Jeffrey Wade
Vaping won't prevent you from getting life insurance, but it will affect your rates. Most insurance providers consider vaping the same as smoking, so you'll be classified as a smoker and pay higher premiums than non-smokers. This is because there isn't much research on the long-term health effects of vaping, so insurers consider vapers riskier to insure. If you want to avoid higher rates, you'll need to quit vaping for at least 12 months before applying for life insurance.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Can you get life insurance if you vape? | Yes |
| Are vapers considered smokers? | Yes |
| Is life insurance more expensive for vapers? | Yes |
| How much more expensive is life insurance for vapers? | Two to three times more expensive than for non-smokers |
| How long do you have to be vape-free to be considered a non-smoker? | 12 months, but sometimes up to two or three years |
| What happens if you lie about vaping on a life insurance application? | The insurance company could decline your application or deny a claim |
What You'll Learn
Vaping and life insurance underwriting
Vaping will not prevent you from getting life insurance, but insurers will consider you a smoker. This means that life insurance for vapers is two to three times more expensive than for non-smokers. Insurers view tobacco use as a proven health risk and so it increases the risk they take on by providing you with a policy.
Most life insurance providers will class vaping as the same as smoking. This is because there is still a lot of uncertainty about the long-term health effects of vaping. There is also less data available on the health impacts of vaping compared to the effects of cigarette use. The e-cigarette industry is also much less regulated than its tobacco counterpart.
However, there are a handful of carriers that will consider vaping and e-cigarette use at non-smoker life insurance rates. For example, one carrier allows for non-smoker rates as long as you don't have more than 24 cumulative tobacco occurrences in the last 12 months. Another carrier only considers cigarette use as tobacco use, so anything else is considered non-tobacco.
If you want to avoid being classified as a smoker due to your use of e-cigarettes and keep your premiums low, you need to quit vaping for a set period before applying for life insurance. Insurers typically want you to be completely tobacco- and vape-free for 12 months, but sometimes it can be up to two or three years.
It's important to be honest about your vaping history when applying for life insurance. Any substance you vape can show up during your medical exam or in your health history. While you won't be denied coverage due to your use of e-cigarettes, you might be penalized if you try to hide it from the insurance company. If you misrepresent your e-cig use and die during the policy's contestability period, your insurance company can refuse to pay the death benefit to your beneficiaries.
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Vaping and insurance rates
Vaping will not prevent you from getting life insurance, but insurers will consider you a smoker, and your insurance rates will be affected.
Vaping and Insurance Eligibility
Life insurance companies generally treat vaping the same as smoking when determining how much you’ll pay for a policy. E-cigarette users can still buy traditional life insurance, but they’ll pay two to three times more for coverage than their non-smoking peers. This is because there still isn’t much research on vaping and its long-term health effects, so most insurers consider vape users riskier to insure than non-users.
How to Avoid Being Classified as a Smoker
If you want to avoid being classified as a smoker due to your use of e-cigarettes and keep your premiums low, you need to quit vaping long before you apply for life insurance. Insurers want you to be completely tobacco- and vape-free for a set period — usually 12 months, but sometimes up to two or three years — before they’ll offer you non-smoker rates.
How Insurers Test for Vaping
When you apply for life insurance, you’ll be asked if you use tobacco products and when you last used them. In addition to cigarettes and any smokeless tobacco products, that includes e-cigarettes. Additionally, during underwriting — which is the process the insurance company uses to assess your insurance risk and set your rates — you’ll likely have to take a medical exam. The exam includes blood and urine tests.
The blood test looks not just for nicotine, but also for cotinine — a byproduct of your body processing nicotine that stays in your blood even after nicotine has left your system. Both tests will look for the presence of THC. If you vape marijuana, THC may show up in a blood test up to 36 hours after marijuana use, and in a urine test after between three and 30 days, depending on the frequency of use.
Why You Need to be Honest About Your Vaping History
Any substance you vape can show up during your medical exam or in your health history. You won’t be denied coverage due to your use of e-cigarettes, but you might be penalized if you try to hide it from the insurance company. If you misrepresent your e-cig use and die during the policy’s contestability period, which usually lasts two years and allows insurers to investigate any death claim considered suspicious, your insurance company can refuse to pay the death benefit to your beneficiaries, leaving them without financial protection.
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How insurers test for vaping
When you apply for life insurance, you will be asked about your tobacco use, including vaping. Lying about your tobacco use is considered insurance fraud and can lead to serious consequences, such as policy cancellation, denied claims, and potential financial hardship for your beneficiaries. Therefore, it is always best to be honest about your vaping habits.
