Prices Increasing soon Prices Increasing Soon

What If I Start Smoking After Taking Term Insurance In India?

Smoking is one of the most dangerous habits a human can indulge himself/herself into. It not only puts his/her health into risk, but also paves way for an unfit future, both physically and financially. With various lung and various other diseases, it further leads to untimely death. Therefore, it is always a good time to get rid of such hazardous habits and save the money for better life decisions, such as buying term insurance. In this article, we will understand the impact of smoking on term insurance plans and what happens if the policyholder starts smoking after he has already purchased the term insurance. 

Read more
Gets ₹1 Cr. Life Cover at just
COVID-19 Covered
The Policybazaar Advantage
Dedicated claim support for family FREE
Upto 10% discount# for buying online
Only certified experts will call you on 100% recorded lines
We are rated~
rating
7.7 Crore
Registered Consumer
50
Insurance Partners
4.2 Crore
Policies Sold

#All savings and online discounts are provided by insurers as per IRDAI approved insurance plans | Standard Terms and Conditions Apply

By clicking on "View plans" you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of use

~Source - Google Review Rating available on:- http://bit.ly/3J20bXZ

Life is Unpredictable! Protect your family’s future
Get ₹1 Crore Life cover starting from /month+
+91
Secure
We don’t spam
Check Your Premium Now
Please wait. We Are Processing..
Get Updates on WhatsApp
The Policybazaar Advantage
Policybazaar Advantage Icon
Dedicated claim support for family FREE
Policybazaar team will help and support you at the time of claim. A personal claim handler from our team of experts will get in touch with you when your nominee applies for a claim on our website.
Policybazaar Advantage Icon
100% calls recorded to ensure no mis-selling
We will make sure you get what is promised by the advisors. We conduct regular monitoring of our calls to make sure you get the best experience.
Policybazaar Advantage Icon
Exclusive lifetime discount upto 5% for buying online
The discounts will be valid for the entire policy payment term and is not available if you choose to buy the insurance through offline agents.
Policybazaar Advantage Icon
Advisors available in your city
Our advisors are available in more than 55 cities across India and can help you at your doorstep in understanding the plans and in documentation.
Policybazaar Advantage Icon
Refund at the click of a button
In case you aren’t happy with your purchase, you can cancel your policy hassle-free at the click of a button. We will help you with the cancellation and refund of your policy.

Who Is Called A Smoker According To Term Insurance?

Any person who consumes tobacco or nicotine products, like cigarettes, beedi, gutka, cigars, flavoured paan masala, khaini, nicotine patch/chewing gum, vapes, etc. Insurance companies ask tobacco related questions to the person willing to buy term plan in different ways followed by observing the medical test results that prove if a man has been consuming nicotine/tobacco in the recent past or not. Below mentioned are some of the common questions that are asked to an interested person:

  • Do you take/consume nicotine or tobacco products?

  • Have you consumed any tobacco products in the past 4 years?

  • Did you ever consume tobacco products in your life?

Your answer to these questions will determine whether or not you are a smoker. If the answers are positive, you will be declared as a smoker, and vice versa. Below mentioned are the categorizations that classify a smoker or non-smoker:

  • Non-smoker: Someone who does not smoke

  • Preferred smoker: Someone who smokes and is healthy and fit

  • Typical smoker: Someone who smokes and only has minor health problems

  • Table-rate smoker: Someone who smokes and has visible health issues

one crore term plan
plus

Term Plans

₹1
Crore

Life Cover

@ Starting from ₹ 16/day+

₹50
LAKH

Life Cover

@ Starting from ₹ 8/day+

₹75
LAKH

Life Cover

@ Starting from ₹ 12/day+

What Affect Does Smoking Have On Term Insurance?

Smokers usually are considered to have a low expectancy ratio which categorizes them as people who are more prone to catching chronic ailments, like lung cancer, heart problems, bronchitis, etc. Since their life span is shorter than most healthy, non-smoking people, insurance companies charge them an increased premium rate, as they are a visible risk to the company. 

For example, Mr. Kishore, a 52 year old non-smoking male, will pay Rs. 3,847 premium per month for 1 Crore term insurance until the age of 65, in comparison to Mr. Anmol, a 52 year old smoking man, who will pay Rs. 4,731 premium per month for the same life cover and policy term.

*You can use a term insurance calculator, to check the impact of smoking on premium rates for your profile

What Happens If You Start Smoking After Taking Term Insurance?

Below mentioned are a few possible occurrences if you start smoking after you buy the best term insurance policy in India:

  1. Putting family at risk

    You purchase a term plan keeping in mind that your family/dependents are secured once you are not alive. Therefore, if you start smoking, you are putting your own life at risk as there is a high chance that you will catch chronic disease and be more vulnerable to declining health, which will ultimately result in your untimely death.

  2. Insurer increasing your premium

    Since you are now more prone to health diseases, after you began smoking, the insurance company could re-evaluate your life insurance plan and charge you an increased premium rate. However, if there is a change in your smoking habits, you must always inform your insurer.

