Of all the variables that determine life insurance premiums, one of the greatest impacts is smoking status. The life insurance segment of the insurance business considers smoking riskier than other types of insurance. For that reason, smokers will pay more for life insurance than a non-smoker. Smokers are considered a high-risk health category by life insurance companies. The insurance company will ask questions about tobacco and life insurance, your health history, and your health habits (like smoking) within the first 100 words of your life insurance application. This is because of the undeniable health risks and premiums correlation that insurers use to classify applicants.
In this blog, we’ll break down exactly how smoking affects your health and insurance premiums, how insurers classify applicants, the cost difference between smokers and non-smokers, and why quitting now can translate into real financial and health benefits.
Life insurance is risk-based. Insurers determine how probable you are to make a claim (or, in the case of life insurance, how quickly a death benefit is likely to be paid). Because smoking is medically established as a cause of many health issues—ranging from heart disease and lung cancer to stroke—insurers consider it a definite red flag.
Smoking and insurance rates are so intertwined that even the occasional use of tobacco, like cigars or chewing tobacco, can classify you into a higher risk level.
A smoker can pay 2 to 4 times more than a non-smoker for the same life insurance policy. For instance:
Not just cigarette smoking is taken into account. Insurers will usually inquire about the following:
If you have nicotine or tobacco in your system, you'll probably be categorized as a smoker—no matter how rarely you smoke or smoke socially.
Life insurance policies and tobacco usage tend to be quite stringent. Being a positive test on your medical examination—even if you insisted you're a non-smoker—can invalidate your application or initiate significantly higher premiums.
Insurers have decades of evidence indicating that smokers are much more likely to develop:
Each of these conditions raises the risk of premature death and severe illness, which translates into more expenses for insurers.
That's why health risks and premiums go together. If you're a smoker, you can expect to pay more because of the established medical evidence backing up the higher chances of claims.
Risk classifications are what life insurers apply to determine your premiums. These are the most popular:
The greater your risk, the higher your premium. Smokers hardly ever make preferred rates due to their effect on their longevity and health record.
Defaulting as a “non-smoker” with most insurers, means a total abstinence from nicotine or tobacco for at least 12 consecutive months. So even if you only smoke cigars at special events, or vape on occasion for the month, you will still likely default as a smoker. Insurers do not only consider how often you use tobacco, but also how often you used it recently or could possibly show biological proof of nicotine. Biological proof comes from medical exams, blood tests, dot and urine tests. Even if nicotine can be detected regardless of the usage, you will typically be classified as a smoker and face premiums as such.
One of the strongest incentives to quit smoking is saving money on life insurance. On quitting for 12 months, you can apply for renewal or seek reclassification. If you are accepted, your premiums may reduce substantially.
In a 30-year period, quitting smoking might save you tens of thousands of dollars on premiums.
Aside from insurance, the advantages of giving up smoking are:
The majority of life insurance policies mandate a paramedical exam, which involves:
Nicotine and cotinine (a metabolite of nicotine) may remain in your system for up to 10 days. But in frequent users, these can remain in hair follicles for months.
Failing the test (e.g., indicating you're a non-smoker but testing positive) can classify you as high-risk or dishonest—potentially raising your premium or causing your application to be rejected.
Most companies will expect 12 months of no tobacco or nicotine use before they consider you a non-smoker. Others will have stricter requirements (24 months), particularly for preferred rates.
To establish your status, you might be asked to:
This is the most affordable option, even for smokers. You lock in a rate for 10–30 years, though premiums will be higher due to your smoking status.
No physical exam is necessary, and you will be accepted—but premiums are extremely high, and coverage levels are low (usually $25,000 or less).
If you've successfully quit smoking, reapplying for life insurance after 12-24 months can significantly reduce your premiums. Some companies permit you to ask for a reevaluation of your rate, but some will force you to apply for a new policy.
In conclusion, Smoking and Insurance Premiums Are Up to You
Smoking is sorry they have had to include insurance premiums as smoking has considerably increased across the board. Insurers use hard medical facts to assess risks when calculating premiums. Tobacco consumers pay more because their health risks are much higher.
But the bad news is that you're stuck with those premiums for life. Quitting smoking, however, allows you to substantially enhance your health record, qualify for non-smoker discounts, and save thousands of dollars in premiums throughout the term of your policy.
Knowing how tobacco consumption and life insurance relate to each other provides you with a compelling reason to quit—and the health and money-saving rewards are well worth the effort.
This content was created by AI