Best Life Insurance for Smokers (2025)


Enter your ZIP code to get started

Shield

Free. Simple. Secure.

Key Takeaways

blueCheck icon

Smokers can still get life insurance at competitive rates by choosing insurers that assess risk more leniently and offer smoker-friendly underwriting.

blueCheck icon

Nationwide, GEICO and State Farm are top providers, with Nationwide offering the best value, GEICO suited for seniors and State Farm strong in whole life and no-exam coverage.

blueCheck icon

Age, health and smoking habits impact your rates. Comparing quotes and understanding underwriting rules helps you find the best fit.

Compare Life Insurance Rates

Ensure you're getting the best rate for your life insurance. Compare quotes from the top insurance companies.

Why do we need ZIP code?

What Is the Best Life Insurance Company for Smokers?

Nationwide is the best life insurance company for smokers. It provides competitive rates, good customer experience and multiple policy choices, receiving an overall MoneyGeek score of 97 out of 100.

Life insurance companies use an applicant's health, occupation, age, lifestyle and habits to determine premiums. People who smoke tend to pay more than nonsmokers due to the health risks that come with smoking. Comparing quotes and product features can help you find the best policy and provider based on your needs and profile.

Nationwide97Overall for Smokers$36
GEICO96Senior Smokers$389
State Farm99Whole Life and No Exam$49

Overall Best Life Insurance for Smokers

Nationwide is MoneyGeek's top pick for smokers, with a MoneyGeek score of 97 out of 100. Its 10-year term policy with $250,000 in coverage averages $36 monthly. It also excels in high-coverage options, offering a $1 million policy at an average cost of $77 and earning a score of 98 for this category.

Company logo for Nationwide
Nationwide
MoneyGeek Score:
97/ of 100

Monthly Cost$36
Overview

Nationwide has 97 years of insurance experience and offers term life, whole life, universal life and final expense policies. Its no-exam option is ideal for smokers who want to avoid strict medical screenings. The company issues policies directly, accepts multiple payment methods and maintains strong financial stability with an A+ AM Best rating.

While monthly costs may be higher than some competitors', Nationwide's wide range of products and focus on customers make it a top choice for smokers.

Best Life Insurance for Senior Smokers

GEICO is our top choice for senior smokers aged 61 to 70, with a MoneyGeek score of 96 out of 100. The company offers a 10-year term policy issued through partners at $389 monthly.

Company logo for GEICO
GEICO
MoneyGeek Score:
96/ of 100

Monthly Premium$389
Overview

GEICO is our top pick for life insurance for seniors who smoke. It partners with insurers like Ladder to offer coverage that works for smokers.

With 87 years of experience in insurance, GEICO offers term life policies from $100,000 to $8 million with terms of 10 to 30 years. The company doesn't write policies directly, but makes buying easy with online tools and 24/7 chat support.

GEICO has limited payment options, which is a downside. However, the company has strong finances and few customer complaints, making it a solid choice for senior smokers.

Best Whole Life and No-Exam Insurance for Smokers

State Farm tops our list for no-exam and whole life insurance for smokers. It earned a MoneyGeek score of 99 out of 100, the highest rating in these categories.

Company logo for State Farm
State Farm
MoneyGeek Score:
99/ of 100

Monthly Premium$49
Overview

State Farm is the top choice for smokers who want no-exam term life or whole life insurance. With 101 years of experience, the company offers many life insurance products, including term, whole and universal life policies. It provides no-exam term life and guaranteed issue final expense insurance for people who want to skip medical exams.

State Farm has strong finances, an A++ AM Best rating, and few customer complaints. This makes it a reliable choice for smokers who want good coverage and service.

Average Cost of Life Insurance for Smokers

Life insurance rates vary by company, age and health status. Smokers pay higher premiums than nonsmokers. Based on average rates, male smokers pay $41 per month for a 10-year term life insurance policy with $250,000 coverage.

Data filtered by:Results filtered by:
Select
Gender:M
10-Year Term$41
20-Year Term$57

Costs also vary by life insurance company. To highlight the ranges you can expect to pay for life insurance as a smoker, the tables below show different coverage options from several top life insurance companies. The more coverage you choose, the more you pay for life insurance.

10-Year Term Cost by Company for Smokers

Allstate$27$42$68
Transamerica$27$41$62
GEICO$28$44$62
Protective$29$46$73
Nationwide$36$51$77
Mutual of Omaha$37$60$108
Prudential$37$75$149
AAA$38$58$99
Fidelity$45$74$218
Haven$49$89$165
State Farm$49$72$113
Bestow$60$111$207
Progressive$68$121$218

20-Year Term Cost by Company for Smokers

Allstate$38$65$115
Transamerica$39$66$116
GEICO$41$73$116
Protective$41$73$128
Nationwide$50$84$149
Mutual of Omaha$51$87$162
Prudential$52$106$211
AAA$55$93$166
State Farm$56$93$162
Haven$57$104$196
Fidelity$66$120$351
American Family$72$136$252
Bestow$76$141$271
Progressive$97$180$351

Best Life Insurance Rates for Smokers: Buying Guide

Getting life insurance as a smoker can be tough. You'll face higher premiums and stricter underwriting. However, many insurers offer good policies for smokers.

Term life insurance is usually the cheapest option and covers you for a set period. Whole life insurance covers you for life and builds cash value, but it costs more.

Some insurers offer policies without medical exams, which can be helpful for smokers who worry about health checks. Compare quotes and read the terms carefully to find the best policy for your needs and budget.

