Drinkers and Health Insurance

Whether or not your alcohol consumption affects your health insurance premiums is determined by the type of drinker you are.

High premiums got you down? Request a health insurance quote and see if you can save!

Types of Drinkers

Social Drinkers — If you are a social drinker, your health insurance premiums will most likely not be affected by your alcohol consumption. As long as you don't have more than one or two drinks in an evening out, your health should not be significantly affected.

Binge Drinkers — Recent years have seen an increase in the number of young adults engaging in binge drinking behavior. Binge drinking is extremely dangerous and hazardous to your health. And not only will hospitalization due to alcohol poisoning be expensive in and of itself, your health insurance premiums may also increase.

Alcoholics — Alcohol abuse can have devastating consequences for our emotional and physical well-being, so it should come as no surprise that health insurance providers consider frequent drinking to be risky behavior. If you regularly drink more than two drinks a day, you may find yourself paying higher health insurance premiums because health insurance companies consider you to be at risk for the following health problems:

• Stomach Ailments
• Heart Disease
• Brain Damage
• Cancers
• Cirrhosis of the Liver

Are you paying high premiums for your health coverage? Request a quote and see if you can save!

Top

Risks of Alcohol Use and Effect on Insurance Cost

Frequent alcohol use also puts you at a greater risk of being a victim of car accidents, homicide, or suicide due to impairment of hearing, vision, and judgment. More than 100, 000 people die every year as a result of over-consumption of alcohol. All of these statistics mean that health insurance companies will charge you higher premiums if you are a heavy drinker.

However, moderate alcohol use has been shown to have some health benefits, including lowering your risk of heart disease and diabetes. It is important to keep in mind, though, that the risks of drinking alcohol outweigh the benefits.

Staying sober will improve your health, your relationships, and your finances. If you are drinking regularly, consider cutting back on your alcohol intake. By making sure that your alcohol intake remains within the moderate range, you can ensure that you stay healthy and your health insurance premiums stay low.

If you think that you may be at risk for alcohol related diseases, you should get help. Join a support group to help you stay sober, and make sure that you see your doctor regularly. Diseases are more easily treated if you catch them early.

To find an Alcoholics Anonymous group near you, you can contact:

A.A. World Services, Inc.
P.O. Box 459
New York, NY 10163
212 870 3400

Request a health insurance quote today!

Top