Smoking and life insurance
Learn more about life insurance and smoking
Key points:
- You can still get life insurance if you smoke, vape or use nicotine products, but it will usually cost more.
- Insurers may class people who vape, even if the vape is nicotine-free, or use nicotine replacement products as a smoker.
- Being honest about your smoking habits helps ensure your cover is based on accurate information.
- You may be classed as a non-smoker after a period without tobacco or nicotine products, depending on insurer rules.
In this article, when we say 'life insurance' we are talking about term life insurance which covers you for a set period of time and pays out a sum of money if you die while you have the policy.
If you smoke, vape (even if your vape is nicotine-free) or use nicotine products, you can still get life insurance. But it will usually cost more than it does for a non-smoker.
That's because smoking can affect your health and life expectancy. For insurers, that means there's a higher chance they'll need to pay a claim.
Here's what you need to know about smoking and life insurance.
What do insurers mean by ‘smoker’?
You might not think of yourself as a smoker, but your insurer could.
For many insurers, including Aviva, you're classed as a smoker if you use:
- Cigarettes
- Cigars
- Pipes
- Vapes and e-cigarettes, including nicotine-free vapes
- Nicotine patches
- Nicotine gum or lozenges
- Any tobacco or nicotine replacement product
So even if you don't smoke cigarettes, using nicotine products or vaping could affect the price you pay for life insurance.
Can you get life insurance if you smoke?
Yes, you can.
Most insurers will offer life insurance to people who smoke. But you'll usually pay more than someone who doesn't.
This is because smoking increases the risk of a range of health conditions and is associated with premature death. Between 2022-2024, there were 184,316 deaths attributed to smoking in England alone. Footnote [1]
How much does life insurance cost for smokers?
The amount you pay depends on things like your age, health and the type of cover you choose.
To show the difference smoking can make, here's an example based on an Aviva life insurance policy:
- A 35-year-old non-smoker looking for £150,000 of cover over 25 years could pay from £9.81 a month.
- A 35-year-old smoker looking for the same cover could pay from £17.78 a month.
If you've stopped smoking, the price you pay may also depend on how long it's been since you quit.
Is vaping classed as smoking?
For insurance purposes, many companies class vaping as smoking, meaning it can affect your premiums.
At Aviva, we treat vaping the same way as smoking when working out your life insurance premiums, even if you vape without nicotine.
That means using e-cigarettes or vaping products could increase the amount you pay.
What happens if you start smoking after taking out life insurance?
If you start smoking after your policy begins, your premium won't automatically go up.
However, it's important to check your policy documents. Some insurers may ask you to tell them about changes to your smoking habits. If you don't, it could affect your cover.
How does your insurer know if you smoke?
When you apply for life insurance, it's important to answer all questions honestly and accurately.
If the information on your application isn't correct, it could cause problems later. For example, if a claim is made and medical records show information wasn't accurate, the insurer may investigate and this could affect whether they pay out.
Being open about your smoking habits helps make sure your cover is right for you from the start.
When are you classed as a non-smoker?
Different insurers have different rules about when you're classed as a non-smoker, so it's always worth checking.
At Aviva, we'll class you as a previous smoker if you haven't smoked, vaped or used any tobacco or nicotine products for at least 12 months. However, if you stopped smoking between one and five years ago, different rates may apply.
If you haven't used tobacco or nicotine products for five years or more, we'll class you as a non-smoker.
What happens if you quit smoking?
Stopping smoking is good for your health and could help reduce the cost of future life insurance.
But if you took out a policy when you were a smoker, most insurance companies are unlikely to automatically change your premium when you quit.
At Aviva, if you quit smoking and now meet our definition of a non-smoker, you may be able to apply for a new policy. You'll get a new quote based on your circumstances at the time; like your age, current health and smoking history.
Getting help to quit smoking
Quitting smoking isn't always easy, but support can make a big difference. If you’re not sure where to start, you could speak to your GP, a stop smoking advisor or local stop smoking services.
They can talk through the options available and help you find an approach that works for you.
Giving up smoking could benefit both your health and your finances, making it a positive step for the future.
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