Life insurance - vaping vs smoking
Life insurance and smoking is a tricky one. So many people we speak to assume that you can’t get cover if you’re a smoker but that’s simply not true - you can (and it doesn’t always have to be expensive too).
Whether you’re ditching the cigs for good, you’re an old school cigarette smoker or maybe you’re just a serial vaper on the weekend, keep reading to find out more about vaping, smoking and how it affects your life insurance policy.
What’s the deal with vaping and life insurance?
Most of us are under the impression that vaping is a healthier alternative to smoking but unfortunately, most life insurance providers don’t see it that way. In fact, they view it on the same level as smoking!
This is because life insurance providers will assess your smoking by the amount of nicotine you intake, regardless of whether this is in the form of a cigarette or a vape.
Can you get life insurance if you vape or smoke?
Yes!
Life insurance is not off the cards for smokers but you are at risk of paying a little more than a non-smoker for your cover, as you will have a smoking rate applied to your policy.
What is a smoking rate and does it apply to vapers?
If you disclose that you are a smoker, you have something called a smokers rate added to your life insurance policy. This rating will stick around for as long as you're a smoker and is likely to make your insurance premiums (the thing you pay every month to keep your policy active) more expensive.
The rating that is added on will vary from insurer to insurer and of course the final amount for your life insurance will depend upon your other health and lifestyle disclosures. 
Zero nicotine vapes
There are an estimated 4.3 million of us who vape in the UK but some people like to use a nicotine free one. So if you’re a regular vaper but it contains zero nicotine (you just use it for the fruity flavour) then the good news is that some life insurance providers will make an exception so you can get non-smokers cover.
However, every insurer is different and everything is assessed on a case-by-case basis so it’s always best to use a brokerage (like us) to help find the best policy for you!
Why do smokers and vapers sometimes have to pay more?
According to the National Library of Medicine, smokers lose around a decade of their life compared to non-smokers. So your premiums could be more expensive than non-smokers since life insurance is all about your health and you may pose a bigger risk to insurers.
Are you a social smoker?
Whether you’re guilty of buying an e-cig when you’re out with friends or perhaps you’re partial to the odd few cigs outside the pub on the weekend. Either way - your life insurance provider will most likely still consider you a smoker.
Considering being dishonest?
If it wasn’t already obvious, lying on your life insurance application is a really bad idea and is called ‘misinformation’ - insurers take it very seriously!
Life insurance is based on your health history, so giving insurers a false picture of your health to get a cheaper monthly premium can invalidate your policy, resulting in your loved ones not receiving the pay-out if the worst were to happen.
What do the insurers need to know?
If you’re a smoker, insurers will likely want to know a few key pieces of information about your smoking habits, a few of these are:
- The amount you smoke
- What method you use to smoke (vape, cigarettes, rolling tobacco etc)
- How long you’ve been a smoker for
What can we help with?
At Busy Bee, our primary goal is to find you the right cover - no matter what! So whether you’re a smoker, vaper or you just like a bit of chewing tobacco, don’t let it get in the way of sorting your life insurance out.
*Comparative quotes on ad copy are based on a 35 year old, non-smoker, for £150K of Level Life Insurance over 32 years with Legal & General and the Post Office. Quotes are subject to underwriting and are correct as of October 2022.