Search form

menu menu

Life Insurance Question - Smoker/Non-Smoker

Question

I have heard that life insurance companies in Belgium cannot ask if the applicant is a smoker or not, as this question violates medical privacy rights. I find this hard to believe. The premiums for non-smokers are obviously much lower than for smokers. Can insurance companies ask about smoking habits or not, and are applicants required to answer? Does this violate medical privacy rights, either in Belgium or the EU?

anon

How can the premiums for non-smokers be "obviously much lower than for smokers" if the insurance company is not allowed to ask?

Jul 2, 2014 16:39
realeffinggenius

Companies ARE asking, but I am told you don't have to answer! Simple question: it this correct or not? THAT is the question: are companies allowed to ask or not? They are doing it anyway!

Jul 2, 2014 17:58
anon79

I can't see how asking you to volunteer information would be violating your privacy. You don't have to answer their questions, but they don't have to sell you life insurance either.

Jul 2, 2014 21:39
kasseistamper

Life insurance companies enter into a contract with their clients. As such they are entitled to ask whatever they want in order to decide whether they want to offer a contract and, if they do, what price they are going to charge.
As Anon79 says above, you don't have to answer their questions but it's a safe bet that they won't offer to insure you if you refuse to.

Jul 2, 2014 22:13
CC_R

All 8 can tell you is for our life insurance on the mortgage I had to have a full medical screening, including cardio bike test and that. The doctor asked me about it. It wasn't just a. Ashe of filling a form and voila and offer of insurance.

Jul 4, 2014 14:36
CC_R

Grr auto correct case and i

Jul 4, 2014 14:37
realeffinggenius

Let's try this again folks: a friend of mine, who is a smoker (and no, it's not me!) was asked about being a smoker during a life insurance application, and responded "non-smoker". My question is: does this invalidate the eventual insurance contract, i.e., what are the legal implications of such an inaccurate response? Asked in another fashion: if a non-smoker later starts smoking after taking out a life insurance contract, what obligation, if any, exists to inform the insurance company of the change of smoking status?

Jul 11, 2014 15:49