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Can smokers get life insurance?
The short answer is that smokers can get life insurance. When we conducted a Pollfish survey of 1,000 life insurance policyholders in February 2024, almost 35% of respondents identified themselves as smokers. According to our research, cost and total coverage are the two most important factors for policyholders who smoke.
Life insurance providers set rates using a complex underwriting process that evaluates factors including age, health, lifestyle and family health issues. Because smoking-related diseases such as lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and heart disease can shorten your life expectancy, companies consider smokers high-risk candidates and charge them significantly higher rates.
Life Insurance Cost Calculator
You can compare life insurance quotes from different companies below with our cost calculator.
What defines someone as a smoker?
As part of the life insurance application process, you will likely have to answer questions about smoking and tobacco use. We’ve included general guidelines below to help you understand how life insurance companies qualify smokers versus non-smokers.
How life insurance companies test for tobacco use
Companies test for tobacco and other drug use through a life insurance medical exam that includes blood and urine samples. The provider tests your samples to detect nicotine or cotinine—a chemical made from nicotine—in your system. If you don’t disclose your tobacco use habits, your provider may deny you coverage or cancel your policy later. Be aware that providers may also detect tobacco use when they review your medical records as part of the underwriting process for most plans.
Studies show that up to 47 percent of cigarette smokers do not disclose tobacco use on their application, costing the life insurance industry $3.4 billion in lost premiums each year, according to data analytics company Verisk. In most states, insurers have a two-year dispute period during which the company can dispute a claim or cancel a policy based on false information provided on a life insurance application.
Tobacco use
Life insurance providers can usually classify you as a smoker if you smoke cigarettes, chew tobacco or use e-cigarettes. Some insurance companies may put you in the same risk category as someone with a pack-a-day habit – even if you only smoke the occasional cigar or cigarette. Smokers are at higher risk for certain health conditions, so insurance companies usually won’t consider you for a non-smoker rate unless you’ve smoked for at least a year.
Marijuana use
Depending on the insurance provider and the laws in your state, the use of marijuana and cannabis may classify you as a smoker. In states where marijuana is illegal, you may be disqualified from coverage for a positive blood test performed during a medical exam conducted by the insurance company.
Nicotine gum and patches
Because nicotine replacement products like patches and gum leave nicotine in your system, providers may classify this as smoking. A positive test for any nicotine use in the medical examination usually classifies you as a smoker.
Smokers vs. Non-Smokers Life Insurance Costs
Companies use your life expectancy as the primary risk assessment when setting interest rates. According to our research, smokers face life insurance rates roughly three times higher than non-smokers because they have a shorter life expectancy. Data collected by the World Health Organization (WHO) show that those who quit smoking at the age of 30 extend their lives by almost 10 years.
The monthly rates below are based on an applicant seeking 20-year term life insurance.
| Applicant | Rate of non-smokers | Percentage of smokers | Increase in costs |
| 35 year old man | $20 | $56 | 180% |
| 35 year old woman | $18 | $48 | 167% |
| 45 year old man | $36 | $115 | 219% |
| 45 year old woman | $31 | $92 | 197% |
How to find affordable life insurance as a smoker
Life insurance providers assign applicants to a health rating class based on medical risks during the underwriting process. Insurers reserve the highest health rating class, which usually correlates with the lowest rates, for non-tobacco users considered to be in good health. There are some ways to secure lower rates and look for alternative coverage options.
- Consider opting out: Insurance companies are likely to view ex-smokers more favorably than current smokers, so it may help to consider quitting and applying for coverage a year later. Most companies apply a waiting period of at least 12 months before considering an applicant to be non-smoking.
- Get multiple quotes: Each insurance provider uses its own standards and formulas for insurance for smokers and non-smokers. Some companies may offer more affordable options than others, which you can evaluate by requesting several quotes.
- Consider plans without exams: Smokers with pre-existing health conditions who wish to protect their loved ones may also consider life insurance options such as no-exam policies or guaranteed problem plans that accept all applicants regardless of their health.
Frequently asked questions about life insurance for smokers
You can get life insurance if you smoke, use chewing tobacco, or vape. Although tobacco users face paying higher coverage rates, you can take steps to save money on your premiums. Going out for at least a year before applying for coverage can help you qualify for insurance products with a better health rating and lower premiums. Choosing a term policy with a fixed period of coverage is likely to be cheaper than a whole life policy.
Based on our research, providers issue life insurance plans to smokers at rates almost three times higher than non-smokers. Note that “smoker” can mean the occasional cigar smoker, vaping e-cigarettes, or marijuana use. The type of life insurance coverage you want will also affect how much you pay. Among policy types, term life insurance plans are generally less expensive than permanent coverage such as a universal life or whole life policy.
Abstaining from smoking and other tobacco products for at least 12 months can qualify you as a non-smoker when applying for life insurance. The rules regarding the waiting period during which you have been smoke-free may vary from provider to provider. We recommend that you explore your options with the help of a licensed insurance agent.
According to our research, Bestow, Nationwide and Mass Mutual offer some of the cheapest life insurance rates for smokers who qualify for the preferred health rate class. Term policies, which expire after a certain period, are usually cheaper than permanent policies, which remain in force for your lifetime. Tobacco users pay nearly three times more for coverage than nonsmokers, so we recommend getting life insurance quotes from at least three providers if you smoke.
