Health Insurance Articles
How Proper Exercise Can Lower Costly Insurance Coverage Premiums
2010-08-21
Like a broken record, health professionals endlessly preach the benefits of daily exercise. Ranging from lowering blood pressure to fitting into last year's jeans, exercise undoubtedly improves people's quality of life. However, there is one often overlooked benefit of exercise; that is the way it affects the cost of health insurance coverage. Few people carefully examine their yearly medical expenses to see where they could have saved. Many don't realize expenses can be lowered just by taking the stairs instead of the elevator and going for evening walks at sunset. With most insurance, daily exercise lowers premiums by strengthening one's immune system, improving psychological health, and qualifying consumers for lower premiums, discounts and bonuses.
One obvious benefit of exercise is firming and toning. However, perhaps more importantly exercise strengthens your immune system making you more resistant to acute illnesses such as the common cold and the flu. When a person who exercises comes down with a cold the symptoms aren't as severe and they have a quicker recovery, decreasing medical expenses. A stout immune system reduces the number of doctor visits due to illness meaning that except for annual preventive care check-ups, you get to stay away from the doctor. Because of the importance of a strong immune system most insurance coverage gives discounts and bonuses to lower premiums for individuals that exercise regularly.
When you exercise your brain produces little chemicals known as endorphins. Endorphins, a combination of the words endogenous and morphine, naturally boost your sense of overall well being. People who exercise look and feel better, giving them more confidence and less reliance upon prescription medications. The fewer prescriptions that are written each month lower premiums because insurance providers are covering less medication costs than they once were.
People who exercise reduce their risk of illness and diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure placing them in a lower risk category. When shopping for health insurance coverage lower risk category means lower premiums. People who are sick less often and visit their doctor primarily for physical checkups get lower premiums. On the reverse side, individuals who are obese or are in noticeably poor physical shape are automatically placed in a high risk category which delivers costly premiums.
Exercising daily does more than make you look better. It strengthens your immune system on the inside and builds muscles on the outside. Endorphins released during exercise remarkably improve your mental well being, lowering the risk of illness, prescription costs and the amount of medical claims made each year. All of these components come together to lower insurance premiums. Whether you're looking for physical, mental or financial benefits, exercise will satisfy your need.
