If you smoke, you might assume life insurance will be too expensive, or that you won’t qualify at all.
The reality is more encouraging. Most smokers can apply for life insurance, including term and whole life policies. Tobacco use typically results in higher premiums, but it doesn’t prevent you from getting coverage. And if you quit, your rates may improve over time.
Whether you smoke cigarettes, vape, use chewing tobacco, or enjoy the occasional cigar, understanding how insurers view tobacco and nicotine use allows you to make informed coverage decisions for both the present and the future.
Can Smokers Get Life Insurance?
Yes. Most people who use nicotine can still qualify for coverage, though they’ll generally pay more than a non-user with a similar health profile.
How much more depends on several things:
- Your age and overall health
- The type of tobacco or nicotine product you use
- How often you use it and for how long
- The specific insurer’s underwriting guidelines
Underwriting guidelines vary by insurer, so how tobacco or nicotine use affects eligibility and rates can differ. The important thing is not to assume nicotine use automatically prevents you from qualifying for coverage.
Why Does Smoking Raise Life Insurance Rates?
Life insurance premiums are based on risk, meaning individuals with higher health risks or shorter life expectancies generally pay more.
Smoking is one of the leading preventable causes of death in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that more than 16 million Americans live with a disease caused by smoking, and cigarette smoking accounts for more than 480,000 deaths each year.1
For military families, this is an especially relevant topic. A 2025 study from the Boston University School of Public Health found that nearly one in four veterans currently use tobacco. Researchers also found that veterans are more likely than the general public to use every major category of tobacco product, including cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, and e-cigarettes.2
Because tobacco use is tied to higher health risks, insurers classify tobacco users as higher-risk applicants. That risk is reflected in higher premiums.
What Counts as Tobacco or Nicotine Use?
Many people assume only cigarettes affect their rates. Depending on the insurance company, tobacco or nicotine use may include:
- Cigarettes
- Cigars
- Pipes
- Chewing tobacco
- Hookah
- E-cigarettes and vaping devices
- Nicotine pouches, gum, or patches
Not every insurer treats these the same way. Someone who smokes an occasional cigar may be rated differently than a daily cigarette smoker. Nicotine replacement products like pouches, gum, and patches can also affect underwriting because they may produce a positive nicotine test. If you’re unsure how your habits will be evaluated, it’s worth asking before you apply.
What If You Quit?
If you’re planning to quit, you may wonder whether it makes sense to wait before applying for life insurance. However, age and changes in health can also affect life insurance eligibility and premiums, so delaying coverage may come with trade-offs.
Quitting may also improve the rates available to you in the future. Every insurer has different rules about when a former tobacco or nicotine user may qualify for non-tobacco rates. Many require applicants to remain nicotine-free for at least one year before reconsidering them for non-tobacco rates, while additional time may be required to qualify for certain rate classes.3
Once you’ve met the requirements, you may be able to request a new rate or apply for a new policy. This may involve another medical exam or nicotine test, depending on the company.
For USBA-sponsored group life insurance, quitting tobacco or nicotine use does not change the rate on an existing policy. You would need to apply for new coverage to potentially qualify for non-tobacco rates. Contact a USBA Product Specialist at 877-297-9235 to explore your options before applying.
Be Accurate About Tobacco Use When Applying
Life insurance applications ask about your health, lifestyle, and tobacco use, so it’s important to provide complete and accurate information.
Depending on the policy, you may also complete a medical exam with blood or urine testing. Insurers may review prescription records, medical records, and lab results when evaluating an application.
Most life insurance policies include a contestability period during the first two years after coverage begins. Material misrepresentations on an application can affect how a claim is evaluated during that period.
Providing accurate information helps ensure the policy is issued based on the information the insurer needs to assess your application.
How USBA®-Sponsored Coverage Handles Tobacco Use
The Uniformed Services Benefit Association® sponsors group life insurance underwritten by New York Life Insurance Company. Tobacco rates apply to anyone who has used tobacco or nicotine in any form, including nicotine pouches, gum, patches, or e-cigarettes, in the last 24 consecutive months.
Non-tobacco rates are available to applicants who have not used any of these products in the past 24 months. Preferred rates may also be available to non-tobacco users who meet additional health standards. Preferred rates apply to the 10, 15, and 20-Year Group Level Term policies and the TWO for ONE® Group Level Term policy, for coverage amounts between $100,000 and $750,000 (up to $400,000 for TWO for ONE).
Tobacco users can still apply for coverage. Rates are based on age, gender, and tobacco use at the time of application, and the coverage amount you choose will not decrease simply because of age or health changes after your policy is issued.
Tobacco Use and Your Other USBA-Sponsored Coverage
While tobacco use can affect life insurance rates, it does not affect the premium for USBA TRICARE Supplement Insurance Plans. Eligible USBA Members utilizing TRICARE for health coverage may find this distinction beneficial.
Eligible Members pay the same TRICARE Supplement Insurance Plan premiums, regardless of whether they use tobacco or nicotine.
USBA TRICARE Supplement Insurance Plans can help cover certain out-of-pocket costs that TRICARE does not fully pay, such as copayments and cost shares. Coverage is guaranteed acceptance, subject to a pre-existing condition limitation, and comes with a 30-day right to examine.*
For more information or to apply, visit the USBA TRICARE Supplement Insurance Plans page or call a USBA TRICARE Specialist at 877-297-9235, ext. 554, Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Central Time.
Finding the Right Coverage
You can still qualify for life insurance even if you use tobacco or nicotine. Understanding how providers evaluate your habits and how quitting could open up more affordable options puts you in the best position to find coverage that fits your needs.
USBA sponsors group life insurance for eligible military personnel, veterans, Federal employees, National Guard and Reserve members, and their families. Coverage is portable, includes no war exclusion, and is available in both term and whole life options.
To explore your options or apply, contact a USBA Product Specialist at 877-297-9235, Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Central Time, or visit the Life Insurance Overview page.
1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — Burden of Cigarette Use in the U.S.
2 Boston University School of Public Health — Veterans More Likely Than General Population to Use All Types of Tobacco Products
3 NerdWallet — Life Insurance for Smokers and Tobacco Users
* USBA TRICARE Supplement Insurance Plans are administered by Selman & Company and underwritten by Hartford Life and Accident Insurance Company, One Hartford Plaza, Hartford, CT 06155. TRICARE Form Series includes Form GBD-3000, GBD-3100, or state equivalent. The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: HIG) operates through its subsidiaries under the brand name, The Hartford, and is headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut.
USBA TRICARE Supplement Insurance Plans are not available in Alaska, Colorado, Maine, New Hampshire, Puerto Rico, Utah, or Washington.