  3. Delay in payout 

    If the insurer comes to know that you had been hiding your smoking habits and were dishonest all throughout the policy term, they might delay your payout/claim settlement during the verification process. Therefore, it is best to not hide the changing smoking habits from your insurer to ensure your family doesn’t suffer in the long run.

one crore term plan

Secure Your Family Future Today

₹1 CRORE

Term Plan Starting @

Get an online discount of upto 10%#

Compare 40+ plans from 15 Insurers

+Standard T&C Applied

What Happens If You Quit Smoking After Taking Term Insurance?

While there are various benefits of term insurance, smokers are usually charged a higher premium due to their decreased life expectancy. In case you have quit smoking or consuming tobacco products after buying term insurance, then you can request your insurance company to recalculate your premium rate at the time of policy renewal. By doing so, the insurer will ask for medical test reports to be confirmed of your changed smoking habits and consider altering your premium rates. Although some insurers do not allow change of plan during mid-term, some insurers consider the non-smoking status of a policyholder if he/she has not smoked for atleast 2 years. 

However, you must not lie about your smoking habits to the insurer, or else there is a high possibility that the insurance company will cancel/reject your policy completely and you will be charged with fraud. Moreover, by lying about your smoking habits, you are also putting your loved ones’ financial protection at risk. Therefore, it is important that you take serious action against your smoking habits and never hide the truth from your insurer while buying term insurance for smokers.

Wrapping It Up!

Smoking is a habit best avoided. It pollutes your body, the environment and your financial situation. Moreover, it makes you vulnerable to a lot of health issues that attack prematurely. If you are considering buying term insurance for your loved ones, then now is the best time to quit your smoking habits.

FAQ's

  • Can I still purchase life insurance if I smoke?

    Ans: As a smoker, tobacco chewer, or vaper, you might be able to get life insurance, but you could have to pay a higher premium. Smoking elevates the risk that your insurance company assumes by offering you coverage since smoking is recognised in the life insurance business as a health risk.
  • What will happen if I lie on my life insurance application about smoking?

    Ans: People who understand what is term insurance, know that if you lie on your application about smoking, the policy might get rejected. Your insurance provider may reject/cancel your coverage entirely if they discover that you misrepresented your smoking habits on the application.
  • Should I admit to smoking when I apply for insurance?

    Ans: Yes, you must inform your insurance provider of your smoking habits when acquiring a coverage, even if you just smoke sometimes.
  • How do term insurance companies assess if you smoke?

    Ans: Insurance firms utilise medical testing to identify heavy smokers and calculate the cost of coverage. It is simple to identify nicotine in the hair, blood, saliva, and urine.

Premium By Age

Policybazaar does not endorse, rate or recommend any particular insurer or insurance product offered by any insurer. This list of plans listed here comprise of insurance products offered by all the insurance partners of Policybazaar. For a complete list of insurers in India refer to the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India website, www.irdai.gov.in

Choose Term Insurance Plan as per you need

Plans starting from @ ₹473/Month*
Term Insurance
1 Crore Term Insurance
Term Insurance
2 Crore Term Insurance
Term Insurance
4 Crore Term Insurance
Term Insurance
5 Crore Term Insurance
Term Insurance
6 Crore Term Insurance
Term Insurance
7 Crore Term Insurance
Term Insurance
7.5 Crore Term Insurance
Term Insurance
8 Crore Term Insurance
Term Insurance
9 Crore Term Insurance
Term Insurance
15 Crore Term Insurance
Term Insurance
20 Crore Term Insurance
Term Insurance
25 Crore Term Insurance
Term Insurance
30 Crore Term Insurance
Term Insurance
15 Lakh Term Insurance
Term Insurance
60 Lakh Term Insurance

Term insurance Articles

  • Recent Article
  • Popular Articles
13 Dec 2024

Annual Renewable Term Insurance

Annual Renewable Term Insurance (ATR) is tailored for short-term

Read more
12 Dec 2024

ICICI Pru iProtect Super Plan

The ICICI Pru iProtect Super Plan is a pure-term insurance plan

Read more
10 Dec 2024

Does HDFC Term Insurance Come Under Section 80C...

Many people wonder about its tax benefits when purchasing a term

Read more
09 Dec 2024

How to Study Abroad for Free with the Right Term...

Studying abroad can be a life-changing experience, offering

Read more
06 Dec 2024

HDFC Life Insurance Income Replacement in Tamil...

The divide between rural and urban lifestyles in Tamil Nadu is

Read more

Term Insurance Calculator Online : Get Instant...

Term Insurance Calculator [[ Term Insurance Calculator - Calculate your term insurance premium for free Term

Read more

Best Term Insurance Plan for 1 Crore : Buy Best...

A ₹1 crore term insurance plan ensures financial security for your family by providing a ₹1 crore payout as a

Read more

LIC Surrender Value After 10 Years Calculator

The surrender value of a LIC insurance policy is the amount that the policyholder will receive if they decide to

Read more

Claim Settlement Ratio of Term Insurance Plan...

Claim Settlement Ratio (CSR) is an important parameter in the selection of an insurance policy. If you are going

Read more

LIC New Bima Gold Maturity Calculator

The LIC New Bima Gold Calculator is an online tool offered by the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC). It

Read more
Need Help? Request Callback
top
View Plans
Close
Download the Policybazaar app
to manage all your insurance needs.
INSTALL