Cigar Smokers Welcome at Outlook Life
6/13/2012
We all know someone who loves a good cigar. They may not inhale; they just like the taste of that rich tobacco. Cigars are often linked with celebration, like weddings or the birth of a child. An occasional cigar has become so much a part of our culture that life insurance companies were forced to review their tobacco guidelines. Whereas smoking one cigar per year used to mandate getting Smoker life insurance rates, now some companies indeed, welcome cigar smokers, with more lenient rates.
OCCASIONAL CIGAR SMOKER Life Insurance Rates
If you smoke one cigar per month, there are a number of life insurance companies that will rate you Preferred Nonsmoker. In fact, you can even be rated Preferred Nontobacco smoking one cigar per WEEK with at least one company. However, your blood and/or urine must be free of nicotine or its metabolytes (cotinine being the main one) at your insurance exam to get the nonsmoker rate. If you do inhale and nicotine shows up in your lab results, most companies will push you into smoker rates. If you try not to inhale but are not sure whether any nicotine is entering your system, it is best to wait to take your life insurance exam three weeks after your last cigar, to be safe.
DAILY CIGAR SMOKER Life Insurance Rates
There are a handful of companies that will rate you Nonsmoker even if you enjoy a stogie every day. You cannot have just quit smoking cigarettes and switched to cigars, and again,your blood and urine must test negative for nicotine and cotinine with most of these companies. However, a couple carriers will rate Standard or Standard+ Nonsmoker even if you test positive for nicotine!
Other Tobacco Besides Cigarettes
The same Standard or Standard Plus Nonsmoker rates that apply to daily cigar users, may also apply to people who use e-cigarettes, chewing tobacco, pipe, chewing tobacco, snuff, nicotine gum, or nicotine patches. Just give us a call at 866-866-0242 and we will put you with the company that has your lowest rate!