If you use tobacco products, you will probably have to pay more for the same policy as someone who does not. That being said, it may not be as expensive as you thought as tobacco rates differ between insurance carriers. Carriers will also differ in what they rate as tobacco use and the amount of time after discontinuing tobacco & nicotine related products that would qualify you for being rated as a non-tobacco user. Most carriers will consider 1 year of not using tobacco and nicotine related products as non-tobacco, but other carriers may require 2 years. And remember cigarettes are not the only form of tobacco use. This includes cigars, chewing tobacco, electronic cigarettes (e-cigs, e-cigarettes, electronic nicotine delivery systems, or personal vaporizers), marijuana (could rate you as a tobacco user, increase your rates higher than a normal tobacco user, or even disqualify you for coverage depending on the state you reside in, the insurance carrier, and whether it is medical or recreational use), nicotine patches, nicotine gum, or certain other medications to help you quit tobacco use.
Some carriers will rate you as a non-tobacco user if you only smoke a cigar every now and then allowing up to 12 per year with no more than 1 per month. And for some types of policies with certain carriers, you could be rated as a “partial tobacco user” or even rated as a non-tobacco user if you only use chewing tobacco/snuff, electronic cigarettes, nicotine patches, or other substitutes. This is great news for people who would have normally had to pay more in the past or with other carriers, who rate all tobacco users the same.
Use of marijuana can be tricky depending on the state you reside in and the insurance carrier you are applying with, since it is still a federal crime, outside of medicinal purposes (prescribed by a doctor), for marijuana use. Recreational use, which has not been legalized nation-wide (yet), could rate you even higher than a normal tobacco user or even disqualify you. Therefore, you will need to run this by your insurance advisor, as it will depend on the state you reside in and the insurance carrier you are applying with.
Another question a lot of people wonder about is why the use of nicotine patches or gum would increase your rates for most types of life insurance? One reason is that, like cigarettes and other tobacco products, these patches and gums deliver nicotine to the body. That’s a problem because nicotine doesn’t sit well with insurance carriers. Also, keep in mind when applying for a policy, insurance carriers will see all the prescriptions that have ever been filled for you at any pharmacy. And if a medical exam is involved, the carriers will check the blood and urine tests for the presence of nicotine and cotinine. Cotinine indicates exposure to tobacco smoke. So again, it’s best for you to be upfront with your insurance advisor to save yourself time and depending on your situation, possibly save you money by applying with a tobacco/marijuana friendly carrier.
If you have questions regarding your tobacco or marijuana use/history and want help finding the best rates for your specific situation, contact us. We’re more than happy to help you save time and money.
