Important Disclosure: The content provided does not consider your particular circumstances and does not constitute personal advice. Some of the products promoted are from our affiliate partners from whom we receive compensation.
If you require any personal advice, please seek such advice from an independently qualified financial advisor. While we aim to feature some of the best products available, this does not include all available products from across the market. Although the information provided is believed to be accurate at the date of publication, you should always check with the product provider to ensure that information provided is the most up to date.
If you’re a smoker you’re probably well aware of the impact it can have on your health. Smoking is the primary cause of preventable illness and premature death in England, for example, accounting for more than 74,000 deaths a year, according to NHS and public health statistics.
And there are other downsides – life insurance is significantly more expensive for smokers, reflecting the increased risk. According to broker Lifesearch, smokers can pay up to two and a half times more for life cover than non-smokers of the same age.
Looking for life insurance?
Compare policies from top-rated insurers and find the right life insurance for your needs.
On LifeSearch's website
Can smokers get life insurance?
Yes, smokers can get life insurance. But you should expect to pay higher rates than a non-smoker. That’s because tobacco use is a proven health risk and impacts your life expectancy, which is a major cost factor when insurance companies set their premiums for life insurance for smokers.
Around 6.4 million people, equivalent to 12.9% of the UK’s adult population were identified as smokers, according to government statistics for 2022.
On average, smoking cuts life expectancy by 10 years, according to research published by BUPA. And for those over 40, every year of smoking reduces their life expectancy by an extra three months.
As a smoker, you could be refused a life insurance policy if you also have certain medical conditions, such as smoking-related diseases. Also, there could be problems with any claim on the policy if it emerges that you were a smoker having said you were not.
It’s not just traditional cigarettes that count as smoking when it comes to life insurance. Other forms of tobacco use and nicotine use can be classed as ‘smoking’ by insurers.
Typically for insurance purposes, if you’ve used any tobacco or nicotine products in the past year, including nicotine replacement products, you’ll be classed as a smoker. But this time range will vary between providers with some insurers classifying you as a smoker even if you gave up within the past five years.
Alan Richardson, protection expert at Lifesearch, says: “Currently, most insurers consider vaping to be the same as smoking, along with chewing nicotine or using patches.
“However, if you give up smoking, insurers will consider offering you non-smoker rates after a period of your being a non-smoker, which can range from one to five years, depending on the insurer.”
So that means even those who have recently given up smoking would still be viewed as smokers. And it doesn’t matter if you smoke 20 a day, or have had one cigarette in the last six months, to the insurer you’re a smoker.
Other things that count as smoking to an insurer include:
- Cigars
- Pipes
- Vaping and e-cigarettes
- Nicotine replacement products (patches, gum, inhalers, lozenges and nasal sprays).
Do insurers consider vaping to be smoking?
While almost one in three smokers (29%) considers vaping to be less harmful than smoking cigarettes, according to a recent government survey, insurers don’t tend to view the two any differently.
In 2022, about 4.5 million people in the UK had used e-cigarettes, with 5.2% being daily users and an extra 3.5% using them on occasion, according to Office for National Statistics survey data.
Insurers will still consider vaping to be smoking when setting your life insurance premium as vape products contain nicotine. To be classed as a non-smoker by insurers you need to have been nicotine free for at least 12 months.
Why do smokers have different life insurance rates to non-smokers?
Life expectancy is the basis for life insurance pricing. It means any factors that impact on your life expectancy will be factored into the premium you’re quoted.
Cigarette smoking has fallen in the UK, but it remains a major cause of disease and early death. So, if you’re a smoker, that signals higher risk to the life insurer (they’re more likely to have to pay out compared to cover for a non-smoker) and it means they’ll charge you more for your cover.
You don’t have to already have health consequences from smoking to get stuck with higher life insurance costs. Simply being a smoker will usually push up your premium when you shop for life insurance.
Smoking vs non-smoking life insurance costs
Brace yourself for higher life insurance costs if you’re a smoker – or if you’ve only recently stopped. According to LifeSearch, being a smoker will roughly double the premium you pay – compared to a non-smoker of the same age.
