangerous sports
Occupation
Family health history
Pre-existing medical conditions.

It’s no secret that the more unhealthy you are, the more risk you pose to insurance providers. As a result, your life insurance premiums are likely to be more expensive.

Used correctly, personal wearables could potentially motivate you to:

Lose weight
Eat more healthily
Be more active
Sleep better.

If a fitness tracker helps you to maintain a healthier lifestyle, or helps you show that you’re trying to improve your health or manage a health condition, it may result in a more affordable life insurance premium.

Can I get a fitness tracker insurance discount?

Smart tech has been a feature of health and life insurance products for a while now, and some insurance providers offer discounts to people who wear fitness trackers to achieve activity goals.

Vitality, for example, offers discounts on activity trackers to customers who sign up for a qualifying life insurance or health insurance plan. Reward points gained by the trackers are then linked to their insurance profile.

Insurance is all about calculating risk, so it isn’t surprising that life insurance providers are showing interest in how life insurance and fitness trackers can impact a person’s risk.

Frequently asked questions

Which are the most popular fitness trackers in the UK?

In a 2023 Statista survey, Apple Watch was the most popular fitness tracker brand among UK consumers (46%). This was followed by FitBit (28%), Samsung (15%) and Garmin (8%).

Is it worth buying an Apple Watch?

An Apple Watch is a great way to monitor your health and fitness, but it’s by no means essential. It’s also a pretty expensive investment.

The fitness tracker market is a competitive one, so if your budget won’t stretch to the latest Apple Watch, there are plenty of affordable alternatives out there.

Where can I get a discounted Apple Watch with life insurance?

Vitality offers certain health or life insurance plans with an Apple Watch or other selected brands at a discounted price. You can also earn Vitality points and rewards when you link your activity tracker to eligible health or life insurance plans.