Can I get life insurance if I am a smoker or use tobacco?

If you are a casual smoker, you probably know that it can impact your health. But did you know that your smoking habit can also cost you more when it comes to life insurance? Yes, you can purchase a life insurance policy if you smoke or use tobacco, but it comes at a cost.

Life insurance is an essential part of a financial plan. Hence, it’s important to understand what will happen if you’re a smoker (or use other nicotine). But  what counts as smoking? Cigarettes are obvious. But there are many other forms of “nicotine delivery systems” that can nail you as a “smoker,” “tobacco user” or “nicotine user” when you’re shopping for life insurance:

• Vaping & e-cigarettes
• Bidis (thin hand-rolled cigarettes)
• Cigars
• Pipes
• Hookahs
• Chewing tobacco
• Snuff
• Dissolvable tobacco
• Nicotine replacement therapies (patches, lozenges, gum, inhalers, nose sprays)
• Heated tobacco products

Marijuana users can be, maybe, considered smokers, depending on whether the use is occasional or regular. Everyday cigar smokers will usually be considered smokers. But many life insurance companies will give you a non-smoking rate if you smoke cigars rarely, such as one or less per month.

Whether or not you’re a “smoker” is decided by each life insurance company, and the levels can vary significantly. But you should know that you will have high life insurance quotes if you’re a smoker. As it's obvious that smoking rates will easily be double or triple compared to a  non-smoking rate. The spike will vary by your age, gender and the coverage amount.