I'm insulted! .... AGAIN!!!

KatWood
KatWood Posts: 1,135 Member
edited September 19 in Motivation and Support
what the?

So, having just gotten married I thought I would do the responsible thing and get additional life insurance and critical illness insurance. So an agent came to our house back in Jan and I filled out all the paperwork. A few weeks later I completed a phone interview where they ask you a 101 questions about your health and lifestyle. And I was extremely honest. I told them that I smoke, that I scuba dive and that I recently was diagnosed with a heart murmer, although it was found not to be related to any disease. They told me I would need to get a blood and urine test for the critical illness insurance which I had no problem with. Anyways, a month or 2 passed and I hadn't heard anything at all. Then last night our agent called to see if he could come by with the documents for the policies. I was at the gym at the time but since my hubby was home he said sure. To make a long story short when I got home I found out that although my life insurance was approved my critical illness insurance is on hold and is to be reviewed in 6 months. Why? Was it the smoking? No. Was it the heart murmer? Nope. It's because they consider my weightloss SUSPICIOUS! What the hell? If anything I have reduced my risk of many illnesses by losing the weight and getting active. I'm not sick. I've never felt better. And 70lbs in almost 2 years doesn't seem like an unhealthy pace to me. I have worked very hard to get where I am and to do it the right way. Why won't they believe me? I know they are just looking out for themselves but I must say I still can't help but feel insulted!:grumble:

This isn't the first time someone has questioned my weightloss methods. Once I went to see a doctor because I had (what I know now to be) a migrane headache. He asked me about my routine and what medications/supplements I was taking. As soon as I told him I was losing weight, he assumed I was starving myself and was on diet pills. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't convince him that I was actually doing it the healthy way. He kept telling me I had a headache because I hadn't eaten enough! :explode:

Have you had similar experiences where people didn't believe you were losing the weight in a healthy way?

Replies

  • KatWood
    KatWood Posts: 1,135 Member
    what the?

    So, having just gotten married I thought I would do the responsible thing and get additional life insurance and critical illness insurance. So an agent came to our house back in Jan and I filled out all the paperwork. A few weeks later I completed a phone interview where they ask you a 101 questions about your health and lifestyle. And I was extremely honest. I told them that I smoke, that I scuba dive and that I recently was diagnosed with a heart murmer, although it was found not to be related to any disease. They told me I would need to get a blood and urine test for the critical illness insurance which I had no problem with. Anyways, a month or 2 passed and I hadn't heard anything at all. Then last night our agent called to see if he could come by with the documents for the policies. I was at the gym at the time but since my hubby was home he said sure. To make a long story short when I got home I found out that although my life insurance was approved my critical illness insurance is on hold and is to be reviewed in 6 months. Why? Was it the smoking? No. Was it the heart murmer? Nope. It's because they consider my weightloss SUSPICIOUS! What the hell? If anything I have reduced my risk of many illnesses by losing the weight and getting active. I'm not sick. I've never felt better. And 70lbs in almost 2 years doesn't seem like an unhealthy pace to me. I have worked very hard to get where I am and to do it the right way. Why won't they believe me? I know they are just looking out for themselves but I must say I still can't help but feel insulted!:grumble:

    This isn't the first time someone has questioned my weightloss methods. Once I went to see a doctor because I had (what I know now to be) a migrane headache. He asked me about my routine and what medications/supplements I was taking. As soon as I told him I was losing weight, he assumed I was starving myself and was on diet pills. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't convince him that I was actually doing it the healthy way. He kept telling me I had a headache because I hadn't eaten enough! :explode:

    Have you had similar experiences where people didn't believe you were losing the weight in a healthy way?
  • xsargex
    xsargex Posts: 768
    Move to the U.S..... you get charged out the *kitten* for insurance premiums, but atleast you get coverage. Or you can just waive the insurance, go to the hospital, buck the bill and let taxpayers flip the bill, haha. Universal Health Care...what an awesome idea. *sarcasm*
  • Mireille
    Mireille Posts: 5,134 Member
    Hi!

    70lbs lost in two years is not too fast. You are doing everything right and I'm not sure why they are "concerned". Have you called them to find out cuz that doesn't make sense to me.

    70lbs in 2 months in something to be concerned about, not 2 years.

    Best of luck! :flowerforyou:
  • jljohnson
    jljohnson Posts: 719 Member
    I'm not sure how Canada differs from the US, but when my husband and I got extra insurance, one of the questions we had to answer was whether or not we lost more than 20 pounds in the last year. Our agent went over the questions they were going to ask ahead of time. He also said that if you answered yes, that would throw up a flag to them, and the premium would go up. I defintiely agree that you are being unfairly penalized for being honest and healthy... ridiculous!
  • kerrilucko
    kerrilucko Posts: 3,852 Member
    they're just doing their jobs. Don't be insulted. :flowerforyou:
  • KatWood
    KatWood Posts: 1,135 Member
    I know there are just doing their jobs, and to be honest I guess my annoyance is not really directed at them specifically.

