Smoking and using tobacco in other forms can be dangerous to your health and can also cost money if you are considering purchasing life insurance. Insurers will assess the risks they will take when they insured you, and the increased risk of illnesses like cancer and heart disease in people who use tobacco means they are more likely to charge more for your policies. Bankrate insurance experts will explain what you can expect if you are a cigarette user looking to buy life insurance.
Life insurance for cigarette users
Tobacco use is a leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States, contributing to more than 490,000 deaths per year. The health effects of smoking are clear, and life insurance companies take these risks into consideration when determining the premiums for smokers. If you smoke, expect to pay higher than non-smokers, as you generally classify your insurance company into separate risk classes. Tobacco users are often placed in high-risk categories, and their premium reflects that.
The general risk classifications are as follows:
- Priority Plus
- preferable
- Standard Plus
- standard
- Preferred cigarettes
- Standard cigarette
Although tobacco use can increase costs, some life insurance providers may offer more flexibility depending on the tobacco product you use. Also, if you want to end your cigarette use, many insurance companies can reclassify it in a non-smoker rate category after a certain period of time, usually after a year of no smoking.
Types of cigarettes tested by life insurance companies
Life insurance companies evaluate the use of tobacco in all forms, not just cigarette smoking, when determining risk classes and premiums. Tobacco use places you in all forms, and often in the classification of more expensive smokers. However, each type of tobacco product may have a different impact on your policy depending on the frequency and type of use.
tobacco
Life insurance underwriting classifies applicants as either tobacco risk or non-tobacco risk. Smokers who use cigarettes regularly are considered to be at a higher risk of getting insurance, so if they apply for life insurance as a current cigarette smoker, they will be placed in one of their cigarette risk classes.
cigar
Smoking cigars irregularly may cause some life insurance providers to take you a break. However, underwriting guidelines state that they can usually only smoke a few cigars a year. And some life insurance companies may not distinguish between occasional cigar use and regular cigarette use.
E-cigarette/vaping
Life insurance providers generally do not separate vaping from normal cigarette smoking as additives, tastes and chemicals are harmful to people’s health. If you are using e-cigarettes or vaping products, expect your provider to designate you as a smoker, just as if you were using traditional cigarettes.
Non-smoking products
Products that help you stop smoking, such as nicotine gum and nicotine patch, leave traces of cotinine on your body. Therefore, when using these products, nicotine appears in medical tests. This means that even if the product does not have actual cigarettes, it is likely classified as a cigarette risk.
Chewing cigarettes
Chewed cigarettes are not smoked, but contain nicotine and carcinogens. This has long-term health effects, such as oral cancer and heart disease. Because insurance companies are aware of these risks, chewing cigarette users are usually falling under the smoker category, even if they are not inhaling smoke. This classification, like what you pay as a cigarette smoker, often leads to a higher premium. It is important to shop if you regularly chew tobacco, as some insurers may offer slightly more competitive rates than other premiums for this type of use.
Pipe smoking
Pipe smoking may appear less harmful than cigarettes and cigars, but it still involves the inhalation of nicotine and harmful substances. Health risks include respiratory problems and cancer, especially in the lungs and throat. Most life insurance companies place pipe smokers in the smoker category, leading to a higher premium. However, if you only smoke a pipe in rare cases, some insurance companies can qualify for non-smoker fees. It is worth noting that honesty about pipe smoking habits is essential, as inaccurate information can be rejected.
Marian
Marijuana use presents a unique case when it comes to classifying life insurance. Occasional or social use may not automatically be placed in the smoker category, depending on the insurance company. They usually focus on two important factors: How marijuana is consumed – whether it is being photographed as smoked, vaped, or eadible, and how often it is used. For example, smoking marijuana regularly is more likely to lead to the classification of smokers, resulting in a higher premium. However, you can qualify for non-smoking fees, especially through occasional use in non-smoking forms.
If you have a medical marijuana prescription, insurance companies usually focus more on the underlying health condition, rather than using the marijuana itself. However, the nature of the condition can still affect classification. Chronic or severe health issues can lead to a higher premium regardless of how you use marijuana. Like all substances, it is important to do it in advance about what you use when applying for life insurance.
How does the insurance company know if I use cigarettes?
In addition to medical testing, most life insurance applications ask if you have used tobacco products within the last 12 months. It’s important to be honest about cigarette use, as insurance companies can request everything from prescription history to comprehensive medical records. They can also review public social media posts to see if they are watching smoking in photos or talking about cigarette use.
Life Insurance Nicotine Test
Life insurance nicotine tests can take several forms and can be part of the health checkup that the insurance company needs before covering you. The test can be used to test nicotine using saliva tests, urine, or blood samples. In some cases, you may check your hair sample for signs of nicotine or cotinine. One of these tests indicates whether you have ever used tobacco at any time in the recent past.
How long does nicotine stay in your system?
How long the nicotine in your system lasts depends on several factors, including the amount used and how well your body is treating the substance. The tests used may differ in how sensitive they are in determining the presence of nicotine.
Blood, urine and saliva testing are the most commonly used assessments. You may also be asked to test your hair, but it’s not that likely. The breakdown of general tests and how long can nicotine or cotinine be detected are as follows:
- Blood test: Nicotine is usually detectable for 1-3 days after use, but cotinine can last up to 10 days.
- Urine test: Nicotine and cotinine are usually not detectable after 3-4 days, but smoking menthol cigarettes may be detectable for longer.
- Saliva test: Saliva testing is considered to be extremely sensitive and can detect cotinine for up to 4 days.
- Hair Test: Hair tests are reliable for long-term detection and use nicotine for 1-3 months. In some cases, nicotine can be detected for up to 12 months.
To qualify for non-smoker fees, most life insurance companies require that you do not include cigarettes for at least 12 months. Even if you don’t see nicotine on your test, it’s important to be honest about your smoking history. Lies can lead to denial of claims and even legal consequences from insurance fraud.
How previous cigarette users get the same rate as non-users
When you sign up for a new life insurance policy, your provider will ask if you have probably used nicotine in the last 12 months. To be considered a life insurance non-smoker, you should generally be free of nicotine for at least one year.
If you already have life insurance and have stopped smoking, if you think you’ll clean up your nicotine test, we can offer you a rethinking of your rates. Again, for 12 months, the minimum time frame insurers usually prefer to prefer tobacco free.
At this point, the provider will likely need to go through a different medical check-up. You also have the option to search for another provider and start a new start with the new Nonsmoker Life Insurance Policy. However, it is important not to cancel the current policy until the new policy is 100% active. You don’t want to be left uninsured.
