Unfortunately, every life insurance company will base your policy rate on your age, health, and personal habits. That is why it can be incredibly difficult to find affordable life insurance if you are a smoker. Insurance companies realize that they are taking on a greater risk by insuring a smoker, and with greater risk comes a higher rate for smokers. Despite that you can still find affordable life insurance for smokers by following the tips in this article.
Smokers Pay Way More for Life Insurance
Life insurance rates for smokers can range anywhere from 2x – 5x what non-smokers will pay. People who smoke are automatically given higher life insurance rates because statistics have proven that smokers have a higher chance of developing serious issues related to their lungs and heart. It doesn’t matter what insurance company you choose; you will most likely be paying double the rates of non-smokers.
Life Insurance Smoker Rates
Let’s look at some sample life insurance rates. We put together quotes for a 40-year old male looking for 20-year term. We’ll show you his monthly premiums as a smoker and non-smoker.
smoker term life insurance quote
| 20-year term | Non Smoker | Smoker |
|---|---|---|
| $100,000 | $10.89 | $32.89 |
| $500,000 | $28.74 | $130.38 |
| $750,000 | $40.76 | $192.84 |
| $1,000,000 | $51.67 | $240.25 |
Most Affordable Life Insurance for Smokers
Unfortunately, there is no way to avoid paying more for life insurance if you are a smoker. That is why it is so important that you speak with an independent insurance agent and shop around until you find the best policy at the lowest price. The most affordable life insurance for smokers will usually come from the same companies that provide the lowest rates for non-smokers.
In almost all cases, a term life insurance policy will be the most affordable life insurance for smokers. A term life policy means that you are only insured for a set period of time.
Insurance companies are able to offer such a significantly lower rate for short-term coverage because there is less risk involved. It is also more affordable because it has no cash value, as it is strictly a form of insurance in case something happens to you during that short period of time.
Tips to Reduce the Rates Even Further
There are several changes you can make that will eventually reduce your insurance rates, if you are a smoker.
Quit Smoking
Quitting smoking is the most beneficial of these changes, because a good insurance company will lower your life insurance rates every year that you go smoke-free, until you are paying the same as non-smokers. Quitting smoking is also undeniably good for your health, but it can be very difficult and many people struggle to quit for good.
Most companies are looking to see that you’ve quit smoking for at least 1 year.
Find the Best Company
Thankfully, there are some insurance companies who will drastically drop your rates without asking you to quit your habit completely.
If you switch to smokeless tobacco products like chewing tobacco or the new e-cigarette, they will lower your rates closer to what a non-smoker would be paying. These great incentives will allow you to gradually quit, so you don’t have to drop the habit all at once.
To help you in your research, you can use an independent life insurance broker like our company. At Life Insurance Blog, we regularly work with tobacco users and are experts in this area. We’ll show you how to put together the right application and with the best company for your goals.
Life Insurance for Smokers
The bottom line: If you are a smoker who is in need of cheap term life insurance, you should really start by talking to an independent insurance agent about your options. They can help you find a term life insurance policy that will cover your needs without blowing your entire budget.
You can get instant life insurance quotes for life insurance right on this page by using the instant quote tool and we can help you find affordable life insurance, even as a smoker.
