State Farm has the cheapest life insurance for smokers at $29 per month for men and $26 for women on a 10-year, $250,000 policy.
Compare quotes from top insurers to find the best policy for you.
Updated: August 3, 2026
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State Farm has the cheapest average rate for male smokers at $29 per month for a 10-year $250,000 policy. It also has the most affordable rate for women at $26 per month.
The cheapest life insurance companies for seniors are State Farm, Lincoln Financial and John Hancock.
The cheapest life insurance companies for young adults are State Farm and Guardian Life, with monthly premiums ranging from $20 to $29 based on gender and age.
Smokers pay higher rates than nonsmokers for life insurance. We found that State Farm is the cheapest overall provider for smokers, with average monthly rates of $29 for men and $26 for women with a 10-year, $250,000 policy.
Compare the cheapest life insurance companies for smokers:
| State Farm | $29 | $353 |
| Penn Mutual | $63 | $754 |
| Pacific Life | $65 | $780 |
| Columbus | $66 | $788 |
| Lincoln Financial | $66 | $789 |
| Banner Life | $67 | $800 |
| John Hancock | $67 | $803 |
| MassMutual | $67 | $804 |
| Cincinnati Life | $68 | $813 |
| Guardian Life | $68 | $816 |
| Protective | $69 | $832 |
| North American | $70 | $843 |
| Midland National | $70 | $843 |
| Nationwide | $71 | $857 |
| Gerber Life | $72 | $864 |
| Transamerica | $72 | $866 |
| Mutual of Omaha | $74 | $889 |
| Fidelity | $75 | $898 |
| New York Life | $76 | $906 |
| Prudential | $79 | $945 |
| Ethos | $241 | $2,890 |
* Rates shown are for 40-year-olds with $250,000 worth of coverage over 10 years. Individual rates will vary based on health, location and other factors.
State Farm has the lowest rates for 60-year-old smokers at $86 per month for women and $119 per month for men for a $250,000, 10-year term policy. At age 80, John Hancock is the cheapest company for men at $2,774 per month, and Lincoln Financial is cheapest for women at $2,432 per month, for the same coverage.
Compare life insurance rates for senior smokers from top providers:
| State Farm | $119 | $1,425 |
| Penn Mutual | $281 | $3,378 |
| Banner Life | $308 | $3,695 |
| Pacific Life | $310 | $3,719 |
| Guardian Life | $328 | $3,932 |
| Columbus | $330 | $3,962 |
| Fidelity | $331 | $3,972 |
| Midland National | $340 | $4,077 |
| North American | $340 | $4,077 |
| MassMutual | $341 | $4,092 |
| Lincoln Financial | $343 | $4,111 |
| Transamerica | $343 | $4,113 |
| Protective | $346 | $4,147 |
| Mutual of Omaha | $350 | $4,196 |
| Cincinnati Life | $356 | $4,278 |
| John Hancock | $382 | $4,585 |
| Prudential | $383 | $4,590 |
| New York Life | $405 | $4,865 |
| Gerber Life | $721 | $8,655 |
| Ethos | $1,712 | $20,543 |
* Rates shown are for smokers aged 60 to 80 with 10-year, $250,000 policies.
State Farm is the cheapest life insurance company for young men who smoke, averaging $32 for 25-year-old men. For a 25-year-old woman smoker, the Guardian Life has the cheapest life insurance at $26 per month.
Buying life insurance while you’re young can help you lock in lower rates and give you more time to qualify for better pricing after being tobacco-free for at least a year.
| State Farm | $32 | $389 |
| Gerber Life | $43 | $511 |
| Guardian Life | $44 | $525 |
| Penn Mutual | $45 | $543 |
| Cincinnati Life | $46 | $550 |
| Banner Life | $47 | $567 |
| Lincoln Financial | $48 | $575 |
| Pacific Life | $49 | $583 |
| MassMutual | $50 | $603 |
| Fidelity | $51 | $609 |
| Columbus | $51 | $614 |
| Transamerica | $53 | $634 |
| Midland National | $53 | $642 |
| North American | $53 | $642 |
| Prudential | $55 | $659 |
| Mutual of Omaha | $56 | $673 |
| Protective | $56 | $676 |
| Nationwide | $63 | $755 |
| New York Life | $64 | $766 |
| John Hancock | $68 | $817 |
| Ethos | $140 | $1,680 |
* Rates shown are for smokers ages 20 to 39 with 10-year, $250,000 policies.
