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Model Tess Holliday claims she was denied life insurance for weighing 'over 300 lbs'

Tess Holliday on Wednesday claimed she was denied life insurance coverage by the "fatphobic" system because she weighs more than 300 pounds.

U.S. NewsBy Wire ServicesFebruary 26, 20263 min read

Last updated: April 3, 2026, 8:01 PM

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Model Tess Holliday claims she was denied life insurance for weighing 'over 300 lbs'

The 40-year-old called the 'medical industrial complex' fatphobic after allegedly being rejected by AAA despite having no health issues

Video Fox News Flash top entertainment headlines of Feb. 26 Fox News Flash top entertainment and celebrity headlines are here.

Model Tess Holliday on Wednesday claimed that she was denied life insurance coverage because of her weight.

"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 said sarcastically in a TikTok video.

"Am I 5 foot 3 and do I weigh over 300 lbs.?" she continued. "And apparently that makes me ineligible for life insurance. Yeah, it does."

She added that she works out every day, has no preexisting conditions and doesn’t take any medication.

Model Tess Holliday claims she was denied life insurance over her weight. (Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images)

The plus-size model went on to call the "medical industrial complex" "fatphobic," claiming the "system is broken."

"That’s my bad and that’s on me," she added sarcastically. "And honestly, it won’t happen again. Lesson learned."

In the caption of her post she wrote "AAA you did me dirty man," adding to a commenter that she was "shook" over the incident.

"But hey, I also understand that the medical industrial complex is fatphobic and inherently the system is broken." — Tess Holliday

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Fox News Digital has reached out to AAA for comment.

Last week, Holliday posed in a green bikini with the word "fat" on it and a caption in her video that said "POV: you lost weight but never made it your personality."

She added in a separate caption to the video: "Imagine calling self-acceptance toxic. Couldn’t be me."

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The 40-year-old called the medical system "fatphobic." (Raymond Hall/GC Images)

Holliday said she had brought back the "#effyourbeautystandards" movement she started "because this message still matters. 13 years after I created the movement, we still need the reminder," she wrote. "Maybe now more than ever."

Last fall, the model said she was left in a "state of shock" after a flight attendant suggested she lose weight.

The 40-year-old said she was flying first class on United from Tampa, Florida, with her 9-year-old son when she got up to use the airplane bathroom.

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"I was in the restroom, and my hip hit the flight attendant call button," she told People magazine. "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."

She said he continued to tell her about his sister whom he said was "very, very large, probably [Holliday’s] size," who had been discriminated against on a flight recently.

Holliday said she brought back the "#effyourbeautystandards" movement. (Presley Ann/Getty Images for Betsey Johnson)

"He said that his sister needed to lose weight as well, and that the long-term effect on our bodies isn’t good for our health," she said. "This went on for about 10 minutes, and I think I was just frozen. I didn’t want to make a scene because my son was flying with me, but I was also in a state of shock."

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