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Smoking does not automatically prevent you from getting cover. It can, however, affect the price of standard life insurance because insurers take smoking and nicotine use into account when assessing your risk.
You may have two main options.You could apply for medically underwritten life insurance, where your smoking, health and lifestyle are assessed.
You could also consider guaranteed acceptance over 50s life insurance, which normally does not ask detailed health questions. Some over 50s insurers still ask whether you smoke because this can affect the amount of cover provided for your premium.
The right option depends on your age, health, how much cover you need and what you want the policy to achieve.
Can smokers over 50 get life insurance?
Yes.
Insurers regularly provide life insurance to smokers.
You should expect smoking to affect the cost of medically underwritten life insurance because smoking increases the risk of serious illness and earlier death.
MoneyHelper lists smoking as one of the factors insurers can use when calculating life insurance premiums. Your age, health, amount of cover and length of the policy can also affect the price.
Being both over 50 and a smoker can therefore make standard life insurance more expensive than it would be for a younger non smoker.
That does not mean you should assume standard cover is unaffordable.
The only useful way to find out is to compare actual quotes.
What does an insurer consider to be a smoker?
The answer can be broader than simply asking whether you smoke cigarettes every day.
Insurers set their own definitions.
They may ask about cigarettes, cigars, pipes, vaping and other nicotine products.
- Cigarettes
- Cigars
- Pipes
- Vaping
- Other nicotine products
For example, Aviva currently states that it can class someone as a smoker if they vape or use nicotine substitutes such as nicotine patches, gum or lozenges.
Legal and General currently includes cigarettes, cigars, pipes, vaping, electronic cigarettes and nicotine replacement products within its smoking definitions for standard life insurance.
This means someone who says, "I do not smoke, I only vape" should not automatically answer no to a smoking question.
Read the exact question being asked.
You may be able to apply on non smoker terms with some insurers. Others look back further than 12 months, so check each insurer's exact definition.
Illustration only. Always answer each insurer's questions exactly as they are written.
What if you only smoke occasionally?
You should still disclose it if the insurer's question requires you to.
Someone who smokes only socially may not think of themselves as a smoker, but the insurer may use a different definition.
An insurer might ask whether you have used any tobacco or nicotine products during a particular period rather than asking whether you consider yourself a regular smoker.
Even occasional use can therefore be relevant.
Do not try to decide for yourself whether the amount you smoke is significant enough to mention.
Answer the application exactly as asked.
Why does smoking make life insurance more expensive?
Life insurance premiums are based partly on the likelihood of the insurer having to pay a claim.
Smoking is associated with a greater risk of serious health conditions and earlier death.
A smoker can therefore represent a greater insurance risk than an otherwise similar non smoker.
The insurer accounts for that risk through the premium it offers.
The difference can become particularly noticeable as you get older because age is already increasing the likelihood of a claim.
Someone aged 55 who smokes may therefore pay significantly more than a 55 year old non smoker for the same medically underwritten cover.
The actual difference depends on the insurer and the applicant.
Can you get guaranteed acceptance cover if you smoke?
Yes, subject to the eligibility requirements of the policy.
Guaranteed acceptance over 50s life insurance is specifically designed to avoid detailed medical underwriting.
MoneyHelper describes this type of policy as normally providing guaranteed acceptance without medical questions or a medical examination.
Smoking can still affect how some policies are priced.
For example, Aviva's current over 50s plan does not ask health questions but does ask about smoker status. The answer affects the premium and payout available.
Legal and General also currently uses age and smoker status when calculating the amount of cover available under its over 50s plan.
Guaranteed acceptance therefore does not always mean smoking is ignored.
It means your health is not being assessed in the same way as it would be under a medically underwritten policy.
Is guaranteed acceptance better for smokers?
Not automatically.
The application may be easier, but that does not mean it provides the best value.
Guaranteed acceptance policies usually provide relatively modest amounts of cover.
They can also include an initial waiting period before the full insured amount becomes payable for natural death.
Related guideDoes over 50 life insurance start immediately?Standard life insurance may provide much more cover if you can qualify.
A smoker over 50 should therefore compare both routes rather than assuming guaranteed acceptance is the obvious choice.
Can smokers get £100,000 of life insurance after 50?
Potentially, yes.
If you need a substantial amount such as £100,000, you would normally need to look at medically underwritten life insurance rather than a typical guaranteed acceptance over 50s plan.
The insurer would assess your smoking, age, health and other circumstances.
Being a smoker could make the premium higher, but smoking by itself does not mean £100,000 of cover is impossible.
The amount available will depend on your individual application.
Related guideCan you get £100,000 of life insurance over 50?What if you already have health problems as well as smoking?
You may still be able to get standard life insurance.
Smoking combined with certain medical conditions can make underwriting more complicated because the insurer looks at your overall risk rather than one issue in isolation.
For example, an insurer could consider smoking alongside cardiovascular health, respiratory conditions, diabetes or other medical history.
