I’m not a cigarette smoker but I do smoke cigars occasionally. Right now, I’m planning on getting a life insurance here in Dallas Texas and I just want to know if I have to pay smoker life insurance rates?
Steve
Dallas, TX
Steve,
Generally, smokers pay higher rates for life insurances than non-smoking people. This is mainly because of the high risk in mortality associated with smoking.
Smokers are categorized by life insurance companies in order to determine the amount of their premiums. There are moderate smokers or those who smoke 20 or less cigarettes a day, and heavy smokers or those who smoke more than 20 cigarettes a day. Life insurance companies commonly offer lower smoker life insurance rates for people who smoke less. A lot of questions are pouring out on how we should classify smokers of cigars, especially now that there is a cigar hype going on. Unfortunately, having a consensus within the industry regarding this issue on smokers is still far from reach. However, clients are usually asked about their smoking habits and their consumption of nicotine-containing products.
Usually, the way insurers classify or categorize cigar smokers varies greatly from one company to another. Some life insurance companies charge the same smoker life insurance rates for cigarette smokers and cigar smokers because they believe that all forms of tobacco are potentially and equally dangerous to one’s health. But also offers certain exceptions for occasional use, like smoking less than a dozen cigars a year. There are also life insurance companies that choose to be on the safe side by charging less for cigar smokers than the heavy cigarette smokers but higher than non-smoking people. There are even life insurance companies that classify cigar smokers as non-smokers and so charging them with lower rates. For those who are thinking of quitting, some life insurance companies reevaluate your rates if you quit smoking for at least a year.
Although you said that you only smoke cigars occasionally, it is still wise to contact your life insurance agent so you can learn more about smoker life insurance rates suited for you. So even if you’re simply joining the cigar bandwagon or a really heavy smoker, having first-hand information about policies and rates is definitely a must especially if you’re planning on getting life insurance.