Get the Coverage You Need with Smoker’s Life Insurance

These days just about everyone understands that cigarette smoking carries some serious health risks, and that quitting smoking can significantly reduce the chances of serious illness and premature death. Companies who write life insurance policies also understand the risks associated with smoking, and insurance shoppers can expect to see these risks reflected in their monthly premiums.

That is the bad news. The good news is that life insurance coverage is available even for those who are still smoking. The fact that family breadwinner is a smoker should not discourage life insurance coverage, and it is important for all smokers to understand that life insurance coverage is not out of reach. With a little bit of shopping around smokers can find the coverage they need for a price they can afford.

In fact many of the largest providers of life insurance provide life insurance coverage to those who smoke as a type of niche product or specialty line of business. These policies have some important differences from other types of coverage, and it is important for life insurance shoppers to understand how these policies work.

For instance some smoker’s life insurance policies will require a thorough medical exam prior to coverage taking effect. The life insurance company may use this medical exam to ensure that no serious illness is currently present. Smokers in need of life insurance coverage should be prepared to undergo such a medical exam.

In some cases life insurance companies may also require a waiting period before coverage takes effect. The length of the required waiting period will vary from policy to policy, and not all life insurance companies will impose such a waiting period. It is important for those in need of a life insurance policy to ask about any required waiting periods or exclusions before settling on a particular policy.

Last but certainly not least it is important to note that smoker’s life insurance will typically be quite a bit more costly than a similar policy for a non-smoker. This increased cost reflects the increase risks associated with smoking, and smokers in need of coverage should be prepared to shell out some additional money for the coverage they need. Of course it is still possible to save money by shopping around, any those in need of life insurance coverage still need to shop and compare policies very carefully.