Just about everyone knows that smokers are charged more for life insurance. They will charge you even if you smoke one cigarette a year. Insurance companies are concerned that smoking will affect your life expectancy, and cause you to develop any one of many fatal illnesses. They want to be sure that you are not going to die before they can get enough money to cover your policy value.

Insurance companies classify even smokers differently depending on how much you smoke. They are classified as heavy or moderate smokers, and people who smoke moderately,often have lower premiums that people who smoke heavily. The insurance company decides if they classify based on amount you smoke, or just that you smoke at all.

If you are a smoker, and otherwise healthy, you will most likely fall into the preferred category. If you have recently quit smoking, you may fall into the non-smokers' category, depending on the company and what their rules are. Some companies offer graduated scales, with rates that go down, the longer a person remains free of tobacco. You may be able to reach non-smoking status within one year.

Remember that shopping around for the best policy is the most assured way of getting the best rate on a policy. One company may consider you a heavy smoker, and another might think of you as a moderate smoker, and give you lower rates.

Getting the lowest rate with the best coverage is important to all of us, particularly smokers, since their rates are always higher that nonsmokers rates. Looking at different companies, and the rates they offer, is the best way to find one that is right for you. You can get a good rate on insurance; it is just a matter of looking in the right place, and asking the right questions.



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