Perhaps a higher premium for their policy because they're knowingly endangering their health would be appropriate, but I don't think they should be denied of it completely.
There is no business law against (actually I think most businesses take advantage of it) being stupid NOR is there any legal standard that you can not be an idiot.
Screening questions about smoking, drinking, lifestyle, age.... all help to establish your individual life insurance premium already. This is already in place.
I have noticed a real "Survival of the Fittest... or at least the healthiest choice" mentallity on this topic from normally pretty humanity minded folks - as well as the same people who want to minimize government involvement in our private lives...how can gov./businesses (insurance) know any of this very specific data if they follow the 'hands off policy' previously discussed?
Should insurance companies get a copy/require annual check ups to make sure that you are within your healthy wt, blood pressure, heart rate, cholesteral levels.... in order to calculate rates? If smoking constitutes a "your stupid and on your own" mentallity, what about bad eating habits, obesity, sanitary habits... that also put us into statistical risk categories just as much as any smoking would?
Insurance works from profit and risk models. If your health insurance doled out a lot of money on you last year, you will have a higher premium the next. Same with car insurance, life insurance rates.... there are already things like this in place.
