Did you know that 41% of the population–about 95 million United States citizens–don’t have life insurance policies? Yet, 93% of Americans say that people need some kind of life insurance, be it whole life insurance or term life insurance. After all, your policy is there to cover any unpaid debts, to provide supplemental income to your spouse and children, to pay for death-related expenses, and to replace your ability to provide and care for your family, so of course it’s necessary.

One of the major reasons that so many people don’t have the whole life insurance that they need is because they believe such a policy is simply unaffordable. No matter how many life insurance quotes they get, they can’t seem to find a feasible option. Thankfully, there are a few ways to reduce the rate of whole life insurance.

Smoking Habits.

Smokers are clearly going to have to pay more for life insurance, as their habit puts them at a much higher risk of dying prematurely. Some underestimate how much this affects their policy, but a 40-year-old smoker, for example, is going to have to pay thrice what a non-smoker will. Most insurers will want a person to be smoke-free for about three to five years before giving them the best rate.

Physical Shape.

Though exercise doesn’t directly affect your insurance rates, you can bet that the insurance company is going to do a thorough study of your medical history to find out just exactly how healthy you really are. Naturally, they’ll like what they see if you stay in shape. Not only does 30 minutes of daily physical activity help people to control their weight, but it also lowers their risk of such things as high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Nutritional Diets.

The same idea goes for a good diet. Obesity is connected to a multitude of different health problems. By ensuring that your body mass index does not fall outside of its range, you can get better rates on whole life insurance. As mentioned before, 30 minutes of moderate exercise coupled with a more nutrient filled diet is the best way to lose weight.

Driving Habits.

Your driving habits also play a huge role in determining your whole life insurance rates, because if you break traffic laws, you’re more likely to be in a life-threatening situation, making you a more risky person to insure. Although being in a car accident won’t necessarily affect your rates, having a moving violation within the past five years will because it signifies fault on your part. One won’t be a big deal, but if you’ve had a couple run ins with traffic cops, you may want to wait to get whole life insurance until your rates improve.

Essentially, if you want better whole life insurance rates, you need to live healthily. If you have any questions about getting an affordable whole life insurance policy, feel free to ask in the comments. Helpful research also found here.