There are plenty of factors that can affect your ability to get life insurance as well as the cost. Your age and health are two of the main aspects insurers look for when determining your risk, however, your occupation is another that can be considered.
In this guide, we'll explain how your job can impact your life insurance cover, as well as the types of jobs insurers tend to see as high-risk.
Will I be asked about my job when I apply for life insurance?
When you apply for life insurance, you will be asked some basic health and lifestyle questions such as:
What is your age?
What is your height and weight?
Do you have any pre-existing medical conditions?
What is your family medical history like?
Do you smoke, drink alcohol, or use/have used recreational drugs?
Do you participate in any dangerous sport or activity?
Those are some of the standard questions you might expect. In addition, you could also be asked about your occupation. This is because certain professions carry more risk than others. You may be asked:
Do you have a high-risk occupation?
Do you work at great heights?
Do you work offshore?
Are you required to travel frequently for work, particularly to high-risk areas?
Are you currently serving in the armed forces?
These questions help insurers understand the potential risks associated with your job so they can assess your application accurately.
How your job can affect your life insurance policy
People in low-risk professions, such as office employees, are often unaffected when it comes to life insurance. As these jobs generally involve minimal physical danger, insurers consider them lower risk. As a result, you could receive more favourable premiums and face fewer restrictions.
But those who work in high-risk professions can face more challenges and potentially higher life insurance premiums. There may also be a limit on the amount of cover you can take out, or in certain cases, you could even be denied cover.
However, just because you have a low-risk profession doesn't mean your premiums will be cheaper. It also depends on other factors such as your overall health, age, and lifestyle habits.
How do insurers assess occupational risk?
Risk is a core part of how protection products like life insurance, critical illness cover and income protection work. When you apply, insurers need to understand how likely it is they’ll have to pay out a claim, and your job plays a role in that.
If your occupation involves any aspect of danger, insurers may see you as a higher risk.
That said, it's not just about danger, it’s about how frequently you’re exposed to it. What insurers also look at is how severe the consequences might be if something goes wrong. For instance:
Risk of falls, injury, or fatality on the job
Exposure to dangerous environments or materials
Unpredictable conditions, such as combat zones or emergency scenes
High likelihood of accidents, particularly on the road or in manual labour
Even if your job feels routine to you, if it involves regular exposure to any of these risks, insurers are likely to flag it as hazardous. They may also refer to industry data and claims history to understand how risky your job has been for others in similar roles.
What is considered a hazardous occupation?
A hazardous occupation refers to jobs with a higher risk of injury or death due to the nature of the work, the environment’s performed in, or the tools and equipment used.
While life insurance is still available for people in high-risk jobs, these occupations are more likely to result in:
Higher premiums
Policy exclusions
Or in some cases, needing to go through a specialist insurer
Common examples of hazardous occupations include:
Construction workers – especially those working at height or with heavy machinery
Firefighters and emergency services
Armed forces personnel
Offshore oil and gas workers
Pilots and aviation crew
Police officers and security personnel
Miners and tunnellers
Commercial divers
Professional drivers with high mileage or dangerous routes
People working with explosives or toxic substances
Should I disclose my job when applying for life insurance?
It may be tempting to withhold information about your job in order to get lower premiums, but you should always be 100% honest during the application process. Even if it seems minor or unrelated, insurers use this information to assess your risk and determine your premiums.
Failing to disclose your occupation, or giving incomplete information, could lead to your policy being invalidated. That means if a claim is made in the future, it could be reduced or denied altogether.
Does a dangerous job mean I can’t get life insurance?
Having a dangerous job doesn’t mean you’ll be refused life insurance, but it may:
Increase your monthly premiums
Lead to certain exclusions (e.g. no payout if death occurs while carrying out dangerous duties)
Limit the type of cover you can get, such as guaranteed acceptance life insurance
Require you to go through a specialist provider who deals with high-risk occupations
Plenty of insurers offer cover for people in high-risk jobs, it's just about finding the right policy.
What if I change jobs after getting life insurance?
In most cases, you don’t need to tell your insurer if you change jobs after taking out a policy. Though you should if you intend to move to a high-risk job in the future, such as joining the military.
Life insurance is based on your risk profile at the time you apply (underwriting), so unless you're applying for new or additional cover, your job change won’t affect your existing policy.
However, if you move into a significantly riskier profession, it’s a good idea to review your cover to make sure it still meets your needs. Learn more about how changing jobs can impact your life insurance.
Get expert advice for life insurance
If your job involves danger, you might think getting life insurance is going to be complicated, but it doesn’t have to be.
At Cavendish Online, we offer a simple way to apply for life insurance with expert guidance, especially if you have a hazardous occupation or a medical history that might affect your cover. Our friendly advisers can help you find the right policy for your needs and budget, without any pressure.
We work with some of the UK’s leading insurers to offer quality cover at some of the lowest prices available. It’s all about helping you make an informed decision, quickly and confidently.
Getting covered can take as little as 30 minutes once we’ve got a few details from you, like your health, lifestyle, and the type of work you do. To get started, call us on
01392 436 193
(Monday to Thursday 9am – 5.30pm, Friday 9am – 5pm)
