How Smoking Impacts Your Health Insurance Policy

 It's a well-known fact that smoking hurts your health. You must have seen the warning message on all cigarette boxes - 'Smoking is injurious to health. Smoking tobacco is a root cause of 30% of all cancer deaths and causes 16 times higher risk of a heart attack.

There are almost 120 million smokers in India. As per World Health Organization, India accommodates around 12% of the world's smoking population. The number of men smoking tobacco has increased from 78 million in the year 1998 to 108 million in the year 2015. Tobacco consumption is accountable for the death of 6 million people each year. Direct tobacco consumption accounts for over 5 million deaths and 0.6 million deaths are due to exposure to second-hand smoke. Considering serious public health risks, the Government has banned smoking in public places from 2nd October 2008.

Not only your health, but it also causes you to pay higher premiums for a health insurance policy, due to increased health risks and shorter life expectancy. A nonsmoker however, gets premium discounts as a reward to lead a healthy lifestyle. Being a smoker, it is advisable not to hide your smoking habit from your health insurance company, as it helps you to cover smoking-related health issues.

There is a wide curiosity among people, about how smoking impacts health insurance and its cost. Let's educate ourselves about smoking and its impact on health insurance policies.

Smoking - What It Includes

Smoking includes inhalation of the smoke of burning tobacco in the form of cigarettes, cigars, and beedi. Whether you are an occasional smoker or a frequent smoker, you will be considered a smoker under the health insurance policy.

Smokers can buy health insurance, however, an insurance company may charge extra premiums or reject your insurance application, depending on the number of cigarettes you smoke regularly. A smoker may also have to go through additional health check-ups that can help an insurance company to ascertain the risk factor and then charge the premium amount accordingly.

How Smoking Affects Your Health and Insurance Premium

Smoking makes a serious impact on your health, some of which are detailed below.

Circulatory System: Smoking results in an increased risk of heartache and blood pressure. Building up of fatty acids could result in atherosclerosis.

Immune System: Smoking results in severe and long-lasting illnesses. Smokers are more prone to develop ulcers, cancer, pneumonia, high blood pressure, bronchitis, and other viral/bacterial/fungal infections.