Service risks
Members of the armed forces can bear an above average risk of accidental death but generally life offices do not set extra premium charge of this risk unless the life to be insured is to be sent to a disturbed area or has a more hazardous role in the armed services such as flying or bomb disposal.
If there is a more hazardous occupation in the armed services then the life office will most likely charge an additional premium based on the exposure. Large amounts of service flying are often rated by time done, age and rank and the ABI has produced guide lines to assist life offices with these risks.
In times of war the treatment of service personnel will naturally change. During the Second World War many offices excluded war and aviation risks from their policies.
Civil aviation risks
No extra premiums are usually charged for those proposer’s who fly only as fare paying passengers on normal commercial flights. Special terms may however be imposed on those who fly in private aircraft and in particular, if they themselves are private pilots. Any extra terms will depend on the risk and again the ABI have provided Life offices with guide lines. The ABI have even produced an aviation questionnaire that life offices can use.
Pilots for commercial airlines usually do not have to pay loaded premiums but pilots of private planes who fly more than 50 hours a year may be given special terms.
Hazardous sports and past times
The life underwriter must take into account all increased risks and that will include those that emanate from hazardous sports and past times. An example of those that may present a higher than average risk of serious accident are listed below,
- Boxing - amateur or professional;
- Diving - type of equipment and depths;
- Motor racing - type of car and competitions raced in;
- Motorcycle racing - type of cycle and competitions raced in;
- Mountaineering - grade, and whether ropes used;
- Parachuting - frequency;
- Hang-gliding - frequency, and if powered.
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Residential Factors