Tobacco Underwriting Exceptions
Key Considerations
- Goal: qualify tobacco users for non-tobacco life insurance rates, finding the right exception, cutting their premium in half
- Insurer selection is key to achieving favorable outcomes
- Key variables: how the tobacco is consumed, the type of product used, frequency of use, the date of most recent use, and whether the insurance company specimen is positive or negative
- The more information we have about your client in advance of an application, the more accurate our carrier recommendations and preliminary pricing assessment
Life insurance applicants who are daily cigar smokers, chewers, and dippers, even those with a positive lab specimen, can now qualify for non-tobacco life insurance rates, cutting their premiums in half! One highly rated brand name insurer even offers non-tobacco rates to occasional cigarette smokers! Yes, it’s complicated! Call us, provide details via secure mail, or complete our online life quote request form, and we’ll respond with our industry’s top option(s), customized just for your client.
Tobacco Use Pattern
Best Class
Notes
Quit Cigarettes 12+ Months Ago
Preferred non-tobacco
No need to wait 2 – 5 years
1 – 12 Cigarettes per year
Super preferred non-tobacco
Must admit tobacco use; specimen must be negative for nicotine (cotinine)
13 – 24 Cigarettes per year
Preferred non-tobacco
Must admit tobacco use; specimen must be negative for nicotine (cotinine)
Cigar, pipe, chewing, dipping, snuff
Non-smoker plus
Must admit tobacco use; specimen can be positive for nicotine (cotinine)
E-Cigarette
Non-tobacco plus
Negative thiocyanate marker; no cigars or cigarettes past 10 years
Nicotine patch, gum
Non-tobacco plus
Must admit tobacco use; specimen can be positive for nicotine (cotinine)
Vapers
Non-tobacco plus
Negative thiocyanate marker; no cigars or cigarettes past 10 years
Get a non-tobacco quotes for clients who qualify! Call our Marketing Representatives or submit your quote request online.