Since 2012, gender has not played a part in UK insurance pricing, but your age does have a big bearing on the cost. The example quotes in our table below from Lifesearch show the impact of smoking on life cover costs for people at different ages.
How do life insurance companies find out you’re a smoker?
When you apply for life cover you must be truthful with all your answers – including whether or not you smoke. If you give false information you will render your policy invalid, which could lead to a claim not being paid.
Insurers can use different ways to verify whether or not you’re a smoker. They may ask to look at your medical records (you will need to consent to this). Nicotine use will usually be noted in your records. In some cases an insurer may ask for a blood or urine sample – which would test levels of nicotine in your system.
How to find the lowest life insurance premium
One of the best ways to find the lowest life insurance premium for you, whether you use nicotine or not, is shopping around. An insurance broker can help you look across the market and get quotes from a range of insurers – including those that might be more nicotine-friendly.
Our life insurance quotation service is provided by Lifesearch.
Here are some tips for smokers to find the best life insurance rates.
- Compare quotes. The most effective way to find the lowest rate is to compare life insurance quotes from a range of insurers.
- Ask for a premium review. If you were a smoker but you have now given up, ask your insurer to re-evaluate your existing life insurance premium. You might be asked to have a new medical check, but if you’re in good health and have not developed any new medical conditions your premium could come down.
You might be wondering if it’s a good idea to stop smoking and then apply for a life insurance policy. While this might get you a lower premium it’s generally not a good idea to wait to buy life insurance.
For instance, you could develop a new health condition while you are in the midst of stopping smoking, which might result in higher cost life cover. Or worse, you could die without a policy in place, leaving your dependents with less financial security.
What if I start smoking after buying life insurance?
Once you’ve bought a policy, a life insurance company can’t increase your premium – this price is fixed for the term of the plan. So if you take a new job as a stuntman, for example, or start smoking afterwards, you’ll still enjoy the life insurance price you’ve already locked in. The same is true for health conditions you might develop after buying a policy.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do occasional smokers need to inform insurers?
Yes, even if you only smoke occasionally you need to let the insurance company know this. Even occasional smoking can impact on the risk factors and increase your premium.
Some insurers don’t distinguish between occasional and heavy smokers. If you’ve used any nicotine or tobacco products in the past year they will want to know.
However, some life insurance companies will take into account that an applicant is a social smoker, compared to a more regular smoker, and premiums could be priced accordingly. For this reason it could make sense to shop around and find insurers who can price the risk based on your specific usage.
But the bottom line is you must be honest with your insurer about your smoking habits.
Do I need to do a medical exam?
You may not need to go for a full medical exam, but you’re likely to be asked more medical questions as part of your application process if you’re a smoker. In some cases, if the insurer considers you pose a higher risk it might ask to see your GP medical records and you might be asked to undergo a medical exam.
Sometimes an insurer can ask for a saliva, urine or blood sample to test the levels of nicotine in your system.
How long do I need to quit for to qualify as a non-smoker?
Most insurers state you need to have not used any nicotine or tobacco products (including replacement products) for at least 12 months to be eligible for a life policy as a non-smoker.
Will premiums go down if I stop smoking?
It is the case that non-smokers pay less for life cover. According to insurance broker LifeSearch, you could cut your premiums by up to 50% by stopping smoking.
But insurers will want to be certain you have given up smoking for good. In some cases they may ask for a saliva or urine sample, for example, to check you are nicotine free.
Note that the premiums on an existing policy are unlikely to be reduced when you stop smoking. Rather, you’ll need to take out a new policy based on your current answers to a life insurance application.
It is likely that the premium reduction that arises from your having stopped smoking will outweigh any increase that comes from you being older than when you first took out cover but it is worth talking to a broker to determine your best course of action.
How does smoking affect a joint life insurance policy?
A joint life insurance policy covers two lives, but if one person is a smoker this could push up the premium dramatically. In this scenario it could be preferable to get two individual life policies as this may be cheaper. For couples in this situation getting a range of quotes to compare can help you to work out the best route.
