We all know running is great for your body and mind, but did you know these benefits can give you a financial advantage to your life insurance rates as well? Most insurance companies will ask for a medical exam before giving you your cheapest rate. As a runner, this is a chance for you to shine—while saving you money. Here are just a few tips to help you ace your life insurance medical exam and secure the best life insurance rate.
- Strut Your Stuff
Providers will almost always ask about your physical activity. As a runner, you’re not sedentary, and you actually maintain an active lifestyle! Since only 20% of Americans were considered physically active in 2016, this is a great way to stand out.
- Show Off Your Vital Signs
Your medical exam will usually include measuring your vital signs—these include blood pressure, resting heart rate, and oxygen saturation. As cardio exercise, running improves all of these biomarkers of health.
As the heart grows more efficient and lean muscle mass adapts, your overall blood pressure drops which will look great on your life insurance application.
As cardio, running works your heart, making it move more blood through your system with each heartbeat, contributing to a low resting heart rate. Low resting heart rate is a marker of health, but for some athletes it can become so low it mimics heart defects. That’s why it’s important as an athlete to make sure you’re going with a broker who understands that your resting heart rate is a sign of your aerobic training. Health IQ is the life insurance broker that best understands the unique needs of athletes.
- Share Your Stellar Blood Work
Some life insurance companies require a blood test before they give you the cheapest rate. Fortunately, running is great for your blood work! The basic blood test insurance companies require measures number of red blood cells, proteins in the blood, lipids in the blood, and blood glucose.
Since runners typically have excellent lipid and blood glucose scores you will be in a position to stand out as less likely to develop metabolic illnesses, so try to get this work done for a cheaper rate.
- Rest Before Your Exam
We know you want to run, but honestly, take the day off. Exercise can raise the number of white blood cells in your blood, which are repairing the inflammation from your hard work. This healing process is necessary and healthy but can appear on lab work like unhealthy inflammation. To avoid this false result, take a 2-3 day break from running before your blood work for best results.
- Lower Daily Stress and Sleep Well
It’s no secret that good sleep and stress contribute to overall health, and studies show they’re directly correlated with longer life.
Lucky for you, runners experience a host of psychological benefits from running. From being a proven boon to stress management of difficult life events, to relaxation from endocannabinoid molecules, to sleeping like a baby, science has shown that running contributes to mental and emotional health as well as physical. These psychological benefits will also show up in your physical exam in the form of lower blood pressure, less glucose in blood, and lower inflammatory activity.
Run in the great outdoors or with friends a few times a week to enhance psychological benefits, and again, make sure to rest up before that exam.
- Check To See If You Qualify For Cheaper Rates With Health IQ
Can you run an 8-minute mile? Do you run more than 10 miles per week? Do you run more than 5 hours per week? Have you competed in an official 5k, 10k, half marathon, marathon or ultra with greater than 50% age grade score as your final result? Have you been an active member of a running club for more than 1 year?
These are all ways you can qualify for special life insurance rates with Health IQ, the company that believes the health conscious should be rewarded for their dedication and responsible life choices. Visit HealthIQ.com to fill out a short application and see if you qualify.
ABOUT HEALTH IQ
Health IQ’s mission is to celebrate the health conscious through financial rewards. That’s why Health IQ is the fastest growing life insurance company in the United States, saving those who qualify up to 33% lower rates on their Life Insurance.
Fast facts:
- Secured $7.0 Billion in coverage
- Underwriting time is 35% faster than competitors
- 70% of their health conscious clients get the top rate class
- Partners with the nation’s top rated carriers
- Licensed in all 50 states
- Custom tailored services with the top team in the industry
- 9.6 customer satisfaction rating on TrustPilot
- Featured on Forbes, CNBC, TechCrunch, etc.