Life Insurance for Smokers — and Quitters
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Smokers pay more for life insurance than nonsmokers because of their higher risk of smoking-related death.
If you quit smoking, you could qualify for nonsmoker rates after a year.
Lying about smoking could cause a life insurance company to deny a claim.
If you smoke cigarettes or use tobacco, you may worry that you won’t qualify for life insurance. Cigarette smoking is responsible for 480,000 deaths each year in the U.S., making it the leading cause of preventable death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Even with the risk, life insurance companies will still cover you if you’re a smoker — but you’ll pay significantly more than nonsmokers.
Can smokers get life insurance?
You can get life insurance if you’re smoke, vape or chew tobacco. But smokers can expect to pay higher life insurance premiums. Insurers may also limit the amount of your death benefit if you smoke.
Insurers price life insurance based on your life expectancy. Tobacco use has been proven to decrease life expectancy, so insurers charge smokers more to reflect the greater chances of paying a death benefit than for nonsmokers. But if you quit smoking, you could qualify for nonsmoker rates after one or two years.
How do life insurance companies know if you smoke?
Many life insurance companies require a medical exam as part of their underwriting process. As part of the exam, insurers typically test your blood and urine for nicotine and other substances, including THC. You’ll also be asked a series of questions about your health, including whether you smoke or use tobacco products. Life insurance companies may also have access to your smoking history if they review your medical or prescription records.
Applying for life insurance can be nerve wracking as a smoker, but it’s important to be honest. Lying when you apply for life insurance is considered insurance fraud. If you die during the contestability period — the time frame in which an insurance company can open an investigation into a claim, typically during the first two years — your insurer could refuse to pay the policy’s death benefit to your loved ones.
Who is considered a smoker?
Life insurance companies will typically consider you a smoker if you’ve smoked cigarettes in the past 12 months. Some (but not all) life insurance companies may classify you as a smoker if you use any of the following products:
Vaping devices and electronic cigarettes.
Nicotine gum and patches.
Cigars.
Pipes.
Hookah.
Chewing tobacco.
Many insurers will allow someone who smokes the occasional cigar (often 24 or fewer per year) to qualify for the same rates reserved for the healthiest nonsmokers if lab screenings are negative for nicotine. Some insurers will also classify occasional tobacco chewers as nonsmokers. However, some will classify even infrequent cigar smokers and tobacco chewers in the same category as people who regularly smoke cigarettes.This is why it’s important to compare life insurance coverage and premiums from multiple insurance companies.
Keep in mind that if you’ve quit smoking but use e-cigarettes or smoking cessation products, like patches or gum, a urinalysis will likely reveal the presence of cotinine, which is found in nicotine products. Some insurers will classify you as a smoker in these circumstances, while others may allow you to qualify for nonsmoker rates.
Who qualifies as a nonsmoker?
Though the rules vary by insurer, many carriers will consider you a nonsmoker if you haven’t smoked cigarettes in the past year. Depending on the insurer, you may also need to avoid other tobacco or nicotine products for at least a year before you can qualify for nonsmoker rates. Occasional use of chewing tobacco or cigars may qualify you for nonsmoker rates with some insurers.
Insurers have stricter criteria for their preferred and super preferred ratings that are reserved for nonsmokers in excellent health. Many companies won’t rate former smokers in these categories until they’ve been nicotine- and tobacco-free for three to five years.
What about marijuana?
As with nicotine and tobacco usage, life insurance guidelines on marijuana vary by carrier. Some companies allow occasional marijuana users to qualify for the best nonsmoker rates, but your premium typically increases with frequency of use. Insurers will also consider how you consume marijuana: smoking vs. ingesting, as well as whether you use it recreationally or for medical purposes. If you have a medical marijuana card, they may be more concerned about the underlying health issue than they are about your cannabis use.
Life insurance options for smokers
Smokers can usually qualify for the same types of life insurance as nonsmokers, although you can expect to pay more for the coverage.
The following types of life insurance policies are typically available to both smokers and nonsmokers:
Term life insurance
Term life insurance insures your life for a specified time frame, usually between 10 and 30 years. If you outlive the term, your policy expires and your survivors don’t receive a death benefit from that policy. You may be able to renew a term life policy, or convert it to a permanent life insurance policy, but usually with a higher premium or lower death benefit.
