Insurance firm rewards customers who live healthier lifestyles with holiday discounts

The radical move by Prudential comes shortly after it emerged that Britain tops the league of shame as the fattest country in Europe.

Almost six in ten women in England and Scotland are overweight or obese, and at least two-thirds of men are too heavy for their height.

Reward: The Prudential insurance firm is offering customers holiday discounts if they live a healthier lifestyle

In a desperate bid to fight the flab and to get fit, Prudential is planning to start 'paying' people to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

If they do healthy things, such as go to the gym, stop smoking or buy fruit and vegetables, they will be eligible for some coveted prizes.

They include the chance to pay just £10 for a return ticket on Eurostar to Paris, Lille or Brussels three times a year.

Alternatively, they could get a 40 per cent discount off an unlimited number of holidays every year with the travel company Mark Warner.

The average price of a Mark Warner holiday is £2,000, which means a Prudential customer could save themselves £800.

Shaun Matisonn, chief executive of PruHealth and PruProtect, said: 'The most telling statistics show today's children will have lower life expectancy than their parents.

'This is the first time that this has happened in centuries.

'One third of cancers can be avoidable due to lifestyle choices, mainly obesity and cutting out smoking.

'We all know what we should be doing to look after ourselves, but we need encouragement to make these changes.'

The complicated scheme applies to people who take out Prudential's private medical insurance, PruHealth, or a life insurance policy, PruProtect.

There are four levels of membership - Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Everybody starts as a 'Bronze' whatever their weight or fitness.

After earning 1,000 of so-called 'Vitality' points, you are promoted to Silver, 1,500 to Gold and 2,000 to Platinum.

Points are earned in different ways, such as 10 points for going to the gym or 200 points for stopping smoking.

Alternatively, they can earn up to 40 Nectar points for every £1 spent on fruit and vegetables at Sainsbury's, which would normally earn only two points.

The best benefits are earned by Platinum members. For example, a Bronze member would pay £75 for a return ticket on Eurostar, a Silver member pays £50, a Gold member pays £25 and a Platinum member pays just £10.

The new incentive scheme, which will come into force in August, is an extension of a smaller scheme which was launched last year.

Around 170,000 people have signed up to PrHealth and PruProtect has attracted about 1,500 customers since its launch in September.

Yesterday Matt Morris, a policy adviser from LifeSearch, a specialist financial adviser, said the offer is not just a gimmick.

He said: 'If they were using these extras to flog a poor product then that would be a problem.

'But these products stack up on their own.

'From the company's point of view, the healthier customers keep themselves, the less likely they are to have to pay out so it is a win both ways.'

The Prudential said the launch had been timed to coincide with a time when people have less disposable income.

As a result, many of the incentives should be more appealing to people who are trying to save money.

It comes at a time when many firms are charging higher premiums if people are overweight or obese.

The 'fat tax' means the cost of getting life insurance can soar for people who are battling the bulge.

For a 55-year-old man who is a healthy, non-smoker with no weight problems, life insurance would cost about £1,000 a year for £150,000 of cover.

But, if they are obese, their annual premium for the 25-year policy will cost an extra £500.