Vegetarians qualify for cheaper life insurance

Vegetarians have long claimed that their diet means that they are healthier than the meat-eating counterparts and now it seems that at least one life insurance company agrees. Pointing to the belief that vegetarians suffer less fatal illnesses such as cancer, not-for-profit firm Animal Friends Insurance (AFI) are offering up to 6% discount for those who forego meat. AFI spokeswoman Elaine Fairfax said: "The risk of vegetarians suffering certain cancers is reduced by up to 40 per cent and from heart disease by up to 30 per cent. However, they are still required to pay the same life insurance premiums as those who eat meat.

"The life insurance industry needs to acknowledge the impact of life expectancy as a result of opting for a vegetarian lifestyle and reduce premiums accordingly." She added. The figures on the possibility of being affected by certain cancers and heart disease are borne out by numerous studies including the China Health Project, the Dickerson and Davies study of 1986 and the Taber & Cook report of 1980. The sum of all this research came up with the now widely accepted facts that vegetarians eat less saturated fats and more polyunsaturated fats due to shunning red and white meat. They also tend to have a higher intake of fibre than meat-eaters, and have an increased intake of antioxidant nutrients such as the beta-carotene form of vitamins A, C and E.

All of that leads to a reduced occurrence of heart disease and less incidence of bowel and prostrate cancers than amongst meat-eaters, thus leading to this UK life insurance first of discounted premiums for vegetarians.

The innovative scheme which is underwritten by life assurance and insurance giant Liverpool Victoria is offering a typical saving of £307 per year to a non-smoking male paying back a £100,000 20-year mortgage. And to qualify for the discount you don’t have to shun all meat, as those who eat fish but no white or red meat still qualify for the policy.

There are estimated to be 2.2 million people in the UK who have not eaten red or white meat during the last twelve months and AFI research has shown that there are a further 1.26 million planning on quitting meat-eating before summer 2008. It will certainly pay for those people to compare life insurance policies carefully against the AFI scheme to see if they can get rewarded for their choice of lifestyle.

Andrew Regan is a part time writer and journalist.