Can you get life insurance if you smoke?

According to the latest report from the Office for National Statistics, there are roughly 6.9 million smokers in the UK. That’s just under 15% of the population. So, if you are a smoker and you’re thinking about finding life insurance, you’re not alone. We’re here to answer your questions about getting life insurance if you smoke

First things first, you can still get life insurance if you smoke. But there’s a catch. Your status as a smoker will be taken into account by the insurance company and will likely mean your premium (how much you pay each month) will be higher. This is because, as we all know, smoking isn’t exactly good for your health. As a result, you’ll pay more than a non-smoker applying for the same cover.

You may be thinking ‘I only smoke every now and then, so I don’t really need to declare it’ but that is not the case. Most insurance companies will count anyone who has used tobacco in the past 12 months as a ‘smoker’, whether you’ve had a couple of cigarettes or smoke 20 a day. Smoking a pipe, a cigar or even a vape also usually counts. However, different companies have different criteria, especially when it comes to nicotine replacements, such as e-cigarettes, patches etc. So, it’s best to speak to your protection adviser about your specific situation and find out the best option for you.

With smokers having to pay more (sometimes quite a lot more) for life insurance, you might be tempted to hide the truth when you apply. But don’t. Trust us. Some providers run random checks on applicants to catch out people being less than truthful, so you may be asked to provide medical records. Also, if a claim needs to be made, your medical records might reveal you smoke and didn’t declare it. If this happens, the policy could be declared invalid and nothing would be paid out.

Whether you’re a smoker or not, life insurance can prove invaluable to your loved ones should anything happen to you. It can help fund funeral arrangements, pay off an outstanding mortgage or just ease financial pressure so your family can adjust. Speak to your adviser today about taking out a policy

If you’d like to discuss the options available to you, contact one of our advisers today