If you're a smoker shopping for life insurance, you get higher quotes than your nonsmoking friends. Smoking impacts life insurance costs and coverage options because insurers view tobacco use as a major health risk.
Does Smoking Affect Life Insurance?
Smoking affects life insurance, with smokers paying roughly three times more than nonsmokers for the same coverage.
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Updated: February 3, 2026
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Key Takeaways
Smokers pay about three times more than nonsmokers for life insurance, adding over $1,000 per year to premiums.
Quitting tobacco for 12 months qualifies you for nonsmoker rates, saving hundreds each month.
Lying about tobacco use results in denied death benefits for your beneficiaries.
How Smoking Affects Life Insurance
Who Is Considered a Smoker for Life Insurance?
Most life insurance companies classify you as a smoker if you've used any tobacco or nicotine product within the past 12 months. Frequency doesn't matter much to insurers. A person who smokes one cigarette weekly receives the same classification as someone who smokes a pack daily.
PRODUCTS THAT COUNT AS TOBACCO OR NICOTINE USE
Insurance companies consider these products to be tobacco or nicotine use: cigarettes (daily or occasional), cigars and pipes, vaping and e-cigarettes, chewing tobacco and smokeless tobacco, nicotine patches, gums and lozenges, nicotine pouches like Zyn, and hookah or shisha.
Does Occasional Use Count?
Occasional tobacco use still counts as smoking for insurance purposes. If you've used any tobacco product in the past 12 months, you'll be classified as a smoker.
Some insurers make exceptions for occasional cigar smokers who enjoy one or two cigars monthly. Ask your insurer about their guidelines before assuming you qualify for nonsmoker rates.
What About Marijuana Use?
Marijuana policies differ across life insurance companies. Insurers evaluate cannabis use based on consumption method (smoking versus edibles), frequency, medical versus recreational purpose and state legality.
Regular marijuana smoking results in a smoker classification because inhaling smoke creates similar lung-related health risks. Companies offer standard rates for occasional marijuana users who consume edibles or classify all marijuana users as smokers.
Compare life insurance quotes from multiple insurers since marijuana underwriting guidelines differ by company.
COMPARE SMOKER-FRIENDLY INSURERS
Not all insurance companies charge the same rates for smokers. Some insurers focus on high-risk people and offer more competitive pricing. Others reclassify you as a nonsmoker after just 12 months tobacco-free, while competitors require 24 months or longer.
Shopping around saves hundreds per year. MoneyGeek's guides to the best life insurance for smokers and cheapest options help you find affordable coverage.
How Much More Do Smokers Pay for Life Insurance?
Life insurance premiums reflect your life expectancy. Insurers charge more when they're likely to pay out a death benefit sooner. Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, increasing your risk of lung cancer, heart disease, stroke and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Insurance companies base their rates on decades of mortality data. Smokers statistically die younger than nonsmokers, which means insurers expect to pay death benefits earlier. Higher risk equals higher premiums.
Term Life Insurance Rates: Smokers vs. Nonsmokers (20-Year Term)
$100,000 | $16 (F), $19 (M) | $51 (F), $60 (M) |
$250,000 | $27 (F), $32 (M) | $84 (F), $100 (M) |
$500,000 | $46 (F), $55 (M) | $143 (F), $170 (M) |
$1,000,000 | $84 (F), $99 (M) | $273 (F), $322 (M) |
$1,500,000 | $124 (F), $147 (M) | $403 (F), $475 (M) |
$2,000,000 | $156 (F), $190 (M) | $498 (F), $604 (M) |
$3,000,000 | $226 (F), $280 (M) | $721 (F), $892 (M) |
Whole Life Insurance Rates: Smokers vs. Nonsmokers
$100,000 | $121 (F), $133 (M) | $221 (F), $243 (M) |
$250,000 | $302 (F), $334 (M) | $551 (F), $608 (M) |
$500,000 | $605 (F), $667 (M) | $1,103 (F), $1,216 (M) |
$1,000,000 | $1,209 (F), $1,335 (M) | $2,205 (F), $2,432 (M) |
$1,500,000 | $1,814 (F), $2,002 (M) | $3,308 (F), $3,649 (M) |
$2,500,000 | $3,024 (F), $3,337 (M) | $5,513 (F), $6,081 (M) |
Universal Life Insurance Rates: Smokers vs. Nonsmokers
$100,000 | $51 (F), $59 (M) | $93 (F), $107 (M) |
$250,000 | $127 (F), $147 (M) | $232 (F), $268 (M) |
$500,000 | $254 (F), $294 (M) | $463 (F), $536 (M) |
$1,000,000 | $508 (F), $588 (M) | $927 (F), $1,072 (M) |
$1,500,000 | $762 (F), $882 (M) | $1,390 (F), $1,607 (M) |
$2,500,000 | $1,270 (F), $1,470 (M) | $2,317 (F), $2,679 (M) |
*These rates come from MoneyGeek analysis of life insurance quotes for 40-year-olds of average health. Your actual rates differ based on health, insurer and other factors. Rates shown are estimates for comparison purposes only.
