A large proportion of UK residents risk having their life insurance or critical illness cover cancelled because they mislead providers about the state of their health.
In new research conducted by Norwich Union, it was revealed that out of the 1,460 adults polled, more than half (58 per cent) are embarrassed about their lifestyle, although they are more likely to make false claims than change their bad habits.
Up to one in 14 customers admitted lying about their health and lifestyle when it came to filling in application forms, whether it concerned smoking, drinking, exercise or eating patterns.
Psychologist Corinne Sweet remarked: "People can minimise their bad habits when put on the spot at the doctor's or when registering at the gym because they fear facing the truth about their behaviour.
"The problem is, being economical with the truth about your bad habits means you won't do anything to improve your health.
"Plus, you may be sitting on a health time bomb, like heart disease, without realising until it's too late."
Previous research by the life insurance giant also indicated that a significant number of people in the UK are flexible with the truth when applying for either life cover or a critical illness policy.
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