Insurance companies categorise their clients based on various factors to assess the risk involved in their business, and smoking is one of the factors. There are many drawbacks to tobacco as well, even though many of us are aware of the long-term effects that it has. One is that your life insurance will cost more if you smoke.
But, how does a life insurance company conclude that you are a smoker? Life Insurance companies use their processes. One insurer, for example, only counts you as a non-smoker if you haven't smoked or used tobacco in any way in the previous three years. For another insurer, it might be a year. So, it depends on the insurance company’s evaluation criteria.
Do smokers have access to affordable life insurance?
Yes, it is still possible to find reasonable life insurance whether you smoke or use tobacco in any other way; however, having cheap life insurance for smokers is difficult. The premium can be comparatively more expensive than it is for others. Every life insurance company has a plan for smokers, but it is ideal to buy life insurance at a premature age to reduce the premium amount.
Numerous studies have established a connection between smoking and severe diseases like lung cancer, oral cancer, and even heart-related problems. Due to the extended risk of early death compared to the general non-smoking population, this causes insurers to have different policies for smokers. As a result, the insurance provider views you as a risk and raises the cost of your life insurance policy. But, don’t worry, the best life insurance for smokers is out there. All you need to do is to check for online life insurance.
Does the cost of life insurance for smokers vary?
Typically, insurers categorise smokers based on their smoking frequency and overall health. So, the life insurance companies have categorised smokers into three types:
- Preferred Smoker: A person who, despite smoking, is generally healthy. This type of smoker receives the lowest premium.
- Typical smoker: This type has a small, persisting health condition. In this situation, the premiums will be slightly higher than those for a preferred smoker.
- Table-rated smoker: Those with a health ailment from smoking often have the highest premium of the three types.
What if you Hide your Smoking Habits from a Life Insurance Company?
The premium for smokers when buying life insurance is approximately double the amount charged for non-smokers. To save life insurance premiums, people hide their smoking habits from the insurer, which is a bad practice and will prove nothing, as the insurer will make you undergo a medical test. The test will ensure that your tobacco usage comes to light.
Remember that your life insurance policy is a contract between you and the best life insurance company. Withholding such information could lead to the rejection of your application. The insurance provider can invalidate your entire coverage.
What happens if you start smoking after purchasing a life insurance policy? Your insurance company must be informed. Again, if the provider learns later that you smoke, they may refuse to give you any benefits.
Medical Tests Done by Life Insurance Companies
Which Medical Exams Can Spot Smoking? Before providing a policy, life insurance companies may use medical examinations. The use of cigarettes or nicotine can be detected through medical tests by examining blood, urine, saliva, or hair samples. A hair test can occasionally detect smoking even up to a year later. Also, X-rays might occasionally show signs of a smoking habit.
Will Secondhand Smoking Show up in your Medical Test?
Although secondhand smoking is unhealthy for you, you won't absorb as much nicotine from it as you would if you smoked or used other tobacco products, and it won't be detected in a blood test. Current usage of tobacco is the only reason a nicotine test will come positive. Although, there are known effects of secondhand smoking. The chance of a heart attack rises due to secondhand smoke's interference with the regular operation of the heart, blood, and vascular systems. So, it's good to avoid standing next to a smoking person.
Is Buying a Life Insurance Plan for Smokers Essential?
A life insurance plan can assist your family in a number of ways, including helping them pay off debt, pay for school and college, settle regular obligations, and more. It is a fantastic way to guarantee their comfort and well-being. In light of this, you should consider getting life insurance coverage whether you smoke or not. Being a smoker might reduce your lifespan, so it becomes essential to buy life insurance.
Buying life insurance online has become relatively easy, and we, D2C Insurance Broking Private Limited (“RenewBuy”), focus primarily on it. Here are the procedures that will assist you in buying the best life insurance plan.
- Visit Renewbuy.com
- Scroll down and choose the "Life" category.
- Fill in all the relevant details like DOB, Gender, Address etc.
- The next page will show you the various insurers' Life Insurance plans in India.
- You can select one of the plans and move forward with the payment.
- Once the payment is made, the policy document will be sent to your registered email address.
Benefits of Buying Life Insurance for Smokers
For a smoker, a life insurance policy is one of the best ways to secure the future of their families. Let us take a look at some benefits that come with buying life insurance plans.
- Peace of Mind: Life is uncertain, so a life insurance policy is a fallback in the event of any unfavourable conditions. Knowing that you've done everything required to safeguard your future allows you to rest comfortably.
- Tax Savings: When you buy life insurance, you can save money on different taxes. You may deduct up to INR 1.5 lakh from your premium payments as a tax deduction under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act. The total death benefit provided to the beneficiary is tax-exempt under Section 10 D (10D).
- More Coverage with Riders: People who smoke are frequently more prone to severe ailments. You can choose a critical illness benefit rider to cover conditions including kidney failure, cancer, etc. The life insurance company gives the policyholder a lump sum payment upon the critical illness diagnosis.
- Financial Security: You can safeguard your family's financial stability by purchasing a life insurance policy. Protecting the family is the number one priority; thus, buying life insurance assists in providing the same.
FAQs
Question: - If you smoke, is it possible to be rejected for life insurance?
Answer: - Smokers can purchase life insurance, but they should expect to pay significantly higher premiums than non-smokers because smoking reduces life expectancy. A life insurance company can deny a policy if they find out you lied about not being a smoker.
Question: - What are the best life insurance plans for smokers?
Answer: - Because you smoke, your life insurance rates will be higher, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't compare prices. Rates will differ significantly depending on the company. The best way is to compare life insurance plans online and get insurance quotes from various companies.
Question: - How will my insurer be able to tell if I smoke?
Answer: - Insurance companies may request a urine or saliva test to confirm whether you smoke, usually during the application stage, even though they frequently believe your application is truthful.
Disclaimer - The information published in this article is for the reader′s reference only. The content of this information is to provide an overview of your life insurance needs and should not be relied upon for personal, medical, legal, or financial decisions; you should consult an appropriate professional for specific advice. The Company makes no representations about the suitability, reliability, timeliness, and accuracy of the information, services, or any other items mentioned on this subject for any purpose whatsoever.
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