State Farm is the cheapest life insurance company for smokers looking for a high coverage amount, with an average monthly cost of $78 for male smokers and $65 for female smokers on a 10-year, $1 million policy.
| State Farm | $78 | $942 |
| Banner Life | $198 | $2,376 |
| Transamerica | $198 | $2,377 |
| Pacific Life | $198 | $2,377 |
| Penn Mutual | $200 | $2,404 |
| Cincinnati Life | $208 | $2,499 |
| Midland National | $219 | $2,624 |
| North American | $219 | $2,624 |
| Mutual of Omaha | $223 | $2,676 |
| New York Life | $233 | $2,798 |
| Columbus | $235 | $2,815 |
| Protective | $236 | $2,831 |
| Fidelity | $239 | $2,866 |
| Prudential | $239 | $2,872 |
| Guardian Life | $241 | $2,894 |
| MassMutual | $248 | $2,970 |
| Nationwide | $252 | $3,019 |
| Lincoln Financial | $255 | $3,065 |
| Gerber Life | $260 | $3,125 |
| John Hancock | $261 | $3,133 |
| Ethos | $800 | $9,596 |
* Rates shown are for 40-year-old smokers with average weight and health rating.
The cheapest life insurance provider varies depending on your coverage level and personal situation. For most smokers, State Farm is the most affordable option in our analysis.
Cheapest Life Insurance Company for Smokers
Average Monthly Cost
Average Annual Cost
Life insurance providers take into account a variety of factors to determine life insurance rates, which differ by company. Follow the steps below as you calculate your coverage needs and get personalized life insurance quotes to help find the cheapest rates for you.
Tobacco use categories vary by company, so the same smoker profile can produce very different quotes. Protective, SBLI, North American and Midland National price smoker policies more competitively than most carriers in our analysis.
Premiums climb with age regardless of smoking status. Locking in a policy earlier cuts costs even with a smoking history, so quote several providers to find the best rate for your current age.
A healthy weight, normal blood pressure and controlled cholesterol can qualify you for preferred smoker rates, saving 15% to 20% on premiums.
Term life insurance policies cost less than whole life, which matters when smoker rates already push premiums up. A 10- or 20-year term gets you coverage at the lowest available price point.
After 12 smoke-free months, many insurers let you retest for nicotine and renegotiate to standard rates. Switching carriers is also an option because some will rate you as a nonsmoker once you've been tobacco-free for a year or more.
Companies verify tobacco use through questionnaires and medical tests that detect nicotine or cotinine, which can identify use from the past week. Our research shows most insurers classify you as a smoker if you've used any of these products within the past 12 months, because most providers require a 12-month tobacco-free period before qualifying for nonsmoker rates.
Even occasional cigarette use results in a smoker classification. Smokers pay two to three times higher premiums than nonsmokers, with rates remaining elevated until you've been nicotine-free for at least 12 months.
Some insurers offer nonsmoker rates for limited cigar consumption (one to two monthly) with negative lab results. Companies like Prudential and Lincoln National are more favorable for occasional users. Pipes and hookahs are generally classified like cigars, with most companies applying standard tobacco rates.
Select insurers offer standard non-tobacco rates even for daily users. This can reduce premiums by over 50% compared to tobacco rates, making company selection crucial for smokeless tobacco users.
Tobacco classifications vary by insurer and state regulations. Consult with licensed agents for specific policy terms.
Despite being marketed as alternatives, most insurers classify vaping the same as cigarettes due to health concerns about additives and chemicals. Expect smoker rates if you use these products.
* Importantly, nicotine replacement therapies (patches, gum, lozenges) are generally NOT classified as tobacco use, as they're viewed as cessation aids. If you use nicotine pouches, like Zyn, it's likely to appear in your lab tests. You will likely be considered a smoker.
You should never lie on a life insurance application. Being honest about your smoking status is always the best approach, even if it means paying higher premiums in the short term. Lying on your life insurance application is a bad idea for these reasons:
Lying on an application is illegal and constitutes fraud, which can have serious legal consequences.
Most life insurance policies have a two-year contestability period during which the company can investigate and deny claims if it finds evidence of misrepresentation.
If you die and the insurance company discovers you lied about smoking (which they often can through medical records or autopsy), they can refuse to pay the death benefit to your beneficiaries.
Companies can cancel your policy entirely if they discover misrepresentation, leaving you without coverage when you might no longer qualify for a new policy.
Blood and urine tests can detect nicotine from tobacco use, making it difficult to hide smoking status.
Smokers can qualify for no-exam life insurance, but comparing options is important because insurers define tobacco use differently. These policies have a simpler application process but cost 20% to 40% more than standard coverage. You must still disclose tobacco use honestly because insurers review your medical and prescription records.
