Tess Holliday Declared Ineligible for Life Insurance Due to Weight
Plus-size model Tess Holliday has publicly claimed that a life insurance company denied her coverage solely because of her weight, despite her assertion of leading a healthy lifestyle. In a recent TikTok video posted earlier this week, the 40-year-old model expressed frustration over being deemed ineligible, highlighting what she describes as systemic fatphobia within the medical and insurance industries.
Model Details Her Health Profile and Insurance Rejection
Holliday, who stands at 5-foot-3 and weighs over 300 pounds, sarcastically remarked in her video, "I'm sorry. Yes, I did think that I could get life insurance as a 40-year-old, non-smoking, non-drinking, non-health issue having human. That was honestly my bad." She emphasized that she exercises daily, takes no medications, and has no preexisting conditions, yet these factors did not influence the insurance decision. The model stated bluntly, "Am I 5-foot-3, and do I weigh over 300 pounds? And, apparently, that makes me ineligible for life insurance? Yeah, it does."
Criticism of Systemic Fatphobia in Insurance
In her TikTok post, Holliday went further to critique the broader system, saying, "I also understand that the medical industrial complex is fatphobic and the system is broken. That's my bad, and that's on me. And, honestly, it won't happen again. Lesson learned." Her comments have sparked a wider conversation about weight-based discrimination in insurance underwriting, where individuals may be denied coverage or face higher premiums based on body mass index (BMI) or weight alone, regardless of other health indicators.
Public Response and Shared Experiences of Denial
The video resonated with many viewers, who flooded the comments section with similar stories of insurance denial due to weight. One person wrote, "I have gotten denied soo many times! No health problems. Just 5'7 and 400 is enough for them to say nope." Another shared, "Me too, then I lost 75 pounds and was still denied because of my BMI. Just open a RothIRA and pay the highest yearly allowance. It's relatively cheaper and grows better and I can start receiving it in 15 years." A third commenter added, "They denied me too because they said I have diabetes. I had gestational diabetes 9 years ago and no issues since." These anecdotes underscore a pattern where weight alone can override other health factors in insurance assessments.
Previous Incident of Fatphobia Highlighted
This is not the first time Holliday has spoken out against weight discrimination. Months prior, she addressed a fatphobic comment from a flight attendant, as reported by People magazine last year. Holliday recounted, "When I came out of the bathroom, the flight attendant then started to tell me that they noticed I was traveling with my child, and that losing weight would be in my best interest." The attendant compared her to his sister, saying she was "very, very large, probably [Holliday's] size" and that weight loss was necessary for long-term health. Holliday described feeling frozen and in shock during the 10-minute encounter, opting not to make a scene due to her son's presence.
The model's experiences have brought renewed attention to the challenges faced by plus-size individuals in sectors like insurance and travel, where weight-based biases can lead to exclusion and stigmatization. As discussions around body positivity and health equity continue, Holliday's case highlights the need for more nuanced and fair practices in insurance underwriting and beyond.
