Smoking will not void your life insurance policy. It will just cost you more premium. It's generally around 25% higher for cigarette smokers.
If you lied about smoking that is a different question. That is insurance fraud. Yes, in some cases that would allow the insurance company to not pay the death benefit.
If you were not truthful on your application and lied about tobacco use, in some cases a carrier can void the policy if the misrepresentation is discovered within the first two years of issue, especially if death occurred during the contestable period.
A more likely situation (if the policyholder is still living) is the carrier will backcharge you for the difference in a standard non-tobacco rate and the tobacco rate.
Agency Owner, A1 Insurance LLC, Arizona, California Agency
Great question. It all depends on the stituation. If you buy a life policy and did not smoke and started to smoke after you purchase the policy. It would be okay. If you lied on the application and you died from smoking issues the insurance company will look at the claim and investigage it more.
Agent Owner, Gilmore Insurance Services, Marysville, Washington State
Depending on the state of issue, yes not being truthful about smoking on the application can and does "void" the policy, even past the two year contestability window. In my state, lying on the application voids the contract, so insurance companies who in the past just paid out what the premium could get at the smokers rate were told to just refund premium paid. No death benefit was allowed.
If you fill out an insurance application, make sure that you read any special considerations attached to the application for your state of residence.
Fully underwritten life insurance policies require you to declare whether or not you use any tobacco products. Although cigars and pipes are smoked, the question seems to suggest cigarettes. Cigarette smoking shortens life expectancy, so smokers pay more for life insurance. If smoking is declared on the application and the life insurance company offers an underwriting decision after the due diligence process, a death claim will be paid. If the insured takes up smoking after the policy has been issued as a nonsmoker, the life insurance company will pay the claim.
It is the circumvention of truth that may indeed be classified as fraud that could void the policy in certain states or reduce the death benefit based on smoker rates at the date of issue. Some occasional smokers attempt to beat the urine analysis detection of cotinine, the byproduct of nicotine, by not smoking 8-10 days before the exam banking on their body chemistry to purge the continine from their systems. But you would have to lie on the application. And again, lying on the application could be considered fraud in some states.
My advice: There is one life insurance company that offers nonsmoking rates to smokers for three years in an attempt to give the insured time to quit smoking. We can help with that. But bottom line: don't try to game the system.
In addition to the good information given by the others on this page about smoking AFTER a policy is put into effect, I will address smoking while applying for life insurance.
If you put on your application that you do not use tobacco, but then evidence of smoking is found in your labs or medical records, the application will usually not be voided. The insurance company will charge smoker rates, and if you have a health condition that is harmed by smoking, the application could be declined. Also, lying on an application about smoking then makes everything on the application suspect. This can also cause an increase in life insurance rates.
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If you lied about smoking that is a different question. That is insurance fraud. Yes, in some cases that would allow the insurance company to not pay the death benefit.
A more likely situation (if the policyholder is still living) is the carrier will backcharge you for the difference in a standard non-tobacco rate and the tobacco rate.
If you fill out an insurance application, make sure that you read any special considerations attached to the application for your state of residence.
It is the circumvention of truth that may indeed be classified as fraud that could void the policy in certain states or reduce the death benefit based on smoker rates at the date of issue. Some occasional smokers attempt to beat the urine analysis detection of cotinine, the byproduct of nicotine, by not smoking 8-10 days before the exam banking on their body chemistry to purge the continine from their systems. But you would have to lie on the application. And again, lying on the application could be considered fraud in some states.
My advice: There is one life insurance company that offers nonsmoking rates to smokers for three years in an attempt to give the insured time to quit smoking. We can help with that. But bottom line: don't try to game the system.
If you put on your application that you do not use tobacco, but then evidence of smoking is found in your labs or medical records, the application will usually not be voided. The insurance company will charge smoker rates, and if you have a health condition that is harmed by smoking, the application could be declined. Also, lying on an application about smoking then makes everything on the application suspect. This can also cause an increase in life insurance rates.