If you occasionally smoke or use tobacco with cigars or other methods, you can still get affordable life insurance. One option is Prudential, which offers nonsmoker rates and potentially even its Standard Plus non-smoker rate classification to healthy users. It also offers its "Non-Smoker Plus" rate to cigar smokers, and uniquely, even to daily cigar smokers.
Quitting smoking can reduce life insurance costs by over 66%, with middle-aged ex-smokers paying as little as $26 monthly for a $250,000, 10-year policy compared to $76 for smokers. Most insurers offer rate reconsideration after 12 to 24 tobacco-free months, requiring verification through health questionnaires and nicotine tests.
| No | $26 | $313 |
| Yes | $76 | $911 |
* Rates are based on a 40-year-old male with a $250,000 10-year term policy.
Alternatively, consider canceling your existing policy and shopping for a nonsmoker policy elsewhere. The table below shows how certain major companies define quitting.
Company | Quitting Definition |
|---|---|
Allstate | Requires at least one year tobacco-free to qualify for nonsmoker rates |
Transamerica | Offers preferred rating class after 24 months (two years) of not smoking |
Protective | Offers preferred rates after 24 months (two years) since your last cigarette |
Prudential | Uniquely offers nonsmoker rates to people who chew tobacco while requiring 12 months of cigarette-free for former smokers |
Mutual of Omaha | Follows standard industry practices requiring at least 12 months tobacco-free before qualifying for nonsmoker rates |
State Farm has the cheapest life insurance rates for smokers across multiple demographic categories, with average rates as low as $26 monthly for women and $29 for men. Lincoln Financial, John Hancock and Guardian Life also have affordable rates for smokers. Compare multiple life insurance providers to get the lowest price on your life insurance as a smoker.
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We answer cover common questions about life insurance coverage and costs for smokers.
Smoking affects life insurance rates substantially. Smokers pay higher premiums than nonsmokers due to increased health risks. Former smokers qualify for lower rates after remaining tobacco-free for 12 months, giving them financial incentive to quit.
Life insurance for smokers is available in all 50 states with affordable quotes, but expect higher premiums than nonsmokers pay for comparable coverage.
Smoker vs nonsmoker life insurance rates differ a lot. Nonsmokers pay average monthly premiums of $26 while smokers pay $76 monthly, meaning nonsmokers save about 66%.
Life insurance companies classify cigarette, e-cigarette, cigar and pipe smoking as tobacco use. Chewing tobacco and nicotine replacement products like gum and patches also qualify as smoking for coverage purposes.
Life insurance policies don't require reporting lifestyle changes like starting to smoke after your policy begins. Your original premium rates remain unchanged regardless of new tobacco use.
Life insurance providers reevaluate smoking history and reduce premiums after you've been tobacco-free for 12 months or longer.
Shopping for life insurance as a smoker feels frustrating. You know you'll pay more, but it's hard to figure out which companies offer the best rates for tobacco users. That's why we focused our research specifically on smoker premiums to help you find affordable coverage despite higher rates.
Research Scope and Data Collection
We gathered life insurance quotes specifically for smokers to identify which companies offer the most competitive rates for tobacco users. Rather than relying on advertised rates or industry averages, we collected actual quotes from companies with broad national coverage and online quoting capabilities.
Our approach prioritized companies that could provide immediate, transparent pricing for smokers: eliminating the guesswork and phone tag that often comes with shopping for life insurance as a tobacco user.
Sample Customer Profile
MoneyGeek used a standard profile to obtain life insurance quotes:
Our pick for the cheapest overall life insurance company is based on the standard profile. Premiums are based on the standard profile unless otherwise noted.
Coverage Analysis and Variations
Beyond our standard profile, we adjusted several factors to reflect how life insurance rates vary for smokers:
Why This Methodology Matters for Smokers
Smokers often see higher life insurance costs than non-smokers, with premiums that can run two to three times more. Insurers also approach tobacco use differently. Some offer pricing that is more favorable for smokers, while others apply the same added charges across the board.
Our research identified these patterns and rate variations so you can focus your shopping efforts on companies that actually compete for smoker business, rather than wasting time with insurers that view tobacco users as unwanted risk.
Learn more: MoneyGeek Life Insurance Methodology
Patrick Bryant is the Vertical Lead for Life and Health Insurance at MoneyGeek, where he researches insurance products, writes consumer guides and maintains the scoring methodologies behind our provider comparisons. He analyzed more than 50 life insurance carriers across multiple policy types, collecting thousands of quotes nationwide to evaluate rates, coverage options and underwriting factors. His methodologies are reviewed quarterly to reflect current market conditions and carrier data.
