My new favorite carrier for getting cigar smokers life insurance is ING-Reliastar. They are the only carrier I am aware of who will offer their Preferred Best Non Tobacco rating to a cigar smoker who smokes as much as one cigar per week. This is their best rating! That means you can smoke a cigar per week and still qualify for the same premium Olympic athlete Michael Phelps would pay.
In order to qualify for their best rating, you’ll have to test negative for nicotine in your urine sample. That means you’ll need to abstain from cigar smoking for at least two weeks before your medical exam, and three to be safe. You also must admit to your cigar use on the life insurance application. In addition, you will have to qualify for their preferred best non tobacco rating in every other regard, meaning you’ll have to be in good health, have a clean driving record, and in most cases, no history of heart disease or cancer in your immediate family.
Most insurance carriers don’t offer non tobacco rates for cigar users. Most lump them into Tobacco classes, as if their mortality risk were similar to that of cigarette smokers. Ridiculous! You would pay double to triple the price if you went to a carrier who classified you as a Smoker.
There are some life insurance carriers who have loosened up on cigar smokers, however. The less often you smoke, the more carriers you’ll have to choose from. Many carriers now will allow 1-4 cigars per year, such as MetLife, and you can still qualify for their preferred non tobacco rating, their second best offer. Others will offer their preferred or standard plus ratings to cigar smokers who limit their use to one celebratory cigar per month.
There are two carriers who will let you test positive for nicotine and still give you non tobacco ratings. These are Prudential and Cincinnati Life. Cincinnati Life will be the less expensive of the two.
As always, talk to an experienced, independent life insurance agent if you are a cigar smoker, who can find the lowest premiums available based on your smoking habits.