How to Get the Best Life Insurance for Smokers

Though life insurance is more expensive for smokers, that doesn't mean you can't save money on as a smoker. Here are some ways to save when applying for insurance:

  1. 1

    Quit smoking

    Quitting smoking is one of the best ways to save on life insurance. The length of time you have to be tobacco-free before you're eligible for nontobacco rates varies by provider but is at least a year.

  2. 2

    Bundle policies

    If you buy life insurance from a company that offers home and auto coverage, you may save with a bundle discount by purchasing more than one policy with the same carrier.

  3. 3

    Get group life insurance

    If your employer offers life insurance, you can save with group rates. Group life insurance provides a set rate for a specific coverage amount and age, and doesn't factor in smoking as part of the rate.

cigarette icon
HOW TO BE CONSIDERED A NONSMOKER AFTER QUITTING

If you want to get nontobacco rates, most life insurance companies require you to quit for at least a year to be eligible. The length of time varies and could be longer depending on the company. For instance, some companies won't consider you a nonsmoker until you've quit for two years.

If you already have life insurance and want to have your rate reconsidered, you must get the company's approval and complete a medical exam to prove your tobacco-free status. You may have to pay for the medical exam to be reconsidered.

When to Buy a Policy if You're Quitting

If you don't have life insurance in place, you shouldn't wait to buy a policy, even if you're quitting smoking. If you were to pass away while you're waiting to be considered a nonsmoker, your beneficiary would miss out on the death benefit. Some insurers offer a rate reconsideration, which means they'll allow you to prove your tobacco-free status by completing a medical exam at a later date.

If an insurance company doesn't offer the option of a rate reconsideration, you can apply for a new policy once you're considered a nonsmoker. Once you have the policy in place, you can keep your smoker policy or cancel it if it's no longer needed or worth the cost.

Life Insurance Companies for Cigar Smokers: Bottom Line

Smokers pay higher premiums, but affordable life insurance options exist. Nationwide offers the best overall value, GEICO specializes in coverage for senior smokers, and State Farm provides no-exam policies. Compare providers and assess your coverage needs to find a policy that protects your family's financial future.

Compare Life Insurance Rates

Ensure you're getting the best rate for your life insurance. Compare quotes from the top insurance companies.

Why do we need ZIP code?

Finding the Top-Rated Life Insurance Company for Smokers: FAQ

Here are the answers to frequently asked questions about life insurance for smokers to help you find the best policy.

What is the best life insurance company for smokers?

What is a life insurance policy for smokers?

Do you need to tell a life insurance company that you smoke?

How much do life insurance policies for smokers cost?

Why do policies for smokers cost more?

How much life insurance should you buy if you are a smoker?

Best Life Insurance Companies for People Who Smoke: Our Review Methodology

Why Trust MoneyGeek?

We analyzed 1,488 life insurance quotes alongside customer satisfaction, financial stability reports, product offerings and more to determine the best life insurance companies for smokers.

MoneyGeek created a scoring system to compare life insurance companies across five categories and ranked them based on their scores. We chose to review these companies based on their broad national coverage and ability to provide an online quote.

MoneyGeek’s Scoring System

In our unique scoring system, companies can earn up to five points in each of the five categories below. We then use these category scores to calculate an overall MoneyGeek score out of 100. We applied the following weightings to score insurers:

  • Affordability: 30%
  • Financial stability: 25%
  • Buying process: 20%
  • Customer satisfaction: 15%
  • Product diversity: 10%

MoneyGeek used the following weightings to calculate scores and rank the top term life insurance companies for no-medical-exam policies:

  • Product diversity: 35%
  • Financial stability: 25%
  • Customer satisfaction: 20%
  • Buying process: 20%

For whole life insurance policies, we ranked top whole life insurance providers using the following weightings:

  • Financial stability: 35%
  • Customer satisfaction: 25%
  • Buying process: 20%
  • Product diversity: 20%

We didn't include affordability in the calculation since we don't have quotes for whole life and no-medical-exam policies. Of the companies that offer these policies, we chose the one with the highest score.

Each company's score incorporates the following:

  • Cost data obtained through online quotes
  • Financial strength ratings from AM Best and number of years in business
  • Customer satisfaction data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) customer complaint index (we reviewed annual complaint data from 2020 to 2022, the most recent year available)
  • Availability of tools to aid in the buying process, such as online product materials and multiple payment options
  • Diversity of life insurance products offered

Sample Customer Profile

MoneyGeek used a standard profile to get life insurance quotes:

  • 40-year-old male
  • Smoker
  • 5 feet 11 inches tall and 175 pounds
  • Excellent health rating

We base premiums on the standard profile unless otherwise noted.

We modified the profile by age, gender, height, weight, tobacco use, health rating and geographic location to collect various quotes and determine the best life insurance company for several types of customers. We also collected quotes for term life insurance with varying term lengths and coverage amounts.

We identified trends in the dataset and used those patterns to calculate projections and extend the data beyond what was originally collected.

Life Insurance for Cigar Smokers: Related Articles

About Mark Fitzpatrick


Mark Fitzpatrick headshot

Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer, is MoneyGeek's resident Personal Finance Expert. With over five years of experience analyzing the insurance market, he conducts original research and creates tailored content for all types of buyers. His insights have been featured in publications like CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.

Fitzpatrick holds a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He's also a five-time Jeopardy champion!

Passionate about economics and insurance, he aims to promote transparency in financial topics and empower others to make confident money decisions.


Copyright © 2025 MoneyGeek.com. All Rights Reserved