Possible outcomes include standard cover, a higher premium, a request for further medical information or a decision not to offer cover.
Different insurers can make different decisions about the same applicant.
This is one area where speaking to an adviser can be particularly useful.
What if you vape instead of smoking?
Do not assume vaping makes you a non smoker for life insurance purposes.
Some major insurers currently treat vaping as smoking or nicotine use.
Aviva states that vaping is treated as smoking for its life insurance assessment.
Legal and General also includes vaping and electronic cigarettes within its current definition.
Definitions can vary between insurers, so check the exact wording used in the application.
What about nicotine patches and gum?
These can matter as well.
Some insurers consider nicotine replacement products when deciding whether someone qualifies for non smoker terms.
This can include patches, gum and lozenges.
- Patches
- Gum
- Lozenges
That may seem surprising if you have stopped smoking cigarettes, but the insurer's definition is what determines the category used for your application.
Again, answer the question exactly as written rather than assuming nicotine replacement products do not count.
What happens if you quit smoking?
Quitting can affect how future life insurance applications are assessed, but insurers do not normally treat you as a non smoker immediately.
The required period without tobacco or nicotine varies.
Based on the Legal and General and Aviva rules below. Other insurers can differ.
Legal and General currently says someone can qualify under its non smoker definition after 12 months without cigarettes, cigars, pipes, vaping, electronic cigarettes or nicotine replacement products.
Aviva currently uses a more detailed approach. It states that someone who has not used tobacco or nicotine products for 12 months or more is treated as a previous smoker, that different rates may apply if they stopped one to five years ago, and that they are treated as a non smoker once they have not used these products for five years.
These are individual insurer rules and should not be treated as a rule for the entire market.
Will your existing premium fall if you stop smoking?
Usually not automatically.
Life insurance is normally priced using your circumstances when you take the policy out.
If you later stop smoking, the insurer does not necessarily reduce the premium on your existing policy.
You may eventually be able to apply for a new policy using your updated smoking status.
Do not cancel an existing policy simply because you have stopped smoking.
You would be older when applying for replacement cover, and changes in your health could affect the new premium.
A replacement policy should normally be accepted and active before an old policy is cancelled.
What happens if you say you do not smoke when you actually do?
You should always answer the application accurately.
Smoker status can directly affect the insurer's decision and the premium it charges.
If incorrect information comes to light later, particularly during a claim, it could affect how the insurer handles the policy.
Legal and General states that false information about smoking could result in a payout being reduced or the policy being treated as invalid.
The potential saving from claiming to be a non smoker is not worth risking the cover itself.
Which type of life insurance can smokers over 50 consider?
There are several possibilities.
Term life insurance
Term insurance provides cover for a fixed period.
It can be useful for a mortgage, supporting a partner or protecting income while someone still has financial responsibilities.
Medical and lifestyle questions are normally required.
Smokers can apply, although premiums are likely to reflect their smoking status.
Guaranteed acceptance over 50s life insurance
This is usually whole of life cover designed to provide a smaller payout whenever you die.
Detailed health questions are normally not required.
Some insurers still ask whether you smoke.
There may also be a waiting period before the full payout applies to natural death.
Medically underwritten whole of life insurance
Whole of life insurance can also be medically underwritten.
This can provide considerably more cover than a typical guaranteed acceptance plan.
It is designed to remain in place for life rather than ending after a fixed term.
Premiums can be higher because the insurer expects a valid claim to happen eventually.
Which option should a smoker choose?
Start with the amount of cover you actually need.
If you need £100,000 to protect a mortgage, a small guaranteed acceptance policy is unlikely to solve the problem.
If you simply want to leave several thousand pounds towards funeral costs or to your family, guaranteed acceptance cover may be more relevant.
Then compare the cost.
Do not assume that because you smoke, you should avoid medical underwriting.
You could still qualify for standard life insurance, and it may provide much more cover.
Compare actual payouts rather than just premiums
This matters particularly with over 50s insurance.
Imagine two policies both cost £25 per month.
The monthly cost is identical, but the payout is very different.
Smoking can affect how much cover you receive for your premium, so compare the actual cash sum alongside the cost.
Also check the waiting period, how long premiums must be paid and whether the cover is fixed.
Speaking to a life insurance adviser
Smokers over 50 can have more options than they initially expect.
A qualified adviser can compare options based on your age, smoking history, health and the amount of cover you need.
This can be particularly useful because insurers do not all assess smoking and medical conditions in exactly the same way.
Speak to a qualified UK life insurance adviser who can compare options available through their panel. 50Life.co.uk can introduce you to an adviser who can discuss your circumstances. 50Life does not itself give personalised advice.
Smoking may make some forms of life insurance more expensive, but it does not mean you cannot get covered.
The useful approach is to compare guaranteed acceptance cover with medically underwritten insurance before deciding which gives you the level of protection you actually need.
