Vaping and E-Cigarette Users: Are You Still Paying Smoker’s Rate for Life Insurance?
“Vaping” –a slang term for vaporizing (inhaling liquid vapors) something you’d typically smoke, like tobacco.
It’s a well-known fact that one of the biggest differences in life insurance premiums comes down to smokers versus non-smokers. Given the facts and numerous studies over the last 50 years that prove the multiple health issues caused by smoking, there’s little argument that increased health and life insurance premiums are justified. Most of the world accepts that. But what about people who quit using cessation aids like e-cigarettes (also known as “vaping”)? For many, it seems something short of a cruelty to overcome the daunting hurdle of a smoking habit, only to be penalized by the financial powers that be.
At least for a short period.
There are a small handful of insurance carriers that will meet ex-smokers-turned-vapers in the middle, but they have their requirements. Some life insurers require the ex-smoker to be cigarette-free for two full years. Some require one full year. So, a smoker who quits, but chooses to “vape” instead of smoking may eventually qualify for a lower premium if the insurer’s conditions are met.
What’s the catch? The rates aren’t as low as a non-vaping, non-smoking, and nicotine-free consumer, and to an insurer, that’s justifiable too.
Here’s why.
Of all the substance addictions people can have, smoking is one of the hardest to quit.
Studies show that relapse rates for smokers have been estimated to range from 60% to 90% within the first year. That rate does drop after two years, however, down to 19%.
For most people, quitting is more successful when they use some form of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), which can include nicotine, gum, patches, or e-cigarettes. While studies have shown that people who quit cold turkey have the highest long-term success rate, those that quit with an NRT device like e-cigarettes still have some success. The added incentive of money savings helps crystallize the decision to quit –and not just the money saved from not buying cigarettes. There are significant savings in life insurance premiums as well. Living healthier decreases health risk.
Smoking vs. Vaping – Is there a significant difference in the health risk?
Yes and no.
We know the potential hazards of smoking: Lung cancer, emphysema, COPD, heart problems, risk of stroke, etc. Smoking kills 480,000 people every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
So, logically we think that if we’re not inhaling all that tar and smoke, these risks should be significantly lower. The truth is, not all e-cigarettes have been rendered harmless. In 2009, the FDA published results from testing that showed some levels of cancer-causing agents in popular e-cigarette brands. Later studies found traces of formaldehyde, also found in tobacco products. There’s also nicotine in the many varieties of vaping liquid, although the amount of nicotine varies. Most vaping liquids (also called “juice”) are offered in varying levels of nicotine, from 36mg all the way down to zero nicotine. If you’re a former smoker using vape products, chances are you would choose a nicotine blend, at least in the beginning. Many vapers who have quit smoking say they have tapered down to either a very little or zero-nicotine product over time.
What do health organizations and medical researchers say about vaping?
One researcher on the study of vaping and heart effects, Professor Charalambos Vlachopoulos (University of Athens Medical School), observed that a 30-minute vaping session had a negative impact on the stiffness of the aorta –the body’s main artery leading to the heart. This impact was equal to that of smoking one regular cigarette.
The problem with that interpretation is that most vapers don’t vape for 30 minutes at a time. In support of this counter argument, Deborah Arnott, CEO of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), concluded the study doesn’t prove that e-cigarettes are equally as hazardous as smoking. She argued that if the vaping session in the study lasted only five minutes, the impact on the aorta would be significantly less than one regular cigarette.
What about e-cigarettes without nicotine?
The jury is still out on any long-term effects vaping with zero-nicotine products have on general health, albeit widely agreed on that it appears to be far less damaging than cigarettes.
So where do insurance companies stand on vaping vs. smoking?
The one fact almost every insurer (and researcher) has agreed upon so far, is that there just isn’t enough data yet on the long-term health effects of vaping, either with or without nicotine. Until then, many insurance companies err on the conservative side of the risk spectrum.
There are two prevailing opinions on vaping. Vapers, especially those that are former smokers, are convinced that vaping, with or without nicotine, is still far healthier than smoking. The vaping argument is inherently logical: inhaling water vapor is better than inhaling smoke, a known carcinogen. Detractors say there isn’t enough evidence available to conclude it’s healthier than smoking.
Likewise, many insurance carriers view the risks as equal and therefore continue to classify vapers in the same category with smokers and tobacco users –and charge the appropriate premium. There are some insurance carriers who are innovating their life products on what seems to be some middle ground for former smoking vapers.
Michael Siegel, MD., a professor at the Boston University School of Public Health, says “The argument that the health groups keep making—that we have no idea what’s in these things—just isn’t true. We know a lot more about what’s in an e-cigarette than what’s in a tobacco cigarette,”
There are insurers that consider e-cigarettes a smoking cessation aid, and there are those who classify it as a tobacco product, especially since the FDA classified e-cigarettes as a tobacco product in 2016. If you’re a vaper needing life insurance, Driscoll Insurance Services can help find a policy that fits your situation.
How the Health Insurance Industry Affects Life Insurance for Vapers
There is speculation among the vaping community that getting health insurers to recognize vaping as a smoking cessation aid will eventually lower costs. This could have a domino effect across health establishments, and eventually, life insurers would follow suit. That may not happen until there is enough data to show real long-term effects vaping has on health. Right now, the Affordable Care Act allows health insurers to surcharge users of products classified as tobacco up to 50% more than standard rates.
So, what does all this mean concerning the future of vaping and life insurance?
For now, if you’re a smoker wanting to quit by means of vaping, contact an insurance agent and determine what carriers will offer lower rates once you have met their criteria. Some insurance carriers who will give a lower premium to non-smoking vape users only do so if they haven’t smoked a cigarette in a year, and some for two years. But you’ll have to stick with the higher premium until that time passes and you must remain smoke-free.
Terminology on the life policy application is important. One distinction to be made here is that while the Affordable Care Act uses the term “tobacco users,” whereas most life insurance policy language uses the term “nicotine.” Since most vapers are using nicotine in their blend of vapor liquid, they can easily get confused by the language on an application is it uses “tobacco products” rather than “nicotine.” In a scenario like this, one could easily misidentify as a non-smoker and risk fraud.
It’s always best to be truthful with any insurance application because insurers may order a blood test that looks for cotinine, the by-product of nicotine, in your blood. Even if you think you can retest when your body is free of nicotine, these test results are often submitted to a reporting agency, just like your credit report. That test result will follow you, effectively preventing you from shopping around under false pretenses.
If you are a former smoker who vapes, you can certainly be proud of the decision to quit and follow through. There’s no shame in striving for better health and ultimately a better future! Once you’re ready, look for those lower premiums so you can enjoy yet another victory –the one in your wallet.
If you want help finding the right company, consulting with a knowledgeable life insurance agent, like Driscoll Insurance Services, will ensure you are matched up with the right product for your situation!
Source: lung.org article
