A few years back, I went for a “wellness assessment” at work. You know the drill: stand on the scale, hold out your arm for a blood pressure cuff, and brace yourself for that awkward silence when the nurse reads out your BMI. I remember thinking, how is this really going to change anything? Sure, the HR manager promised that healthier employees meant lower healthcare costs and, possibly, some incentives. But at the time, it just felt like another box to tick.
Fast forward, and Momentum has taken this idea of health assessments and turned it into something bigger with their LifeReturns® benefit. Essentially, if you prove you’re in decent shape—or at least not heading for a medical crisis—you can supposedly pay less for your life insurance. It’s a bold idea. But does it actually work in practice? And maybe more importantly, is it fair?
Let’s break it down.
The Basic Pitch: Healthier Life, Cheaper Cover
Momentum’s LifeReturns® is positioned as a way to “reward” healthier lifestyle choices. The promise is pretty straightforward: if you take a health assessment and it shows that you’re in good condition, your life cover premiums may be reduced. Conversely, if your results aren’t so great, you might not get a discount—or in some cases, you could be nudged toward improving your health before qualifying.
On paper, this sounds empowering. Who wouldn’t want to save money for taking care of themselves? If you’re a non-smoker, eat your greens, and hit the gym a few times a week, it seems logical you’d pose less of a risk to an insurer than someone who smokes a pack a day and lives off vetkoek and Coke.
But reality, as usual, complicates things.
What These Assessments Actually Look Like
Health assessments aren’t a single test. They usually involve a combination of biometric checks: blood pressure, cholesterol levels, BMI, waist circumference, blood sugar, maybe even a basic stress test. Some insurers also include a questionnaire about your lifestyle, which is where you might get asked about your exercise routine or alcohol consumption.
For many people, these tests are manageable, even reassuring. A friend of mine, who used to dread doctor visits, was surprised when his cholesterol came back better than expected. He not only got a small discount but also walked away with a confidence boost.
But others don’t have such positive stories. One colleague failed the waist circumference measurement despite running half-marathons, simply because her body type didn’t fit the standard chart. She joked about being “penalised for having hips,” but there was a sting behind the humour. Her results didn’t match her lived reality of being fit, and the premium reduction she expected never materialised.
This raises a thorny question: are these tests accurate indicators of long-term health risk, or are they just convenient proxies?
The Science (and the Shortcuts)
Insurers lean heavily on statistics. Decades of data show patterns: high blood pressure correlates with heart disease; smoking increases the likelihood of cancer; obesity links to diabetes. These correlations make sense at a population level. But when applied to individuals, the story gets fuzzy.
Take BMI, for instance. It was never designed to measure individual health, and yet it still crops up in assessments. A muscular rugby player could end up classified as “obese,” while a sedentary but naturally thin person might sail through. One looks healthier on paper, but we all know the risks don’t play out that neatly.
Momentum isn’t blind to these nuances, but their model still has to simplify reality into categories. That’s the trade-off of scaling an incentive program: you can’t personalise it down to every exception, even if those exceptions are glaring to the people who fall into them.
The Emotional Side: Motivating or Stress-Inducing?
When you hear “cheaper premiums if you’re healthy,” it’s easy to assume everyone wins. But the psychological impact isn’t always positive. For some, the idea of being measured, judged, and financially rewarded—or penalised—based on health metrics adds a layer of stress.
I remember a neighbour who signed up for a similar program, only to feel crushed when his blood sugar flagged him as “high risk.” Instead of motivating him, it left him feeling branded, like the insurer saw him as a liability rather than a person working through health challenges.
The danger here is subtle: programs like LifeReturns® may unintentionally widen the gap between those already on a health kick and those struggling to get there. If you’re juggling three jobs, battling stress, and barely finding time to cook, the last thing you need is an insurer reminding you that your lifestyle choices are “costing more.”
The Fairness Debate
Another layer worth poking at: fairness. Is it fair to charge different people different premiums based on health markers? On one hand, it seems rational—risk-based pricing is the bedrock of insurance. On the other, life circumstances complicate the picture.
A middle-class professional with access to gyms, time for meal prep, and private healthcare stands a much better chance of acing a health assessment than someone in a township working two shifts a day with limited food options. So while the system rewards “healthy living,” it might also penalise those whose environments make healthy choices harder.
Momentum would argue they’re incentivising wellness, not punishing poverty. Yet, from the outside, the line can feel blurry.
The Business Side: Why Insurers Love This Model
From a corporate perspective, LifeReturns® is clever. By encouraging healthier behaviour, Momentum reduces the likelihood of paying out early death claims. That means better margins. And if policyholders feel good about getting a discount, loyalty increases.
There’s also the data angle. These assessments give insurers valuable insights into the health profiles of their customers. It’s not just about your premium today—it’s about building predictive models for the future. That might sound clinical, but in a world where data is the new oil, it’s hard to ignore the strategic value.
Of course, the skeptic in me can’t help but wonder: is the discount always as generous as it sounds, or is it just enough to make people feel rewarded while the insurer reaps most of the benefit?
Could It Backfire?
Here’s a scenario worth imagining: what if too many people improve their health and qualify for discounts? In theory, that would cut into the insurer’s profits. But insurers are masters of actuarial balancing. They’ll structure the program so that the overall pool remains profitable. Which means—let’s be honest—the house always wins.
There’s also the risk of alienating customers who feel misrepresented by the assessments. If enough people believe they’re being unfairly judged, the goodwill Momentum is banking on could erode.
And then there’s the broader cultural question: do we really want insurers playing the role of lifestyle coaches? Some folks appreciate the nudge. Others bristle at the idea of a corporate entity weighing in on how they live.
A Personal Lens: Would I Sign Up?
If I’m honest, part of me likes the idea. I exercise regularly, don’t smoke, and my last cholesterol check wasn’t too shabby. So yes, I’d probably qualify for a lower premium. That feels like easy money.
But I can’t shake the thought of my neighbour, who struggled with his blood sugar. Should he really be paying more for cover simply because his body isn’t cooperating, even though he’s trying? Insurance is supposed to be about pooling risk, not slicing people into categories so finely that solidarity disappears.
So while I might enjoy the discount, I’d do it with a twinge of discomfort—knowing that my “win” comes partly at someone else’s expense.
Looking Ahead: A Glimpse of the Future?
It does seem likely that programs like LifeReturns® are a preview of where life insurance is heading. With wearables tracking steps, heart rates, even sleep patterns, insurers will increasingly nudge policyholders to hand over health data in exchange for better deals. Some may embrace it; others may see it as surveillance dressed up as wellness.
The big question is how far we’re willing to let that go. Today it’s blood tests and BMI. Tomorrow it could be your smartwatch pinging Momentum when you skip a week of exercise. That might sound far-fetched, but tech trends suggest otherwise.
Whether that future feels exciting or intrusive probably depends on your personality—and your health status.
Final Thoughts
Momentum’s LifeReturns® sits at the intersection of good intentions, clever business, and ethical grey areas. It rewards healthy living, but only within the narrow definitions insurers are comfortable measuring. It saves some people money, while leaving others feeling excluded or penalised. It’s innovative, yes, but also imperfect.
So, can health assessments really lower your life cover premiums? Yes, in many cases they can. But whether they should, and whether the trade-offs are worth it, remains a far trickier conversation.
For now, if you’re curious, it might be worth taking the assessment and seeing where you land. Just go in with open eyes: the numbers on that printout don’t tell your whole story, and they certainly shouldn’t define your worth.
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