{"id":370,"date":"2023-11-27T13:52:35","date_gmt":"2023-11-27T13:52:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/policyarchitects.com\/CN\/can-i-get-life-insurance-if-i-smoke-yep-but-its-gonna-cost-ya\/"},"modified":"2024-09-04T02:43:14","modified_gmt":"2024-09-04T02:43:14","slug":"smoking-and-life-insurance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/policyarchitects.com\/CN\/smoking-and-life-insurance\/","title":{"rendered":"Smoking and Life Insurance: What’s the Impact?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Smoking and life insurance – can I get coverage if I smoke? <\/strong>You sure can – but as you can guess, you won’t get the same rates as a non-smoker.<\/p>\n

This is a common question, probably\u00a0because health anxiety is prevalent among people who are looking for insurance.<\/em><\/p>\n

I think a lot of it concerns the unknown nature of your physical well-being until you get the actual results back. Let’s face it: no one enjoys having blood drawn at the doctor’s office.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Almost all of us have that moment or two when we think – what if something is wrong?<\/em><\/p>\n

The good news is, thankfully, that most of us are healthier than we think.<\/a><\/p>\n

…but what if you smoke? Does that knock you out of the running for life insurance coverage altogether?<\/strong><\/p>\n

My Name is James Heidebrecht – I’m the Founder of Policy Architects, and I Enjoy the Occasional Cigar<\/h3>\n

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t partake often; it’s a celebratory sort of thing. My brother and I like to hang out on his front porch on the first warm day to celebrate spring with a cigar and a nice bottle of red wine…<\/strong><\/p>\n

I also had one when my son was born and when I got married. You get the trend. It’s a once-in-a-blue-moon sort of thing.<\/p>\n

Did I tell my agent when I bought my policy? After all, I rarely smoke a cigar. Why risk it?<\/p>\n

WRONG, of course, I told him! When applying for life insurance, transparency is critical.<\/p>\n

But I bet you ask yourself if this disclosure impacted my application process. Not really.<\/p>\n

He said, “no problem, most insurance companies will offer occasional cigar smokers, non-smoker rates.”<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Smoking and Life Insurance: Can you Get Life Insurance If You Smoke?<\/h2>\n

If you are wondering – can I get life insurance if I smoke?<\/p>\n

I have some good news for you. Yes, you can!\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

But there are some things you need to think about BEFORE you apply for life insurance as a smoker.<\/p>\n

Remember, life insurance is all about assessing risky friends. When you answer your agent’s questions and take that medical exam, the life insurance company compiles that data and assigns you a “rating.”\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

A rating assigns you a risk category corresponding to your age. Your rating determines what you pay.\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Underwriters are professionals who determine your rating. They consider your medical condition, that of your immediate family, lifestyle, and age to generate your monthly or annual premium.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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“One of the more fulfilling parts of my job as a doctor is helping people to quit smoking.”<\/p>\n

“Physicians have a front-row seat to the bodily harm tobacco smoking can cause. When I assess a patient who is a smoker, I do it through that lens.”<\/p>\n

“I know that patient is at higher risk for developing lung disease, like COPD, and is more vulnerable to chest infections.<\/p>\n

They are at higher risk for lung cancer \u2014 that’s the one that we are all familiar with when it comes to smoking \u2014 but also for cancers of the bladder, colon, mouth, sinuses, throat, kidneys, pancreas and others.”<\/p>\n

Smoking is just as bad for you as you think it is, CBC.com<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Underwriters Notice Your Smoking Status<\/h3>\n

Yep! This is because smoking is known to reduce the number of years you are on this planet.<\/strong> To give you an idea of how harmful smoking is…<\/p>\n

…the life expectancy of a smoker is an entire decade less than that of a smoker. OUCH!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

This is the reason smokers pay a heck of a lot more for their habit if they want life insurance coverage. So, if you are following my blog and took note of the rates for a standard nonsmoking applicant, you CAN’T rely on them if you are a smoker.<\/p>\n

What You Smoke & Why It Matters<\/h2>\n

Not all smoking is created equal. By this, I mean that underwriters look at smoking cigarettes differently than the occasional cigar.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Why? Because the effects on the body are different. So, let’s see how various products affect filling out your life insurance application.<\/em><\/p>\n

Life Insurance & The Occasional Cigar<\/h3>\n

Well, I have excellent news for occasional cigar smokers!<\/p>\n

Mostly, life insurance companies will not rate you as a smoker.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

It’s all about quantity. If you smoke once per month and don’t test positive for cotinine in your medical exam, voila!<\/p>\n

But please beware – some life insurance companies are far more lenient when it comes to smoking than others.<\/strong> This means speaking to an independent agent to select the right company for you is imperative.<\/a><\/p>\n

So, for your purposes, One cigar per month or less translates into nonsmoking rates.\u00a0<\/strong>By the way, those small Colt cigars or cigarillos don’t count as cigars, the insurance company views those products as cigarettes.<\/p>\n

Life Insurance & Cigarettes<\/h3>\n

Sorry, guys and gals! If you smoke cigarettes, you get a smoking rate, period. There is no way around this, even if you are only an occasional smoker. If you use tobacco in any form, even if it’s mixed with cannabis, the insurance companies will look at you as a smoker.<\/p>\n

This is because of the incredibly harmful impact smoking nicotine has on your health.<\/p>\n

If you think I am exaggerating, take a look at this list:<\/p>\n