[brigandish]

> Alcoholism isn’t really the same as skiing.

Statistical methods can be used to assess the risk of each.

> I believe it’s pretty widely accepted that some component of addiction and substance abuse is genetic / hereditary. The same is true of depression.

High risk people should:

a) have most costly insurance against those things

b) be given help to avoid those things, which

c) could be used to reduce the cost of their premiums

Men are more prone to violence and also more likely to be victims of violence, and this is largely biological (hence the huge disparity between the sexes) - would that be some sort of excuse? Should men and women pay the same for the same relevant insurance even though they present wildly different risks of both perpetrating and befalling violence? That would be unfair.

I'm firmly in the "you are responsible for your life as an adult" camp. From a family of smokers thus making you more likely to be a smoker? Don't smoke. History of alcoholism in your family? Don't drink… need I go on?