Insurance companies use several methods to verify your vaping status, including:
- Medical exams: Most life insurance policies require a physical exam before your policy is written. This includes blood and urine tests that look for nicotine and its byproducts, like cotinine. Cotinine is a byproduct of your body processing nicotine and can stay in your blood even after nicotine has left your system. These tests can detect nicotine for several days or weeks, depending on how much and how often you vaped.
- Reviewing medical records: Insurers may also request access to your medical records, which could reveal a history of vaping or treatments related to vaping-related illnesses. Your doctor will probably note any tobacco use in your medical records as a result of routine blood and urine analysis.
- Third-party databases: As no-medical-exam life insurance policies become more popular, insurers have started to use technology to verify smoking status. Many insurance companies run reports from third-party databases that aggregate data from health and lifestyle sources, which can reveal previous life insurance applications or claims and your smoking status.
- Medical Information Bureau (MIB): Insurers can also access your medical records through the MIB.
- Attending Physician Statement (APS): Insurers may request an APS from your primary doctor to confirm the details of your health history.
If you misrepresent your vaping history and die during the policy's contestability period, which is usually the first two years, your insurance company can refuse to pay the death benefit to your beneficiaries, leaving them without financial protection. Most policies also allow insurers to deny the death benefit due to intentional lies on the application, even if you die after the contestability period ends. If the life insurance company does pay out the claim, it may reduce the death benefit by the amount you would have paid in premiums if you had disclosed your vaping habit.
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The consequences of lying about vaping on an insurance application
Vaping won't prevent you from getting life insurance, but insurers will consider you a smoker. Life insurance for vapers is two to three times more expensive than for non-smokers. This is because there still isn't much research on vaping and its long-term health effects, so most insurers consider vapers riskier to insure than non-vapers.
Now, what are the consequences of lying about vaping on an insurance application?
Insurance Fraud
Lying about your tobacco usage, or any lifestyle choice for that matter, on a life insurance application or to a doctor during an insurance medical exam is considered insurance fraud.
Higher Costs
If your lie goes undetected, you may face higher premiums down the line.
Disqualification from Coverage
If your lie is detected, you may be disqualified from coverage altogether.
Policy Revocation
If you lie about your smoking habits, your policy may be revoked entirely.
Denied Claims
Lying about vaping on your life insurance application can mean denied claims for your beneficiary.
Legal Consequences
The harshest consequences for this type of insurance fraud could mean losing your plan or facing legal action, including probation, community service, or even jail time.
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How to get non-smoker rates after quitting vaping
Vaping is considered a high-risk activity by insurance companies, and vapers are classified as smokers. This means that life insurance for vapers is two to three times more expensive than for non-smokers. However, if you quit vaping, you can get non-smoker rates on your life insurance policy by following these steps:
Understand the Requirements for Non-Smoker Rates
Insurers typically require you to be completely tobacco- and vape-free for a set period before offering non-smoker rates. This period is usually 12 months but can be as long as two or three years.
Quit Vaping
To get non-smoker rates on your life insurance, you must quit vaping and be nicotine-free for the period specified by your insurer. This may require seeking support from counseling services or medication to manage withdrawal symptoms and cravings.
Wait for the Required Period
After quitting vaping, you need to wait for the specified period to pass. During this time, you can explore other options, such as term life insurance, which can be canceled without fees once you qualify for non-smoker rates.
Take a Medical Exam
Insurers will likely require you to undergo a medical exam, including blood and urine tests, to confirm that you are nicotine-free. These tests can detect nicotine and its byproduct, cotinine. Be honest about your vaping history, as lying can result in claim denials or legal consequences.
Apply for Life Insurance as a Non-Smoker
Once you have met the requirements and passed the necessary medical exams, you can apply for a new life insurance policy as a non-smoker. Contact your desired insurance provider to initiate the application process and provide any required documentation.
Consider Re-Entering an Existing Policy
If you already have a life insurance policy and have quit vaping, you may not need to purchase a new policy. Contact your current provider to inquire about "re-entering," which allows you to provide evidence of your non-smoking status and be approved for non-smoker rates on your existing policy.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can still get life insurance if you vape, but you will be considered a smoker by most insurance providers and will have to pay a higher premium.
Life insurance for vapers is two to three times more expensive than for non-smokers.
Insurance providers view smokers as high-risk because they are more likely to suffer from ill health or die at a younger age. There is also a lack of research on the long-term health effects of vaping, so most insurers consider it riskier to insure vape users than non-users.
Yes, insurance providers will test for nicotine and its byproduct, cotinine, to determine whether you've used tobacco. They will also ask you directly if you vape and request your medical records.
