The short answer
- Weight is priced on a build chart - a higher figure means a higher class, not usually a decline.
- Most carriers have a maximum build; above it means simplified or guaranteed issue.
- The conditions that travel with weight matter more than the weight itself.
- Carriers use your current weight - losing a little before applying can change your class.
The reassuring truth
Weight alone rarely declines you
Underwriters price build on a chart, and most higher weights are a rate class, not a refusal. What actually costs money is the diabetes, apnea or blood pressure that can come with it.
Compare my rates →How build charts actually work
Every carrier has a height and weight table - a "build chart". For your height it lists the weight ranges for each rate class, from preferred down through the standard and rated classes to a maximum beyond which they will not fully underwrite. Two things follow from that:
- Weight is almost always a rate class, not a yes-or-no. You move down the classes as the number rises, rather than being refused
- Every carrier draws the lines differently, so the same person can be standard at one insurer and rated at another - which is why shopping matters here
Roughly how BMI maps to your class
| Approx BMI | Likely class |
|---|---|
| Up to about 28 | Preferred possible |
| About 28 to 32 | Standard |
| About 32 to 37 | Table rating |
| About 37 to 42 | Substandard or simplified issue |
| Above about 42 | Simplified or guaranteed issue |
It is almost always the combination
Weight on its own is priced gently. It gets expensive when it brings company - type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, high blood pressure. Underwriters price those conditions far more heavily than the build itself, so treating them well often does more for your rate than the number on the scale. If you have weight plus one of those, see diabetes, sleep apnea and blood pressure.
Losing weight before you apply
Carriers use your current weight, and some ask for the highest weight in the last year. If you are close to a class threshold, losing even a modest amount before applying can move you a whole class - and that lower premium is then locked for the life of the policy. If you have recently lost a large amount, be ready to show it has been kept off, because rapid recent loss can prompt questions.
Should you skip the exam?
Usually not, if your labs are good. A no-exam policy prices for unknown risk, which penalises a heavier applicant whose blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol are actually fine. Letting the insurer see healthy numbers is how you get credit for them. Our guide to no medical exam life insurance covers the trade-off.
Common questions
Does weight affect life insurance rates?+
Yes. Underwriters use a height and weight build chart to set your rate class, so a higher weight generally means a higher class. It is usually a rate factor rather than a decline, and carriers draw the lines differently.
Can you be declined life insurance for being overweight?+
Weight alone rarely causes an outright decline. Most weights simply move you down the rate classes. Above a carrier maximum build you may not qualify for full underwriting, but simplified and guaranteed issue policies remain available.
What BMI is too high for life insurance?+
It varies by carrier and height, but many insurers stop offering fully underwritten cover somewhere above a BMI in the low-to-mid 40s. Below that you are usually looking at a rate class rather than a refusal.
Does losing weight lower life insurance rates?+
It can. Carriers use your current weight, so dropping below a class threshold before applying can move you a whole class, and that premium is locked for life. Treating any related conditions usually helps even more.