How Do Life Insurance Companies Know if You Smoke?
Insurance companies use four main methods to verify your tobacco use: applications, medical exams, medical records and prescription history.
Lying about smoking results in denied claims, leaving your life insurance beneficiaries without the death benefit.
Application Questions
Every life insurance application asks direct questions about tobacco use, usually focusing on the past 12 months. Health questionnaires include specific questions about smoking habits, frequency and types of tobacco products used. Answer these questions honestly to protect both you and your beneficiaries.
Medical Exam and Nicotine Testing
Most traditional life insurance policies require a medical exam that includes nicotine testing.
Blood tests detect nicotine for one to three days and cotinine (a nicotine byproduct) for up to 10 days. Urine tests detect cotinine for three to four days in occasional users and up to three weeks in heavy users. Saliva tests detect nicotine for up to four days. Hair tests, though rarely used, can show tobacco use for one to three months.
These tests make it difficult to hide recent tobacco use, even if you've temporarily quit before applying.
Medical Records and Prescription History
Insurers review your medical records for smoking-related conditions or doctor's notes about tobacco use. Prescription history can reveal smoking cessation medications like Chantix or Wellbutrin.
Previous insurance applications are sometimes checked through industry databases, so inconsistent answers across applications flag concerns.
What if You Start Smoking After Getting a Life Insurance Policy?
If you got coverage as a nonsmoker and later start smoking, your existing premiums stay the same. Life insurance rates lock in based on your health at application. Your insurer won't increase rates after issuing the policy.
Your current policy protects these rates. New policies or additional coverage use smoker rates based on your current tobacco use. Whole life and universal life policies maintain rates for the policy's duration.
How Does Smoking Affect Life Insurance: Bottom Line
Smoking increases life insurance costs, but insurers still offer coverage to smokers. MoneyGeek's analysis found smokers pay roughly three times more than nonsmokers for identical coverage. A 40-year-old smoker pays an extra $1,164 to $1,380 per year compared to a nonsmoker for $500,000 in term life coverage. Rates differ by insurer and health factors.
Answer honestly on your application to protect your beneficiaries. Lying about tobacco use leads to denied death benefits during the contestability period and leaves your family without financial protection.
If you smoke, get coverage now instead of waiting to quit. Apply for nonsmoker rates after 12 months tobacco-free. Quitting saves you over $1,000 per year on premiums while improving your health.
Smoking and Life Insurance: FAQ
We answer common questions about how smoking affects life insurance.
Can smokers get life insurance?
Yes, smokers can get life insurance. Tobacco use doesn't disqualify you from coverage, but it does affect pricing. Insurance companies categorize smokers in higher-risk classifications, resulting in higher premiums. Some insurers limit maximum death benefit amounts for smokers, but coverage is accessible.
Can quitting smoking lower your life insurance rates?
Yes, quitting tobacco saves most people over $1,000 per year on premiums. Most insurers require 12 months tobacco-free to qualify for nonsmoker rates, though some require 24 months or longer. After three to five years smoke-free, you can qualify for preferred rates offered to the healthiest applicants.
What happens if I lie about smoking on my life insurance application?
Lying about smoking has serious consequences. If discovered during the contestability period (the first two years of your policy), your insurer will deny the death benefit entirely.
Even after the contestability period, providing false information on your application about tobacco use gives insurers grounds to dispute claims.
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About Mark Fitzpatrick
Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer, is MoneyGeek's resident Personal Finance Expert. He has analyzed the insurance market for over five years, conducting original research for insurance shoppers. His insights have been featured in 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!
He writes about economics and insurance, breaking down complex topics so people know what they're buying.