Smokers Saudi Arabia will have to pay an increased premium for their health insurance policies, Health Minister Hamad Al-Manie said while spelling out a series of measures to be undertaken by his ministry to discourage smoking. The minister has directed insurance companies to categorise between smokers and non-smokers, and to impose an additional premium for smokers since they fall in a high-risk class. Smoking was the main cause of 3.38 million deaths worldwide, including 13,544 in Saudi Arabia, last year. Smoking is expected to kill 500 million people by 2030, predicted a joint report issued by the World Health Organisation and the World Bank in 2000. Al-Manie said his ministry would not entertain any business transactions from tobacco companies in future.
INCREASED INSURANCE PREMIUM FOR SMOKERS
Smokers Saudi Arabia will have to pay an increased premium for their health insurance policies, Health Minister Hamad Al-Manie said while spelling out a series of measures to be undertaken by his ministry to discourage smoking.
