Why are men paying more for life insurance?

It's a fact: men simply have a higher risk of dying. This isn't just an act of sexism, it's a statistical evaluation. Because you really can't change your sexual orientation for lower rates, don't expect that factor to be changed.

The Society of Actuaries published a study in February 2001 entitled, "Why Men Die Younger'. According to this study, the hormone testosterone "plays havoc biologically and behaviorally with men's bodies.' This hormone leads to diseases and risk-taking behavior which is much more common for men than women.

Barbara Blatt Kalben, the study's author, claims, "Many have concluded that the male is the weaker or frailer of the sexes.'

Scientifically, a male simply has a higher risk of dying or having serious diseases. Therefore, instead of trying to improve your rates because of this factor, focus on other factors. There are many other factors that affect how much premiums are going to be.

There is a vast variety of factors that affect how much you're premiums are going to be. Because of the fact that men simply have a higher risk of dying, look into other factors. If you're a young and healthy male, you are bound to pay less than an old, sick female. Don't just look at factors that you can't change.

If you want to save money on your life insurance, look through your policy once more. Check if you're paying too much for your coverage. You might want to call your insurance agent and find out exactly what your policy says, since the terminology might be quite confusing.

Kalben claims, "The best thing to do is to be aware of the risk-taking behavior discussed in the study. The primary danger is cigarette smoking. There's nothing new here - we already knew that mortality data shows male and female smokers live nine years shorter, on average than nonsmokers. There's other risky behavior that men engage in more frequently, such as driving under the influence and driving without a seat belt.'

Kalben then says the study can help the actuaries who determine the rates for life insurance. Kalben claims, "Actuaries try to predict what will happen in the future. Years ago the insurance rates were the same between males and females. This helps actuaries understand why females live longer, and get a grasp on what may happen in the future. If you don't know the causes of mortality, it's hard to make a prediction.'

Females are likely to live longer than males in practically every species, including fish, insects, mollusks, primates, crustaceans, humans and other species. Keeping in mind, which changing your gender isn't recommended for lowering rates. The best way to lower your health insurance costs is to be healthier than you already are. Whatever illness you might have - try to improve it.