There is a very strange phenomenon in the insurance industry. For some groups of people, the more they need insurance, the harder it is to buy insurance. High-risk occupations, for example, although they bear higher risks and responsibilities, are not easy to choose insurance.

Why are high-risk occupations difficult to insure?

High-risk occupations require more protection than ordinary occupations, but most insurance companies are reluctant to underwrite them because of the higher risk of danger. Therefore, insurance companies will usually impose certain restrictions on people with abnormal health and high-risk occupations.

Occupations are generally divided into 1-6 categories, and the higher the level, the higher the risk level.  In addition, there are occupations of high probability of rejecting, such as war reporters, racing drivers, underground mining, etc.

It should be noted that even if it’s the same occupation, different companies may also be classified differently. People in the same occupation may have some certain types of insurance that can be purchased and some that cannot. Such as small and medium-sized truck drivers, some insurance companies categorize as Type 4, while others mark as Type 6.

Therefore, when applying for insurance, we need to confirm whether our occupation belongs to the category of covered occupations. Otherwise, the insurance company can use this for refusing compensation once the accident occurs.  We must see the terms clearly to avoid losses.

How to choose suitable products for high-risk occupations?

Accident insurance?

The threshold of accident insurance is the lowest among all types of insurance, but only the occupational requirements are the strictest. Most accident insurance can only cover limited types of occupations, and it is more troublesome to purchase accident insurance for occupations of higher risks.

Critical illness insurance?

Occupation also affects critical illness insurance coverage. Generally speaking, most critical illness insurance can only be purchased in occupations type 1-4. If high-risk occupations are covered, the insurance amount may be limited or covered at an additional cost.

Medical insurance?

Relatively speaking, medical insurance does not have such high occupational requirements. Generally speaking, most products can be covered for Type 1-4 occupations. 

Life insurance?

Life insurance does not restrict occupations as strictly as the other three types of insurance, and there are still many popular products that can protect occupations Type 1-6, or even unlimited occupations.

What if I change my career after purchasing insurance?

Some of us do not have high occupational risk when we purchase insurance, but later become high-risk occupation practitioners due to job changes. So, what should we do in this situation?

In such cases, the impact will vary depending on the type of insurance.

The terms of accident insurance are generally clearly listed. If the occupation changes, the insurance company needs to be notified. If the changed occupation is covered, the appropriate claim plan will generally be determined based on the changed occupation. If the occupation becomes a refusal, the insurance company has the right to terminate the contract.

Since critical illness insurance and life insurance have relatively few restrictions on occupations, under normal circumstances, there is no special requirement for how to deal with occupational changes. If there is no special agreement in the clauses, then the occupational change will not affect the validity of the contract. If you are really worried after changing your position, you can also inform the insurance company additionally.

Medical insurance is quite sensitive to occupational changes, and it is also necessary to inform the insurance company in time.

High-risk occupations can also buy insurance, and really need an insurance in prevention of any misfortune just in case.

（Writer：Jussy）