General Insurance✓ Verified · outline & fact-checked · Sep 2026Difficulty 1/5
Which of the following is a physical hazard in the context of health insurance underwriting?
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Answer & full 3-part explanation (select an option above, or peek)
Why A is correct
A physical hazard is a tangible, objectively verifiable condition that increases the chance of loss. A diagnosed heart condition is exactly that — a medical fact the underwriter can confirm and price. Physical hazards in health insurance include preexisting conditions, hazardous occupations, and habits such as smoking. They are the basis for risk classification and are distinguished from moral hazards (dishonesty), morale hazards (carelessness), and perils (the causes of loss).
Why the other options are wrong
- B) Intending to conceal treatment is dishonesty, which is a moral hazard, not a physical one.
- C) Ignoring symptoms because coverage exists is indifference — a morale hazard.
- D) The accident is the peril, the event that causes the loss, not a condition that makes it more likely.
Memory hook
A heart condition is a fact you can touch; dishonesty is moral, complacency is morale.