National news from a Pennsylvania perspective

Life Insurance For Smokers

According to the American Red Cross, around 500 thousand smokers die in the United States every year from causes directly related to their smoking habit.

Smokers are 49 percent more likely to have heart disease or a heart attack, and up to four to five times more likely to have a cardiac event.

Life insurance companies are well aware of these statistics, so, because the likelihood of death or serious ilness is increased, they charge more for life insurance policies for smokers.

Research shows that almost 90 percent of all cases of lung cancer are caused by cigarette, cigar or pipe smoke. For this reason, life insurance for smokers and smoking types should expect to pay rates that are 2 to 3 times higher than a non-smoker.

Rates are also higher for men than they are for women. Male smokers are going to pay very high rates for life insurance, so, it pays to compare rates online from different companies.

May web sites make it very easy to compare rates from many different life insurance comapnies.

If you smoke only occasionally, you will be able to find very affordable rates, sometimes as low as a non-smoker. So, make sure to shop around.

FreePA.org 2016