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Life Insurance Question - Smoker/Non-Smoker
I have heard that life insurance companies in Belgium cannot ask if the applicant is a smoker or not, as this question violates medical privacy rights. I find this hard to believe. The premiums for non-smokers are obviously much lower than for smokers. Can insurance companies ask about smoking habits or not, and are applicants required to answer? Does this violate medical privacy rights, either in Belgium or the EU?
How can the premiums for non-smokers be "obviously much lower than for smokers" if the insurance company is not allowed to ask?
I can't see how asking you to volunteer information would be violating your privacy. You don't have to answer their questions, but they don't have to sell you life insurance either.
Life insurance companies enter into a contract with their clients. As such they are entitled to ask whatever they want in order to decide whether they want to offer a contract and, if they do, what price they are going to charge.
As Anon79 says above, you don't have to answer their questions but it's a safe bet that they won't offer to insure you if you refuse to.
All 8 can tell you is for our life insurance on the mortgage I had to have a full medical screening, including cardio bike test and that. The doctor asked me about it. It wasn't just a. Ashe of filling a form and voila and offer of insurance.
Grr auto correct case and i