Women face considerable health protection gaps, lower levels of financial literacy and inclusion, and a higher risk of old-age poverty compared to men. They are often treated as “small men,” receiving only lower doses of medications tested just on men.

On the medical side, we see differences in health issues, clinical trials and treatments/therapies between men and women.

On the behavioral side, we observe differences in physical activities. Men are more active. The good news is for women is that already walking has a positive impact. Women in average take better care on nutrition and slightly also on sleep.

Men are slightly smoking more than women. However, the female body reacts differently to tobacco than the male body. The vascular system and blood clotting mechanisms function differently, which increases the risk of a blood clot forming, which can lead to a thrombosis, stroke, heart attack or peripheral arterial disease.

Despite the above-described difference in behavior and the fact that men suffer more from obesity, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure than women, the main causes of death are the same: cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Another shocking aspect is, that women remain disproportionately exposed to cardiovascular death. After 30 days of a heart attack the mortality for men is 5 % for but 12 % for women. This disparity is largely due to misdiagnosis and the fact that medical research and treatments are predominantly based on male subjects.

These neglected aspects of women’s health present significant challenges and risks for (re)insurers. However, they also offer opportunities to address the unique needs of both existing and new customers in terms of developing new products and offering suitable prevention programs, not only to avoid claims but also to offer support in the event of a claim.