Cigars and Life Insurance

[Costa]

Going for life insurance. Do you guys put down "cigar smoker" when going for life insurance? How would they know if you did not say anything? Thanks!

[LasciviousXXX]

Different insurance companies have different rules regarding cigars. Some classify you as a cigarette smoker, some as a separate category of tobacco user and some a non-smoker. It really depends on the company itself and your frequency of use. Mine regards anything under one a month as a "non-smoker" so really the occasional cigar smoker would get the premium rate.

I know when I was shopping around for life insurance I made sure to ask up front about their policies regarding cigars. And they would know about your cigar use when it came up in the pre-insurance physical that you undergo.

[thebayratt]

I have BCBS of AL and no mater if its cigarette, cigar, or snuff; they consider you a "tobacco user". They give discounts as being non-tobacco with the plans they offer at work. But if you select non-tobacco, they swab your mouth and send the results off.... I don't know how far back the test is good for, but needless to say my insurane went up $35 a paycheck this year because of my honesty.

[Costa]

Wow, mouth swab?? I'm just starting to look into it now. They do offer policies without the physical, but those are more expensive, and I am in good health with no issues. But for 2-3 cigars a week, I don't see paying a higher premium, and am not sure how they would ever know. I don't nor have ever been a cig smoker.

[LasciviousXXX]

Believe me, they will know when they do your blood tests whether there is any nicotine in your system at all. And at 2-3 a week, there will be.

[mfarre03]

HOw long before the nicotine is out of your system?> Maybe you can just stop for a few weeks, it might work.

[srduggins]

I've heard that stopping for two weeks will reduce what they check in your blood to low enough levels to pass as a non-smoker. It's actually Cotylene or something like that (too lazy to look it up) that is in your blood as a result of smoking.

Lying on your insurance physical is a good way to have your policy cancelled in the event there is a payoff (and they won't pay). I wouldn't take the risk. Consider it the price you pay for being a smoker. It really sucks.

[LasciviousXXX]

Originally Posted by srduggins

Lying on your insurance physical is a good way to have your policy cancelled in the event there is a payoff (and they won't pay). I wouldn't take the risk.

Exactly. It was my position that it wasn't worth the risk to my family in the event of my death. I didn't want my wife to have to go through the hassle of fighting with the insurance company right after I died. Especially when there are companies out there that don't penalize you as much for smoking cigars.

I consider it another way of providing for and ensuring my family's future.

[Costa]

Originally Posted by LasciviousXXX

Exactly. It was my position that it wasn't worth the risk to my family in the event of my death. I didn't want my wife to have to go through the hassle of fighting with the insurance company right after I died. Especially when there are companies out there that don't penalize you as much for smoking cigars.

I consider it another way of providing for and ensuring my family's future.

I think this nails it on the head.

Can I ask for some opinions on where to go for life insurance or where members here had best experience? Thanks again!

I hope I did not post this in the wrong section.

[icehog3]

Originally Posted by thebayratt

But if you select non-tobacco, they swab your mouth and send the results off....

Whoa, then they would know about my syphillis too......bummer.

[LasciviousXXX]

Originally Posted by Costa

Can I ask for some opinions on where to go for life insurance or where members here had best experience? Thanks again!

I myself personally went with ING as they had the best rates for my age group with the amount of coverage I needed. They have a cigar policy which basically puts me at the non-smoker rate. I believe Prudential as well as New York Life both have similar cigar policies, if memory serves me.

[Costa]

Originally Posted by LasciviousXXX

I myself personally went with ING as they had the best rates for my age group with the amount of coverage I needed. They have a cigar policy which basically puts me at the non-smoker rate. I believe Prudential as well as New York Life both have similar cigar policies, if memory serves me.

Thank you!

[Bill86]

Originally Posted by icehog3

Whoa, then they would know about my syphillis too......bummer.

Well yeah, but you can rest easy knowing that hooker is paying a higher rate too!

I agree with Tyr it would be bad to lie to them, for your families sake. If you pay all those years, kick the bucket and they don't give you $hit......you're death could be a lot harder on those you left behind. It just doesn't seem worth it.

Luckily ill never need life insurance.

[Subvet642]

Originally Posted by Bill86

(SNIP)...Luckily ill never need life insurance.

Planing to live forever?

[Bill86]

Originally Posted by Subvet642

Planing to live forever?

Hardily. No marriage, no kids = no life insurance...Unless the cats I end up getting want a Maserati. Then I suppose.

[Subvet642]

My wife tells me (she's a paralegal) that in Massachusetts you can leave your money to your pets.

[BlindedByScience]

Originally Posted by srduggins

Lying on your insurance physical is a good way to have your policy cancelled in the event there is a payoff (and they won't pay). I wouldn't take the risk. Consider it the price you pay for being a smoker. It really sucks.

Can't stress this enough. Last thing you want is to have your policy invalidated due to lying on your application. It's just not worth it.

As others have said, different companies treat cigars very differently. It's worth looking around a bit. I got a decent supplemental policy from Prudential that seemed reasonable. YMMV.....

[taltos]

Originally Posted by icehog3

Whoa, then they would know about my syphillis too......bummer.

I thought that they had to swab something else for those results. On a more serious note, when I bought additional life insurance about 15 years ago, Prudential was quite friendly to cigar smokers. I reported 5-7 per week and was not hit with a surcharge. I have no idea of their current policies. We did have a thread that reported on insurance company attitudes, not sure where it is at this time, search might help.

[Costa]

Originally Posted by taltos

I thought that they had to swab something else for those results. On a more serious note, when I bought additional life insurance about 15 years ago, Prudential was quite friendly to cigar smokers. I reported 5-7 per week and was not hit with a surcharge. I have no idea of their current policies. We did have a thread that reported on insurance company attitudes, not sure where it is at this time, search might help.

Awesome, awesome info guys, all of you, thank you! I will start that search tonight.

Again, thanks!

[forgop]

Yeah, insurance companies will do everything they can to deny paying a claim.

After my gma died, I grabbed the secret box she kept in her HVAC duct. It contained all kinds of important documents, one of which was a letter denying a payout for my grandfather's life insurance because he denied having any kind of heart disease. Sure enough, heart disease was the primary cause of death not too long after the policy was purchased (a couple of years I think) and they were so kind to provide her a check in the amount of the insurance premiums that had been paid.

It may cost a little more, but if you take out a policy for $100k, $500k, a $1M or whatever, this isn't what you want your family to contend with upon your death. Once I get back to work in a little over a year, I plan on shopping around for some life insurance plans of my own.