term life insurance for ex and current smokers choice

life insurance for tobacco users

Yes, smokers can get life insurance. But , expect to pay more than a non-smoker. This is because smoking cigarettes is a well-known health risk that can impact the length of your life. Life expectancy is an important cost factor for insurance companies to determine their rates.

It is possible to refuse a life insurance plan for a smoker, when you also suffer from certain medical conditions, such as smoking-related illnesses. You may also be excluded from insurance when you falsely claim on your application to have smoking cigarettes.

Life expectancy is the base to determine the life insurance rate. Therefore, factors that affect your risk of "mortality," or life insurance expectation, are incorporated into quotes for life insurance.

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About 43% of life insurance applicants didn't disclose their tobacco habits, according to ExamOne, which performs medical exams for life insurance companies. That's based on the number of people who had cotinine in their testing analysis but said they didn't smoke. Younger applicants are the most likely to fail to disclose their tobacco use.

Although you may need to shop around, you should be able to find a suitable policy. To help people who smoke and are looking for life insurance policies, we reviewed policy prices, coverage options and limits, and other features before making our top choices. Please continue reading to discover which companies made our list of the best life insurance for smokers.

Whole-life policies also accrue cash value over time, allowing you to borrow against them or withdraw the accumulated value.

term life insurance for ex and current smokers choice

can ex smokers get life insurance

No. If you're honest about smoking on your life insurance application, smoking will not void a life insurance policy. It's important to be truthful about your smoking history on your application and during your medical exam. Some insurance companies may test for nicotine during the application process to check if you're a smoker.

The life insurance industry is determined to identify smokers who aren't telling the truth. Life insurance companies lose $3.4 billion annually in premiums due to unseen smoking, According to Verisk an analytics and data company.

If you've passed that time threshold, you can ask for the rate to be reconsidered. That means you'll take a new life insurance medical exam and re-evaluate your health. If you've also developed new medical conditions in the interim, those will factor into the new rate. So getting a re-rating isn't necessarily a slam dunk after you've quit smoking.

can ex smokers get life insurance
term life insurance for ex and current smokers made

term life insurance for ex and current smokers made

It is possible to wonder if stopping smoking cigarettes is a good option as is applying for life insurance. Although this could result in higher rates, delaying purchasing life insurance is not a wise idea.

To be considered a non-smoker for life insurance purposes, providers usually want you to be smoke-free for a year. Even if you quit smoking months ago and don't think the insurance company will be able to detect anything in your system, you should never lie about your smoking habits or when you quit.

If you bought life insurance at a premium that was a smoker and you have resigned for at the very least a year, you might be eligible for an affordable cost. It is possible to ask the life insurance company how the time you have to stop smoking to qualify as an non-smoker.

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If you have purchased life insurance at a premium that was a smoker and you have resigned for at least one year, you might be eligible for an affordable cost. It is possible to ask your life insurance company for how the time you have to stop smoking in order before they can consider you to be a non-smoker.

For example, you might be diagnosed with a new health issue when stopping smoking, which could result in higher health costs. And even more importantly, you might die without having a plan in place, putting your family members in a difficult position.

It is possible to wonder if stopping smoking cigarettes is a good idea and if you should apply for an insurance policy for life. Although this could result in higher rates, it's not a good idea to put off buying life insurance.

term life insurance for ex and current smokers breath
term life insurance for ex and current smokers breath

Yes, smokers can get life insurance. But , expect to pay more than than a non-smoker. This is because smoking cigarettes is a known health risk and can affect the length of your life. Life expectancy is a key cost factor for insurance companies when they decide on their rates.

If you're looking for motivation to stop sooner rather than later, many insurance companies include a waiting period before you can be classified as a non-smoker. This waiting period is usually at least a year. Once you cross that waiting period, your rates could drop and reach those of a "never-smoker" a few years later.

What happens if you're not honest about your smoking and tobacco use when you apply? Pass away during the contestability period (the year or two after your death), and your insurer finds out you were smoking or using tobacco products. The policy may be void, and your beneficiaries may not receive the death benefit.

best term life insurance for smokers

Certain life insurance policies require a medical check-up. Certain policies such as guarantee issue insurance do not require a medical exam and come with no health-related questions. The rates are based on your gender, age and the coverage amount.

Yes, you can purchase life insurance even when you smoke cigarettes, chew tobacco or vape. If you're worried that there's no life insurance options available, do not be discouraged. Because of this life insurance can be more costly, but there are still options. If you decide to quit, you'll have more options , and possibly lower rates over time.

Smoking cigarettes among adults is at a record low of just 14% in the latest report of the surgeon general. But , 16 million Americans suffer from smoking-related diseases. It's not necessary to suffer from the health effects of having to pay more expensive life insurance rates. Smoking cigarettes will generally lead to higher premiums when purchasing life insurance.

best term life insurance for smokers

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Frequently Asked Questions


'Ex-smoking' refers to someone who has smoked more than 100 cigarettes in their lifetime but has not smoked in the last 28 days. The international convention is to treat someone as an ex-smoker once they have been smoke-free for one month (at least 28 days).


The average cost of life insurance for a smoker is $87.71 per month — that's four times more expensive than a healthy individual's average life insurance premium, which is $24.82 per month. Several factors determine your rate.


Insurers insist on medical tests to detect regular smokers and determine the premiums for coverage. Traces of nicotine can be seen in your blood, urine, hair, and saliva. The length of time nicotine stays in your system depends on how often you smoke, age, and general health condition.