If your favourite pastime is to participate in an extreme sport, a dangerous hobby or adventure holidays, you may find certain types of insurance difficult to obtain, including:
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If your preferred extreme sport, dangerous pursuit or hobby is regarded as a higher insurance risk, you may be asked to pay a slightly higher premium than somebody who does not take part in these pastimes, owing to the increased risk of injury leading to potential time off work or even premature death.
What are considered extreme sports for life insurance?
The range of extreme sports, hobbies or pastimes that might affect your life insurance cover and/or premium is extensive, but the following are among the more popular:
- Caving
- Cycling
- Endurance running
- Gliding
- Hang gliding
- Motorbiking
- Mountain biking
- Mountaineering
- Paddle boarding
- Parachuting / sky-diving
- Paragliding
- Private flying, inc. acrobatics, stunt flying
- Rock climbing
- Sailing
- Scuba diving
- Skiing
- Surfing
- Swimming, inc. open water
- Triathlon
- White-water kayaking
These hobbies or activities should be declared when applying for life cover or other forms of protection, as they might attract closer scrutiny and increased premiums from an insurance company.
It is unlikely that either a hazardous pastime or occupation would universally exclude you, although some companies may not wish to offer cover.
"I'd heard about QuoteRack from the BHPA and despite being a keen hang glider I got a great quote for life cover"
QuoteRack's experience shows that not all life companies are equal when it comes to providing for life insurance quotes, particularly if you have had some health problems, you work in a dangerous industry or you have a taste for extreme sports.
Frequently asked questions
How will extreme sports affect my life insurance premium?
There are many factors that an insurer will take into account when considering an application for extreme sports life insurance. These might include:
- The frequency of your sporting activities
- The level of difficulty of the activity
- The location of the activities - in the UK or overseas
- Whether you are competing in events
- Your age
- Your general health - including your height, weight and BMI
- Your level of experience and expertise in your chosen sport or pastime
- Your occupation and income
How much does extreme sports life insurance cost?
Because different insurers assess these aspects differently there can be big variations in the premiums they charge upon completion of the underwriting. In many instances this means a company who is not providing the cheapest standard quote provides the best cover and terms.
Each hazardous pastime and hobby will have its own assessment criteria.
How can I get life insurance for extreme sports or hobbies?
You could apply to all the companies yourself, one at a time, and see who will accept you with the least premium loading (if they accept you at all). Using QuoteRack, however, we submit your details to a team of specialist brokers who have the knowledge and experience to ask you the right questions straight away and who then have the ability to speak to the underwriters to find the best insurance company from the whole of the market.
How can QuoteRack help me with extreme sports life insurance?
QuoteRack works closely with expert financial advisers, who will be happy to discuss with you your individual circumstances and answer any questions you might have, such as:
- Can I obtain life insurance for my extreme sport or hobby?
- Will I need to have a medical before a life insurance quote is offered?
- What information will I need to provide in order to get a life insurance quote?
- Am I under any obligation to proceed if I fill out your online form?
- Does obtaining a quote cost me anything?
As you would expect, you are under no obligation to proceed with an application for a quote for extreme sports life insurance, nor is there any cost.
QuoteRack's IFA’s are specialists, they are well-versed in the realistic degrees of risk involved in extreme sports and other hazardous hobbies and occupations. Therefore, you are much more likely to get a properly calculated assessment of the cover you require, and a reasonable quote.