| There are several requirements you must meet when | | | | more susceptible to certain smoke related illnesses |
| obtaining any kind of insurance. Taking out term life | | | | than non-smokers. Smoking has also always been |
| insurance is no exception. For the most part, insurance | | | | believed to cause premature death. Ailments such as |
| companies want to make sure you start out healthy | | | | lung cancer, high blood pressure, heart attacks, |
| before issuing you a policy. Premiums are based on | | | | emphysema, severe asthma, stroke, and other forms |
| your lifestyle and what your medical history is like. The | | | | of cancer are all associated to nicotine use. Current |
| cost of your premium is based on your age, gender | | | | studies have also found a connection between heavy |
| and even occupation. Tobacco use has always been | | | | tobacco use and Alzheimer's disease. Certainly one |
| of concern when you are applying for term life | | | | can compare the consistent use of a known |
| insurance. | | | | carcinogen to someone who is employed at a job |
| Tobacco use in any form already sets you apart from | | | | considered to be "hazardous duty." Both are subject to |
| non-users. Some insurance companies do not | | | | higher premiums due to higher risk for insurance |
| distinguish between the form and frequency of your | | | | companies to carry you. |
| tobacco use. If you are a person who smokes an | | | | Tobacco Use and Low Cost Term Life Insurance |
| occasional cigar you are treated the same as a | | | | If you are smoker who has tried to obtain term life |
| person who smokes two or three packs of cigarettes | | | | insurance in the past, you have probably been |
| per day. Despite this unfair categorization, there are | | | | disappointed by the high premiums quoted to you. In |
| some companies that do make the distinction. The key | | | | recent years some insurance companies have opted |
| is to find these select insurance companies that | | | | to offer low cost term life insurance for tobacco users. |
| individualize their rates. These select companies base | | | | Smokers or nicotine users are now eligible for 10, 15, 20 |
| their premiums upon the type of tobacco and | | | | or 30 year term periods at low rates. For example, as |
| frequency of usage. They make a clear distinction | | | | long as a smoker is in otherwise excellent health and is |
| between the use of cigarettes, cigars, chewing | | | | at a reasonable weight, he or she may obtain |
| tobacco, pipes, smokeless tobacco, nicotine gum, | | | | $250,000.00 worth of coverage for about $40 per |
| marijuana or a nicotine patch to quit your smoking | | | | month over a 10 year period. |
| habit. If you smoke marijuana, you must also disclose | | | | The best thing to do would be to research out |
| that you use drugs on your application form. | | | | companies and their policies for tobacco users. By |
| Lifestyle Discrimination? | | | | shopping out the different insurance companies, you |
| While automatic higher premiums set for smokers are | | | | are sure to find one that does not penalize you |
| seemingly unfair and may even be viewed as lifestyle | | | | excessively for tobacco use. Doing an internet search |
| discrimination, it is also important to understand the | | | | is the fastest way to obtain a quote online as many |
| perspective of insurance companies. Generally, | | | | companies are now doing "Insta-quotes" that only take |
| smokers miss work more often than non-smokers due | | | | minutes. Tobacco users can now afford to protect |
| to respiratory problems. It is believed, although not | | | | their families at much more affordable rates and doing |
| clinically proven, that smoking lowers the immune | | | | due diligence in shopping out your quotes will save you |
| system defenses, therefore causing smokers to be | | | | money in the long run. |