Are you a smokeless tobacco user? We have to life insurance companies that you will find cheap life insurance for chewing tobacco use. Prudential and Lincoln will do not charge smoker rates for chewing tobacco use. If you are currently paying smoker rates for life insurance, we can cut your premium usually in half.
Maybe you got started chewing tobacco watching your dad or grandpa, or maybe you played some high-school baseball.
A lot of cigarette smokers find the only way to give up smoking is to turn to chewing or dipping to satisfy their cravings for nicotine. Now we see chewing tobacco alternatives like ZYN, Buffalo Black and Grinds.
Certainly, anytime a cigarette smoker can quit smoking, it’s a good thing.
If you’ve ever applied for life insurance as a smoker, then you know that your rate will likely double or even triple because of your habit.
What if you are a tobacco chewer or a tobacco dipper? You are treated the same as a smoker unless you know which companies don’t care about your chewing tobacco use.
How much are Life Insurance Rates for Chewing Tobacco Use
This is the most important question you’ll have to answer. There is a big difference between smoking cigarettes and chewing tobacco (at least for insurance companies). Many companies will rate you at smoker rates whether you smoke cigarettes or cigars or chew tobacco, but some will rate you as a non-smoker if you only chew or dip. Remember, the difference is significant. Here’s an example:
$100,000 20-Year Term Policy for a 30-Year Male Tobacco Chewer
| Insurance Company | Smoker | Non-Smoker |
| American National | $29.55 | $16.69 |
| North American | $30.18 | $14.87 |
| Sagicor | $32.48 | $13.89 |
| Mutual of Omaha | $33.82 | $16.80 |
| Prudential | $35.96 | $21.53 |
This chart provides a clear indication that no matter what your age, smokers will pay at least twice what chewing tobacco users pay for term life insurance. It’s important to note, however, that only certain carriers will assign a non-smoker rate to someone who chews or dips tobacco.
Chewing Tobacco and Life Insurance
If you chew tobacco or dip, you’ve probably already gotten the lecture from your physician or may have done some online research, but we would be remiss if we didn’t approach the subject in this article. We have seen in reports from the American Cancer Society that smokeless tobacco, like chewing tobacco or dip, can cause cancer just like smoking tobacco.
Overall, individuals who dip tobacco or chew it ingest close to the same amount of nicotine as people who smoke tobacco. They also ingest many chemicals that are associated with the cause of cancer. The most dangerous chemicals found in smokeless tobacco, like chewing tobacco or dip, are tobacco-specific nitrosamines. Tobacco-specific nitrosamine levels vary from tobacco product to tobacco product, but the higher the level of tobacco-specific nitrosamines, the higher the risk for cancer.
Cancers associated with smokeless chewing tobacco are:
- Cheek, mouth, gum, and tongue cancer
- Cancer of the esophagus
- Cancer of the pancreas
Based on all the information out there about smokeless tobacco, it makes sense that insurance companies frown on offering their lowest rates to people who willfully expose themselves to dangerous health issues by consuming smokeless tobacco.
We have found that Prudential Life Insurance Company currently offers non-smoker insurance rates for applicants who chew or dip tobacco. Prudential also offers non-smoker rates for pipes and cigars. This liberal underwriting guideline will go a long way to reduce your insurance rates as long as you have no health issues that could lead to additional rate increases. Also keep in mind that Prudential, like other life insurance companies, will use a height versus weight chart that each applicant will be subjected to during the underwriting process.
The applicant must be honest about their tobacco use since the underwriter may order an insurance medical exam that includes a blood and urine test. Not revealing that you use smokeless tobacco could cause your application to be declined if your blood or urine test is positive for tobacco.
How cheap is life insurance if you chew tobacco?
The chart below provides actual rates from Prudential for $250,000 insurance coverage using a 20-year term policy and assuming the applicant has no health issues.
| AGE | MALE NON-SMOKER | FEMALE NON-SMOKER |
| 25 YEARS-OLD | $26.03 | $21.22 |
| 30 YEARS-OLD | $28.00 | $22.31 |
| 35 YEARS-OLD | $28.88 | $23.84 |
| 40 YEARS-OLD | $36.53 | $30.41 |
| 45 YEARS-OLD | $47.91 | $40.91 |
| 50 YEARS-OLD | $71.39 | $58.41 |
Smokers who apply with Prudential for the same amount of coverage should expect to pay at around double the rates listed above. To get an accurate quote for your actual age, use the life insurance calculator on this page.
It is also good to note that Lincoln Financial will also offer you a standard non-smoker rating for chewing tobacco use or dipping tobacco. Make sure that you check all rates before you make your decision.
It’s also important to remember that most insurers follow what is known as the “12-month rule”. What this means is that if you’ve used any tobacco product (including a nicotine patch or vaping), you will be listed as such and rated accordingly. So, if you’ve recently quit smoking, don’t expect to get non-smoker rates. If you’ve recently quit using smokeless tobacco, don’t expect to get a non-smoker rate from every insurance company.
Frequently Asked Questions
How will chewing tobacco affect my life insurance rating and premiums?
There is a big difference between smoking cigarettes and chewing tobacco (at least for insurance companies). Many companies will rate you at smoker rates whether you smoke cigarettes or cigars or chew, but some will rate you as a non-smoker if you only chew or dip.
How can I get affordable life insurance if I chew tobacco?
Here is when you take advantage of an experienced independent insurance agent who knows which carriers offer the best rates for applicants who use smokeless tobacco. Your independent agent will represent multiple insurance companies which typically includes one of the handfuls of companies that allow a non-smoker rate class for those applicants who chew or dip.
Can I get a non-smoker rate on my life insurance policy if I chew tobacco?
Smokers will pay at least twice the premium amount than what non-smokers pay for life insurance. It’s important to note, however, that only certain carriers will assign a non-smoker rate to someone who chews or dips tobacco.
