There is no single BMI requirement for life insurance in the UK: each insurer sets its own, and Royal London and Vitality publish theirs in literature written for advisers. On direction, Legal & General says "you can expect to pay more for life insurance with a high BMI", and Aviva says that "having a high BMI doesn't mean you can't get life insurance".

What your own height and weight mean for an application is a question only an insurer can answer. If you would like that checked with several insurers at once, fill in the free form on this page; a call from an FCA-authorised broker follows, to talk it through.

How do insurers ask about height and weight?

Royal London's adviser pages explain why its application asks for your height and weight: "It’s important that we have accurate information about your client’s height and weight measurements as this could have an impact on the cost of their cover."

Legal & General looks at more than BMI. Its page on high BMI (30 April 2026) says: "We also ask for waist and dress size as another way of assessing your health." Its Underwriting explained leaflet (W10188 09/25) says "Your waist measurement may also affect our final decision." How the rest of a quote works is in how to get life insurance quotes.

What is BMI and how is it calculated?

The NHS's adult BMI page (last reviewed 28 November 2023) says: "The BMI is calculated by dividing an adult's weight in kilograms by their height in metres squared." In its example, a person 1.70 metres tall who weighs 70 kilograms has a BMI of 24.22.

The NHS's obesity page gives the usual adult categories: "a BMI of 25 to 29.9 is overweight" and "a BMI of 30 or more is obese". For people from a South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean background it uses lower thresholds, with "a BMI of 27.5 or higher" counted as obese. It also warns: "The BMI calculation is just one measure of health. It cannot tell the difference between muscle and fat."

Those are health categories; the insurers' tables below are their own. Our page on life insurance without a medical explains how your answers alone can decide a policy.

Do insurers publish a BMI limit?

Some do, mostly in documents for advisers, and each covers one insurer, one product line and one date. None of the following is the market's rule.

  • Royal London. Its BMI sales aid (P1RT0268/7, June 2026) is marked "for financial adviser use only" and shows underwriting outcomes "for BMI values effective from 29 June 2026". The tables run by BMI and age attained, and the outcomes include "Unable to offer". Royal London's adviser page calls the guide "only an indicative guide" that assumes no other health conditions. For life cover the sales aid adds that where the BMI value is above 40 "we may request a miniscreen (with cotinine test if not on smoker rates)".
  • Aviva. For one product only, its Simple Life Insurance, the adviser guide to the qualifying questions (PT23062 12/2025) asks "Do you have a BMI below 17 or above 39?"; a yes means the person is "not eligible to apply" for that product. The guide covers that product alone.
  • Vitality. Its adviser BMI rating parameters (VLS0044_J8741_07/24, July 2024, the version its adviser BMI page linked when read in October 2026) give "Terms not available" at "40.5 and above" in every age band of the life table, and at the low end below 16.5 (below 17.5 from age 71 next birthday). Loadings apply in a band at each end, not across the whole range between.
  • Legal & General. Its page for customers says: "It’s unlikely that you will be able to take out life insurance if you have a BMI score of 40 or above."

These are not like for like: they vary by age and product, they change (Royal London's took effect on 29 June 2026), and they are adviser literature, not an offer. Aviva's page for customers says: "Insurers look at more than just BMI, considering factors such as your overall health, lifestyle, age, and smoking status."

How can a higher or lower BMI change the outcome?

Insurers describe a range of outcomes rather than a single answer. Legal & General's Underwriting explained leaflet says of a high BMI: "we may have to increase your premium or in certain circumstances we may not be able to offer you cover". Among its listed decisions are "Cover on standard terms", cover with an increased premium, and "No cover offered" where "the risk is too high and is likely to remain so".

Aviva's page for customers says "the higher your BMI, the higher the risk you may present to the insurer, which in turn can lead to higher premiums", and is direct about refusal: "Yes, it’s possible to be initially refused life insurance if your BMI is too high."

