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Life insurance for smokers and vapers

Written by Frankie Entwistle, Senior SEO and Content Lead

We take into account if you smoke or vape when we assess your application for life insurance or critical illness cover.

Generally, it’s more expensive to take out life insurance or critical illness cover if you smoke than it is for non-smokers.

That’s because of the health risks that come with smoking.

Statistically, smokers are more likely to become seriously ill or die at a younger age than non-smokers, and the premiums you’ll pay reflect that risk.

Smoking and life insurance

We categorise smoking as the following:

  • Smoker – You currently smoke or you’ve smoked or used nicotine replacement products (NRPs), including vapes, in the last 12 months, even if only occasionally
  • Ex-smoker – You haven't smoked or used NRPs in the last 12 months, but have done so in the past
  • Never smoked – You’ve never smoked or used NRPs

If you use – or have used in the past 12 months – any of the following products, we will class you as a smoker:

  • Tobacco products, including:
    - cigarettes
    - cigars
    - pipes
    - hand roll tobacco
    - snuff and chewing tobacco
  • Nicotine-replacement products, including:
    - nicotine gum
    - nicotine inhalers
    - nicotine nasal spray
    - nicotine lozenges
    - nicotine patches
    - vapes or e-cigarettes (including zero nicotine e-liquid mixtures)

This list doesn't include everything considered a tobacco product or nicotine replacement products. If in doubt, please contact us.

Can you get life insurance if you smoke?

Absolutely. But you might find that life insurance providers, including Beagle Street, ask you to pay higher premiums than they would for non-smokers.

Even so, it’s essential that you’re honest about smoking when you apply.

If you take out a life insurance or critical illness policy with us, a future claim might be refused or reduced if it’s discovered that you weren’t truthful about being a smoker or ex-smoker when you applied for your policy.

Insurance companies often ask to see medical records when a claim is made, which may show your smoking status. It’s not worth the risk!

Is vaping classed as smoking?

Like most insurers, at Beagle Street we class you as a smoker if you’ve smoked e-cigarettes (vapes) or used any other nicotine replacement products in the last year.

Even though vaping can be used to help you stop smoking, it does still carry health risks.

The benefits of quitting smoking

As well as the health benefits of quitting smoking, cheaper life insurance could give you another reason to stop. Plus, you’ll save on the cost of cigarettes, of course!

If you have a Beagle Street life insurance policy and you stop smoking, you might find that you can get lower premiums if you re-apply, as long as it’s been 12 months or longer since you last used tobacco or an NRP.

Just be aware that other factors might also affect your quote, such as your age and any medical conditions or symptoms you’ve experienced since your previous application.

Quick tip though, we recommend not cancelling your existing policy until your new policy starts – just to make sure there’s never a time when you don’t have any cover in place.

Stop smoking resources

Smoking is the leading cause of premature, preventable death globally, and it’s reported to kill up to half its users, according to Action on Smoking and Health (ASH).

If you’d like to quit smoking, it’s easier to do it with help. Below are just a few of the resources available but we recommend speaking to your GP about the support available through the NHS.

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Accidental death benefit acts as short-term cover while you’re waiting for a decision on your life insurance application.

Terminal illness cover pays out if you are likely to have less than 12 months left to live, while critical illness cover pays out if you’re diagnosed as critically ill.

Joint life insurance policies

Joint life insurance protects two people under one policy. The policy closes after it's paid out once.

Find out how much life insurance could cost with Beagle Street

Our simple, online quick quote tool will let you know how much cover you can get and how much it’s likely to cost you. There’s no commitment to take out a policy.