    I am just tired of people assuming the worst when they find out i have lost weight.
    I guess it could be worse -- I could still be 255lbs! :wink:
  • kerrilucko
    kerrilucko Posts: 3,852 Member
    I know there are just doing their jobs, and to be honest I guess my annoyance is not really directed at them specifically.

    I am just tired of people assuming the worst when they find out i have lost weight.
    I guess it could be worse -- I could still be 255lbs! :wink:

    lol true, I get the same thing... I get a lot of comments like "don't lose anymore weight now, ok?" "10 more lbs is too much, you're so small already" like I'm so small and frail that I'll waste away to nothing. It's annoying but I just roll my eyes and keep on truckin. :drinker:
  • FitnessGeek
    FitnessGeek Posts: 487
    Have you had similar experiences where people didn't believe you were losing the weight in a healthy way?

    I do understand where you are coming from. I haven't been penalized for my weight loss in the way that you were with the insurance company, and I haven't lost nearly as much as you (good for you btw!), but I do notice that people always assume you are doing it the unhealthy way.

    My family constantly jokes about my new eating and exercise behaviors and they throw around the term anorexic like it is a joke. I can sympathize with you doctor story as well. A couple years back, I went to the doctor for a normal check up and she noticed that I had lost ten lbs in the course of a year. She asked me what I had been doing differently and I told her that I had cut out meat (this is the year I became a pescetarian). So she made a big deal about giving me a body density test and gave me packets on eating disorders...mind you that even after I lost ten lbs I still weighed 160...and in my opinion was in no state to waste away. It really did make me feel badly about a decision I thought was quite healthy.
    Sometimes, you feel like your hard work is for nothing when you are looked down on for weight loss. Hopefully you can take comfort in the fact that your support community here at MFP knows that you are doing the right thing, and we congratulate you highly on you amazing weight loss of 70lbs.

    Keep up the good work and just remember that insurance companies will find any excuse to not cover somebody or to raise your premiums.
  • Xannthippe
    Xannthippe Posts: 126 Member
    One of the doctors I work with is very much for weight loss and healthy lifestyle, she encourages her patient's constantly to get within their recommended BMI for health. She noted to me last week that I had lost some more weight. Then she asked what gimmick was I using? Pills? A fad diet?

    I told her plain ole' diet and exercise. She looked at me skeptically then asked how much had I lost over how long a time frame. "70 pounds over a year and a half". She nodded and said that was excellent and totally appropriate.

    I thanked her for her awesome god-like doctor blessing and left.
    Geesh. So don't worry, it's not personal, just irritating.



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  • prerana
    prerana Posts: 5 Member
    Just out of curiosity, I did the math. 70 pounds in two years is just under 3 pounds a month. That is not bad at all. I don't think people do the math and think about how that isn't an unhealthy rate of losing at all.
  • thejarviclan
    thejarviclan Posts: 465 Member
    Here's what you do - walk into the insurance office and LEG PRESS that turd!

    I'm insulted for you, too!
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    I wouldnt be insulted at all

    insurance is only a business like any other

    they want to provide a service and make money

    sudden weight loss can me an indication of something wrong so they check it out

    you should actually be glad that they are paying attention

    the more claims they pay the more your insurance costs
  • KatWood
    KatWood Posts: 1,135 Member
    I wouldnt be insulted at all

    insurance is only a business like any other

    they want to provide a service and make money

    sudden weight loss can me an indication of something wrong so they check it out

    you should actually be glad that they are paying attention

    the more claims they pay the more your insurance costs

    I totally get that, but that wasn't really the point. Just tired of the worst being assumed. I agree they are just doing their job and I'm all for lower insurance rates.
  • KatWood
    KatWood Posts: 1,135 Member
    Here's what you do - walk into the insurance office and LEG PRESS that turd!

    I'm insulted for you, too!

    :laugh: I never thought of that :laugh:
  • KatWood
    KatWood Posts: 1,135 Member

    Sometimes, you feel like your hard work is for nothing when you are looked down on for weight loss. Hopefully you can take comfort in the fact that your support community here at MFP knows that you are doing the right thing, and we congratulate you highly on you amazing weight loss of 70lbs.

    Thanks! MFP has been great! And my friends and family have been really supportive. My hubby has been great too :heart:
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