Certain hobbies and recreational activities can affect life insurance premiums because they increase mortality risk above the baseline for the applicant's age, health, and other factors. Carriers evaluate high-risk activities based on the type of activity, frequency of participation, experience level, and specific circumstances (such as altitude for climbing or depth for scuba diving).
Activities that commonly impact life insurance rates include private aviation (piloting non-commercial aircraft), skydiving, scuba diving (particularly deep diving), rock climbing and mountaineering, motor racing, bungee jumping, hang gliding, BASE jumping, and extreme skiing or snowboarding. For these activities, carriers may add a flat extra premium, apply a specific activity exclusion, or in rare cases decline the application. The impact varies widely between carriers.
The frequency and level of participation matters significantly. An individual who goes skydiving once a year on vacation may see little to no impact on premiums, while a certified skydiver who jumps weekly could face a substantial flat extra charge. Similarly, a recreational scuba diver certified to 60 feet faces less underwriting scrutiny than a technical diver who regularly descends below 130 feet. Certification, training, and safety record all factor into the assessment.
Full disclosure of hobbies and activities on the application is essential — concealing a hazardous hobby constitutes material misrepresentation that could void the policy. Carriers discover undisclosed activities through MIB records, social media, and claim investigations. A licensed agent in our network can help identify which carriers have the most favorable guidelines for your specific activities and participation level.