Policygenius Data Reveals the Healthiest (& Unhealthiest) States in America

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, Jan. 30, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Montana and Wyoming tie for the healthiest states in the nation, while North Dakota is the unhealthiest.

Policygenius analyzed the results of anonymized life insurance applications from Nov. 2015 to Nov. 2017, factoring in reported health conditions such as high cholesterol, tobacco use, high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea, asthma and depression.

Just 5.7% of people in Montana and Wyoming reported at least one of these conditions, while 12.4% in North Dakota did.

Rounding out the top ten healthiest states were Utah (6.2%), South Dakota (7.0%), California (7.0%), Idaho (7.0%), New York (7.0%), Rhode Island (7.1%), District of Columbia (7.3%) and Hawaii (7.4%).

Policygenius also looked at states where specific health conditions are above or below the national average, and the financial impact of different conditions.

Life insurance applicants in North Dakota (34.8%) have much higher rates of tobacco use than the national average (20.5%), while those in Utah (8.2%) are much lower.
Applicants in South Carolina (17.3%) have much higher rates of high cholesterol than the national average (11.8%), while applicants in Montana (2.1%) are much lower.
Life insurance applicants overall (as compared to entire U.S. population) have lower rates of high cholesterol, tobacco use, high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea, asthma and depression than the average American — but figures vary widely by state.
Smoking has the highest impact on life insurance premiums (342% more than average rate), while high cholesterol has the lowest impact (31% more).

"This data shows how much a healthy lifestyle can help a consumer save on life insurance," Jennifer Fitzgerald, CEO and co-founder of Policygenius, said.

Methodology: Policygenius and the data analysis team at Priceonomics reviewed two years worth of anonymized internal data of life insurance applicants. We also used figures from national organizations including the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association and National Institute of Mental Health. To ensure the highest accuracy, the data set was limited to phone-verified applicants. The median age of Policygenius applicants (38) matches the national average age of U.S. adults in 2015 census data. You can see the full report here.

About Policygenius: Policygenius is an independent online insurance marketplace helping people get the coverage they need — and feel good about it. We want people to feel informed about what they're shopping for, so we get rid of all the jargon and actually make personal finance fun. And when it's time to shop for and buy coverage for any aspect of life — from health and life insurance to pet and renters insurance — consumers feel ready.

For more information:
Brooke NiemeyerEditorial Partnerships Manager, Policygenius Magazine
brooke.niemeyer@policygenius.com

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