Many of our clients enjoy the occasional or celebratory cigar. They don’t use other nicotine products such as cigarettes, chewing tobacco, or vaping, but they will light up a cigar in celebration of a new child or special occasion. They might be a weekend warrior on the golf course and spend some time with their friends hitting the links and smoking a cigar.
There are some insurance companies that are pretty much on the same page regarding cigar use. These companies agree that an occasional or “celebratory” cigar will not guarantee a raise in premiums. This would mean you would not even receive the smoking, nicotine, or tobacco rating. We have many clients who smoke the occasional cigar and are preferred-plus non-tobacco rates (the top rating). However, not all insurance companies feel the same way. You need to know the rules of the game. Every insurance company defines “occasional” differently. If you go in and apply at any insurance company, you could be the one left holding the bag with a lower rating and a higher premium. It would be wise to consult with a professional agent when looking into life insurance to guide your research.
Here is how you increase your odds of receiving non-nicotine rates:
Admitting to cigar usage on the application
Having no nicotine or cotinine in your urine exam
Frequency of use
Admission on the Application - Most companies are stringent on admitting to cigar usage at the point of application. If a client tries to hide the cigar usage or doesn’t admit to it at the beginning, then the “lack of candor” comes into play. Companies start to not trust the other answers on the application. In fact, under the cigar usage section of the underwriting guide, it will say in bold print, “Must admit to cigar usage at the point of application.” An experienced agent would be able to coach you on this.
No nicotine in your urine exam - In order to receive non-nicotine or non-tobacco ratings, you can’t have any nicotine in your urine. Since cigars contain nicotine, you will need to hold off on smoking for a little while before your test. According to WebMD, “Generally, nicotine will leaves your blood within 1 to 3 days after you stop using tobacco, and cotinine will be gone after 1 to 10 days. Neither nicotine nor cotinine will be detectable in your urine after 3 to 4 days of stopping tobacco products.”
So be smart before you take your exam. If you use other nicotine products like cigarettes, chew, or vaping, you will only qualify for nicotine ratings. But if you only smoke an occasional cigar, then wait a few days or a week after you smoke a cigar to make sure the nicotine and cotinine are out of your system.
Frequency of Use - almost all companies will allow up to twelve (12) cigars a year. This would include celebrating, golfing, or hitting the local cigar parlor. A couple of companies will allow you to smoke twenty-four (24) cigars per year and still qualify for the best non-nicotine ratings. AIG allows you to smoke one (1) PER WEEK!! That’s right, 52 per year! How’s that for occasional usage. When speaking with an agent, it is essential to know this rule. Often times a client will answer the question of cigar usage the following way; “Yea, I’ll smoke a cigar once or so a month.”
The …”or so” could make the difference between a preferred or standard rating with some insurance companies, which could significantly affect your monthly premiums. Knowing the rules of the game can drastically improve your rating with lower premiums. It can also help the Aultium Insurance agent choose the correct company for you. To see a list of insurance companies that are more friendly towards cigar users you can visit our page here.
As we have mentioned in our previous posts, having an experienced agent help you with your insurance is critically important. Premiums aren’t higher if you use an agent. So you might as well take advantage of their knowledge and let them coach you during the process. Agents with Aultium Insurance Services, LLC are aware of these pitfalls and are mindful of the companies that allow twelve or twenty-four cigars during the year.
For a free quote for life insurance, please click here. If you would like to schedule a 10-minute complimentary, no-obligation consultation with an experienced agent, you can click here.
Don’t pay any higher than you need to for your insurance policy. You can click here for a free quote.