Are you taking steps to quit smoking? Not only are there endless health benefits to quitting, but you can also save money on life insurance.
Quitting cigarettes helps to increase both your lifespan and your wallet. We commend you for doing so. To quit smoking you need strong will power and sometimes the help of products, whether those are gum, lozenges, patches, or e-cigarettes. These products all contain nicotine and are used to wean your body off cigarettes while supplying you with the nicotine but sparing you from the other chemicals found in tobacco.
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How will my life insurance be affected by smoking cessation products?
There is nicotine in smoking cessation products, so some life insurance companies will still classify the use under their tobacco risk classes. When it comes to life insurance, your premiums are determined by the risk class you’re categorized into by the life insurance company’s underwriters.
Risk classes are divided into two categories: tobacco risk classes and non-tobacco risk classes. While smoking cessation products tend to not have tobacco in them, the use of these products will cause cotinine to show up in your urine test which would be enough for some insurance companies to classify you in one of the tobacco risk classes and issue you smoker rates.
| Risk Classes | |
|---|---|
| For Non-Tobacco Users | For Tobacco Users |
| Preferred Plus | Preferred Tobacco |
| Preferred | |
| Standard Plus | Standard Tobacco |
| Standard | |
| Table Ratings (Substandard) | |
Smoker rates are much higher compared to their non-smoker counterparts. If you use nicotine gum, patches, lozenges, or e-cigarettes, buy term life insurance through Quotacy. We are an independent broker which means we are not tied to one insurance company. We comparison shop on your behalf and find the insurance company that will be most lenient regarding your smoking cessation product use.
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What is the cost of life insurance if I use smoking cessation products?
The cost of life insurance is dependent upon many factors. Everyone’s situation is different but, in general, if you smoke cigarettes or use other tobacco or nicotine products you will be paying more than someone who doesn’t.
Not all life insurance companies will force an applicant who uses nicotine gum, lozenges, patches, or e-cigarettes into a tobacco risk class. Insurance companies are typically more lenient with smoking cessation products like gum, patches, and lozenges, than they are with e-cigarettes. However, Quotacy does work with companies that will even offer non-tobacco rates to e-cigarette users as long as they meet some requirements, such as being tobacco free for at least one year.
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If you use e-cigarettes or smoking cessation products, be honest about your use on your life insurance application. Cotinine is found in nicotine products and lasts in your system much longer than nicotine. Cotinine can be detected in both oral swabs and urine testing, both of which are part of the life insurance medical exam.
Some insurance companies are willing to offer non-tobacco risk classes to e-cigarette and smoking cessation product users as long as they admit it on their application. Insurance companies don’t appreciate it if you try to hide something from them.
Example
Jane Smith, 45 year old woman, applied for a 20-year $500,000 term life insurance policy through Quotacy. She uses nicotine gum and lozenges. Both her mother and sister died of heart disease at age 53 and 43, respectively.
Her Quotacy agent anonymously shopped her case to our top-rated life insurance companies and their offers varied. Below are just a few of the responses to show how your risk class affects your pricing.
| Life Insurance Company | Risk Class Offered | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Insurance Company A | Standard Tobacco Table 2* | $339.94 |
| Insurance Company B | Standard Tobacco | $220.50 |
| Insurance Company C | Standard Non-Tobacco | $112.88 |
| Insurance Company D | Preferred Tobacco | $171.50 |
*Table ratings are substandard ratings the insurance companies assign if they determine you are higher risk than average to insure.
One of the things Quotacy does best is comparison shop to find you the best company for your situation. Start the process now by getting a term life insurance quote. You can apply online in less than five minutes and then your dedicated Quotacy agent will keep you updated every step of the way, guiding you through the process of buying life insurance.
I have questions .. I don’t want a term life insurance . I have been chewing Nicorette gum for 20 years ? Just wondering about price … and I want a life insurance until I’m dead . Ty
Hi Lesley, to get an idea of the cost of a permanent policy, go to our quoting tool here: https://www.quotacy.com/life-insurance-quotes/ enter your basic information and then on the Length of Coverage slider, choose Forever. This will give you guaranteed universal life insurance quotes which is a less expensive permanent policy than whole life or traditional universal life so it gives you a starting point for cost. Some life insurance companies will only offer Tobacco rates to Nicorette users, however, so if you choose to apply, your Quotacy agent can shop around to find an insurer who may be willing to offer non-smoker ratings to you.
Of these carriers, three said they would consider giving a non-tobacco risk class to e-cigarette users. Which Three?
Quotacy has helped applicants who use e-cigarettes obtain non-smoker prices through Prudential, John Hancock, and Lincoln Financial. In our experience, Prudential tends to be the most lenient.