Term life insurance is usually cheaper than permanent life insurance and is a good choice if you expect to have fewer financial obligations later on — maybe after your children are grown or your mortgage is paid off.
Whole life insurance
Whole life insurance is designed to provide lifelong coverage until an advanced age, sometimes up to 100 years or older. It also features a savings component called cash value, which you can withdraw from or borrow against in time. You might consider whole life insurance if you need longer-term financial protection for your loved ones.
No-medical exam life insurance
Several types of life insurance don’t require a medical exam, which could be a plus if you’re worried about how smoking will affect your results. Options include:
Simplified issue life insurance, which uses a health questionnaire along with medical and prescription records to determine coverage.
Guaranteed issue life insurance is a type of small whole life policy. You’ll qualify as long as you meet the age criteria, regardless of health status. However, it offers extremely limited coverage at a high price.
Group life insurance through work is a perk many employers offer. The death benefit is often limited to one or two times your annual salary. You may have the option to increase the benefit through supplemental insurance, but many insurers require medical underwriting for the extra coverage.
Even if you smoke and have some health issues, you may still save money by undergoing a life insurance medical exam. Insurers consider you a greater risk when they have less information about you, so no-medical exam premiums are generally higher.
How much does life insurance for smokers cost?
Smokers pay more for life insurance because of the risks of smoking-related death. A NerdWallet analysis found that a 40-year-old male smoker could expect to pay more than four times what a 40-year-old nonsmoker would pay for a $500,000, 20-year term life policy.
Here are average annual life insurance rates for nonsmokers and smokers for a 20-year term life policy with $500,000 in coverage.
Age | Average annual rate for nonsmokers | Average annual rate for smokers |
|---|---|---|
20, female | $177 | $557 |
20, male | $216 | $745 |
30, female | $187 | $641 |
30, male | $221 | $785 |
40, female | $282 | $1,157 |
40, male | $334 | $1,458 |
50, female | $642 | $2,540 |
50, male | $819 | $3,467 |
60, female | $1,656 | $5,828 |
60 male | $2,357 | $8,462 |
70, female | $7,994 | $27,580 |
70, male | $9,436 | $32,708 |
Source: Covr Financial Technologies. Lowest three rates for each age averaged. Data valid as of April 15, 2024. | ||
» MORE: Average life insurance rates
What if you want to quit smoking to get better life insurance rates?
Quitting smoking can improve your health and lower your life insurance costs over time. But most companies will classify you as a smoker for at least a year after you quit. Within three to five years, you could pay the same rates as someone who never smoked if you’re in excellent health.
Once you’ve been smoke-free for at least a year, you can ask your insurer for a rate reconsideration. Typically, this requires another medical exam that includes nicotine testing. If your insurer refuses, you might want to consider applying for a new policy to get nonsmoker rates.
Should I wait to apply for life insurance if I plan to quit smoking?
It’s generally best not to delay applying for life insurance even if you'll pay higher premiums as a smoker, particularly if you have financial dependents. Premiums on new policies typically rise with age. If you develop medical conditions (related to smoking or otherwise) while you’re working on quitting, finding affordable coverage could be more difficult.
How to get life insurance as a smoker
If you’re on the market for life insurance as a smoker, here are some suggestions for buying a policy:
Compare life insurance quotes from several companies. Some insurers are more lenient than others about smoking and related habits, so it’s good to shop for the best rates for your situation.
Consider term life insurance. You can cancel a term life insurance policy for free at any time, unlike with permanent life insurance policies. This could be beneficial if you plan to quit smoking and want to shop for a cheaper policy at that time. To avoid having to cancel later, look for a carrier that allows for “re-entering,” which means you may qualify for nonsmoker rates on your existing policy if you can show you’ve abstained from smoking for a specified time frame.
Consult an independent insurance agent. Unlike captive agents, who represent a single company, independent insurance agents work with multiple carriers. This is beneficial because they often know which insurance companies are more favorable to risks like tobacco usage and can help you obtain several quotes.
Avoid smoking shortly before a medical exam. Smoking tends to increase your blood pressure, which could further affect the underwriting decision beyond just being a smoker.
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