Time to Jog: John Hancock Offers Discount for Good Behavior

The program will be run by Discovery Ltd.’s Vitality Group division, which operates wellness programs for companies. Participants’ premiums can rise or fall depending on where they rank in four tiers, from bronze to platinum. The approach is new for U.S. life insurers, where customers often lock rates for decades after an initial evaluation.

Health and auto insurers are already using technology to track customers and encourage safe behaviors. Progressive Corp. runs a monitoring program known as Snapshot that rewards customers who drive fewer miles, avoid hard braking and minimize travel from midnight to 4 a.m. And about 80% of all large companies now tie their health insurance plans to wellness programs to control costs, according to benefits consultant Towers Watson.