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Does Smoking Impact Term Insurance Policy?
A term insurance plan offers financial protection to beneficiaries in case of untimely death. Smokers are considered high-risk and may face higher premiums. Insurers classify smokers into preferred, typical, or table-rated categories based on their health. It's important to be honest about smoking habits to avoid policy cancellation or fraud.
1.5 Crore Term Insurance @Rs 28/day*
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You may not always be around to take care of your family. And that’s when a term plan ensures your family is well protected.
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What if I Start Smoking after Taking Term Insurance?
Table of Content
In 2016, 267 million Indians over the age of 15 consumed tobacco products. Tobacco use frequently leads to chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, lung disease, and stroke. The WHO reports that tobacco use is responsible for almost 1.35 million deaths in India every year. What is term insurance plan? It is a type of life insurance policy that provides financial protection to the policyholder’s beneficiaries in case of untimely death. Given the negative impact tobacco can have on a person’s life, it comes as no surprise that insurers profile smokers as high-risk and provide them with separate term insurance plan.
Who Is Considered a Smoker?
Your insurer will ask you the following three questions when you buy term plan online to understand if you are a smoker:
- Do you consume nicotine and/or tobacco products?
- Have you used a tobacco product in the past four years?
- Have you ever consumed a tobacco product?
If you answer any of the questions with yes, your insurer classifies you as a smoker. There are further sub-classes that you might get put under:
Preferred Smoker
Individuals who smoke but are fit and do not have any other health issues are preferred smokers. The premiums they pay for term plans are comparatively lower.
Typical Smoker
Smokers with minor but lingering health issues are typical smokers. They might have to pay a higher premium than preferred smokers.
Table-rated Smoker
People who smoke and have other evident health problems come into this category. To compensate for this risk, insurers frequently charge higher premiums to these individuals.
What if I start Smoking later?
If you have already purchased a term plan and become a smoker later on, you do not have to inform your insurer. However, it’s always best to be honest to avoid potential issues later.
For example, if you do not inform your insurer that you have become a smoker and something happens during the policy term, it may appear like fraud to the insurance company. They might delay the payout until they can verify the claim request. Once you inform the life insurance provider, they may let you continue with your policy or re-evaluate it and adjust your premium accordingly. Keeping your insurer updated about changes is crucial to ensure a smooth claims process and maintain the integrity of your life insurance policy.
What happens if I Lie about Smoking?
When you buy term plan online or offline, you enter a legal contract with the insurance company. As with all contracts, you should provide accurate information to avoid the insurer cancelling your policy. If you are dishonest about your smoking habits and the insurance company discovers that you lied, they will cancel the existing policy, leaving your family without the financial protection you hoped to give them.
What happens if I Quit Smoking?
In India, most insurers do not allow you to change your term insurance status from smoking to non-smoking. If you quit smoking, it will likely not have any impact on your premium or policy. You can opt to continue with your plan as is or after quitting for a few years, you can re-apply for a new term plan as a non-smoker. If you choose the second option, you must be honest about your smoking habits in the past and accurately state for how long you’ve been tobacco-free. If you can qualify as a non-smoker, you could enjoy a benefit on premiums.
However, since you’re older than you were when you purchased your previous policy, the premium benefit might be negligible or get cancelled out. Some insurers enable you to apply for reconsideration of your plan if you have not used tobacco products in the previous few years. They may consider reducing your premium if you are tobacco-free, but it will likely still be higher than if you were a non-smoker from the beginning.
Whether you’re a smoker or not, you must secure your family’s financial future with a term plan. Additionally, considering critical illness insurance is prudent for smokers, as it offers a financial safety net in case you are diagnosed with serious conditions like cancer, heart disease, or stroke, which are often linked to tobacco use. These policies provide life coverage, ensuring your family will be taken care of even if something were to happen to you. When you purchase a policy, you must be honest about your lifestyle habits and medical conditions. Your insurer will provide policy terms and conditions based on the information you provide. If they find out that you were knowingly dishonest, they will cancel your policy and might even file a complaint of insurance fraud against you. The best way to secure your family’s finances is by being honest.
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Francis Rodrigues
Francis Rodrigues has a decade long experience in the insurance sector, and as SVP, E-Commerce and Digital Marketing, HDFC Life, manages the online sales channel, as well as digital and performance marketing. He has had hands-on experience in setting up sales channels and functional teams from scratch over a career spanning 2 decades.
Written By:
Vishal Subharwal
Vishal Subharwal heads the Strategy, Marketing, E-Commerce, Digital Business & Sustainability initiatives at HDFC Life. He is responsible for crafting and ensuring successful implementation of the overall organisation strategy.
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We at HDFC Life are committed to offer innovative products and services that enable individuals live a ‘Life of Pride’. For over two decades we have been providing life insurance plans - protection, pension, savings, investment, annuity and health.
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HDFC Life does not promote smoking. The content is not intended to provide health advice to individuals about their smoking habits.
@As per integrated annual report FY23-24, available on www.hdfclife.com. As of May 2024
^ Available under Life & Life Plus plan options
#Provided we have received all the relevant and required documents and no further investigation is required. Claim settlement process would be completed within stipulated timelines once the claim request is approved
##Individual claim settlement ratio by number of policies as per audited annual statistics for FY 23-24
***Online Premium for Life Option for HDFC Life Click 2 Protect Super (UIN: 101N145V06), Male Life Assured, Non-Smoker, 20 years of age, Policy term of 25 years, Regular pay, Annual frequency, exclusive of taxes and levies as applicable. (Monthly Premium of 622/30=20.7).
**7% online discount available on 1st year premium only
~Tax benefits of ₹ 54,600 (₹ 46,800 u/s 80C & ₹ 7,800 u/s 80D) is calculated at highest tax slab rate of 30% on life insurance premium u/s 80C of ₹ 1,50,000 and health premium (Critical illness rider) u/s 80D of ₹ 25,000. Tax benefits are subject to conditions under section 80C, 80D, 10(10D) as per Income Tax Act, 1961. Please consult your tax advisor for more information.
*Online Premium for Life Option, Male Life Assured, Non-Smoker, 20 years of age, Policy term of 25 years, Regular pay, Monthly frequency, exclusive of taxes and levies as applicable. (Monthly premium of Rs. 834 and daily premium of Rs. 28)
ARN - ED/09/22/28831