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Back in the early 20th century, smoking was considered one of the key fashion trends of the time period. It meant you were a person of status, and it was as in vogue as fashion choices are today.
People had a feeling that cigarettes weren’t good for you, but they turned a blind eye until science and research started coming down hard on the addictive activity. Now smoking has taken a 180-degree turn in reputation. Products are locked behind counters in grocery stores, and advertisements are scarce.
Smokers’ life insurance is one of the crucial financial ramifications of deciding to use smoking products. Whether you are smoking old-fashioned cigarettes, vaping e-cigarettes, or using smokeless tobacco, your insurance company is going to view it as a major threat to your long-term health, and your life insurance rates are likely going to go through the roof.
Three Forms of Tobacco
We’ll dissect the differences between the three forms of tobacco that are popular right now, whether they affect your health equally, and which forms are more expensive.
This can mean how much money smoking costs you for the actual products, how much it affects your insurance, and how it will add to your medical expenses. Let’s explore all of those below.
What are Smoking’s Effects on Health?
It goes without saying that when you put hundreds of chemicals into your body, that is not really living a healthy lifestyle. Cancer, stroke, heart disease, and other horrible health problems have been linked to smoking cigarettes.
Some folks have gone an alternate route and taken up vaping or chewing smokeless tobacco because they think it may reduce the risk of these diseases. The amount of chemicals in these products is less, but it is still enough that you are taking a chance of harming your health.
Some people take finances more seriously than their health, though. It would be helpful for some smokers to think about how expensive their addiction is and plan on getting some help sooner rather than later.
What are Smoking’s Effects on Insurance?
Most people who are looking to buy life insurance can count on companies charging them $100 or more than non-smokers. The reason for this is clearly spelled out: Smoking will increase the risk of early death, forcing a life insurer to pay out on a client earlier than they should have to.
This usually even applies to people who e-smoke, vape, or chew because of the studies on their negative effects. If you do one of these things, it is possible to find insurance companies that will be more lenient for you than for typical smokers.
Prudential, Lincoln Financial, Cincinnati Life Insurance, and Securian are all companies that will charge the same rates for people who chew tobacco as people who don’t consume any tobacco products.
Be honest with your insurance company about what type of tobacco you consume. Lying can cause you to lose your policy. Your family will be in serious trouble if you pass away and lose your life insurance after an autopsy reveals smoking damage.
Should Young People even Worry about Smoking?
People who are in their 20s and 30s right now may brush off these warnings because they don’t go to the doctor as often. They certainly don’t take out life insurance policies. So does that mean young folks should smoke like chimneys and ignore the effects?
Of course, they shouldn’t. When you are younger, doing dangerous and ignorant things is a part of learning about the world around you and enjoying the rebellious nature of life. Young people bounce back so easily, and it’s hard to think about what will happen in your 50s and 60s.
That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t consider cutting back on these bad habits. Smoking in moderation is a good improvement, and gradually eliminating the activity will be the best solution to avoid the negative health effects.
Talk to people from a variety of generations and ask them how they cut back or quit smoking entirely. See what some of the best strategies are for improvement because it is an addictive habit. There is no shame in needing some help. We all improve ourselves by viewing what others do and taking the best tidbits from them.
Different insurance agents may also be able to advise you on the best policies for your particular health situation or how to get high-risk life insurance.
Everybody makes their own decision when it comes to putting bad things in their bodies or making poor decisions about their health. If you are actively trying to improve, that’s the best thing any of us can do, right? Being young is all about learning, so don’t be afraid to mess up and improve.
You should always get a second chance in life, but smoking doesn’t allow for those changes. Stop before it’s too late and enjoy the pleasures of healthy lungs and clean living. You won’t regret it when you get older. —
Shawn Laib writes and researches for the life insurance comparison site, TopQuoteLifeInsurance.com. He works to warn people about the risks of their unhealthy habits and what they can do to create meaningful change in their lives.
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