If you have already been turned down, Aviva's page says “being initially refused cover is not the only outcome, and if you're refused, there are often alternatives”, and that "some insurers specialise in covering high-risk individuals and may offer policies tailored to those with a high BMI". A broker can approach other insurers on your behalf, though none can promise an offer; filling in the form here is a free way to ask one. Our guide to life insurance with medical conditions covers being declined more broadly.

The NHS says "A higher BMI increases the chance of developing long-term conditions, such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease", the same link Legal & General's leaflet gives for looking at build. Blood pressure and cholesterol readings are often asked about alongside weight, and each has its own page: high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

What about a low BMI?

A low BMI is assessed too. Legal & General says: "If you’re underweight (BMI below 18.5), your life insurance could be more expensive", while also saying "we assess every life insurance application on an individual basis". Aviva says that "if your low BMI is due to a naturally slim build and you’re otherwise healthy, you may still be eligible for standard cover", but that where it is linked to underlying health conditions or recent weight loss "we might ask for a bit more information".

The adviser documents above have a low end too: Vitality's life table shows "Terms not available" below 16.5 (below 17.5 from age 71), and a BMI below 17 rules a person out of Aviva's Simple Life Insurance.

Why accurate height and weight matter

The Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012 asks you to take reasonable care to answer accurately, and what an insurer can do about a wrong answer depends on whether it was careless or deliberate; what you must disclose sets out the detail. On height and weight, Royal London says: "If the information provided is incorrect it could also mean that we won’t pay out in the event of a claim." Aviva: "Provide complete and accurate information about your BMI and medical information to avoid potential problems with claiming in the future."

Frequently asked questions

Can I get life insurance if I am obese or have a high BMI?

Aviva says "Having a high BMI doesn't mean you can't get life insurance", and Legal & General says it is possible, with a higher price to be expected. Both also say refusal is possible, and Legal & General calls it unlikely that cover will be available at a BMI of 40 or above.

What is the maximum BMI for life insurance?

There is no common maximum. Vitality's adviser life table (July 2024) gives "Terms not available" at 40.5 and above, Legal & General calls cover unlikely at 40 or above, and Aviva's Simple Life Insurance excludes a BMI above 39. Each figure belongs to one insurer's product and does not carry over to another.

Does BMI make life insurance more expensive?

Generally yes at higher BMIs, according to Aviva and Legal & General, and Legal & General says a low BMI can also increase premiums. Neither insurer gives a price for a BMI; a price comes from a quote on your own details.

Is BMI the only thing insurers use to judge weight?

No. Legal & General says it also asks for waist and dress size, and the NHS notes that BMI "cannot tell the difference between muscle and fat".

When you want an insurer's view of your own figures, enter your height and weight in the form on this page; a call will follow from an FCA-authorised broker who can go through them. More in our health and underwriting guides.

Sources

  • NHS, Calculate your body mass index (BMI) for adults (last reviewed 28 November 2023), read 18 October 2026. nhs.uk
  • NHS, Overweight and obesity in adults (last reviewed 29 April 2026), read 18 October 2026. nhs.uk/conditions/obesity
  • Royal London, BMI Values sales aid (P1RT0268/7, June 2026; adviser literature), read 18 October 2026. adviser.royallondon.com
  • Royal London, BMI (Body Mass Index) adviser page, read 18 October 2026. adviser.royallondon.com
  • Aviva, Simple Life Insurance: Underwriting questions - answered (PT23062 12/2025; adviser literature), read 18 October 2026. static.aviva.io
  • Aviva, Life insurance with high BMI (updated 6 August 2026), read 18 October 2026. aviva.co.uk
  • Legal & General, Life insurance with a high BMI (30 April 2026), read 18 October 2026. legalandgeneral.com
  • Legal & General, Underwriting explained (W10188 09/25), read 18 October 2026. legalandgeneral.com
  • Vitality, BMI rating parameters (VLS0044_J8741_07/24; adviser literature), read 18 October 2026. adviser.vitality.co.uk
  • legislation.gov.uk, Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012, section 2 and Schedule 1, read 18 October 2026. legislation.gov.uk