Reader’s Question:

I’ve been a smoker for more than 3 years. How will this affect my application for smoker life insurance policy? By the way, I have not approached any of the insurance companies in Nevada.

Ben

Las Vegas NV

Health condition or history plays an important role in rate determinants. If the person is overweight, is a smoker, has high blood pressure or diabetes, an affordable life insurance may be difficult to find for him/her. Insurance policy with lower premiums is only available to a person with a good health condition because he/she has a lesser risk of dying soon. In case you have an outstanding medical condition and trying to improve your health, you may want to document it so that you can show the insurance company that you want to better your health. This may help you add to your savings.

Some companies require a series of different tests and medical exams before issuing the policy. Since you are a smoker, the company may still find out that you smoke even though you stopped smoking on the day you applied for insurance. This is because the nicotine is still in your system. It requires a period of 2 to 3 years of no smoking prior the application to be completely “nicotine free”. Once you are considered a smoker by the insurance company in Nevada, you will get a smoker’s rate that is actually three times higher than the life
insurance policy of a non-smoker.