Vaping and Insurance: Is It Considered a Tobacco Product

Vaping and Insurance: Is It Considered a Tobacco Product?

The classification of vaping products as tobacco products is a topic of ongoing debate. According to the article, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers e-cigarettes to be tobacco products under the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act.

In 2016, the FDA extended its regulatory authority to include all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. This means that e-cigarettes are subject to the same regulations as traditional tobacco products.

Vaping products are not just a novelty, they are a growing industry with a significant presence in the market.

Check this out: Does Vaping Have Calories?

Vaping does have an impact on your life insurance rates, and you'll pay higher premiums than someone who doesn't vape or use nicotine products.

Insurance companies classify e-cig use as tobacco use because vape juice often contains nicotine, which insurers test for using a medical exam. Tobacco users receive a separate health classification, which translates into a costlier policy.

Additional reading: Tobacco Bond

A 30-year-old female who vapes nicotine and is in good health can expect to pay $65.75 per month for a 20-year term life insurance policy with a $500,000 payout. A 30-year-old male with the same profile can expect to pay $81 per month for the same coverage.

Here's a breakdown of average monthly rates for male and female smokers and non-smokers:

If you vape marijuana, you may not qualify for the lowest smoker rates with some insurers. A Policygenius agent can help you compare quotes to find the right policy for your vaping history.

Insurance companies 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.

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Insurers will ask if you use tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, when you apply for life insurance.

During underwriting, you'll likely have to take a medical exam, which includes blood and urine tests.

The blood test looks for nicotine and cotinine, a byproduct of nicotine that stays in your blood even after nicotine has left your system.

Both tests will also look for the presence of THC, which can show up in a blood test up to 36 hours after marijuana use, and in a urine test after between three and 30 days, depending on the frequency of use.

This is why it's essential to be honest about your vaping habits when applying for life insurance.

Life insurers treat vaping like smoking because they consider it an equally high insurance risk. This is due to the potential for harmful chemicals in vape devices and the uncertainty surrounding the health impacts of vaping, which is less regulated than tobacco.

The e-cigarette industry is also not as well-studied as tobacco, making it difficult for insurers to assess the risks associated with vaping. As a result, they often err on the side of caution and classify e-cigarette users as smokers.

Here's an interesting read: Vaping Myths

The classification of e-cigarette users as smokers can have significant consequences for their life insurance premiums. For example, a 30-year-old female who vapes nicotine and is in otherwise good health can expect to pay $65.75 per month for a 20-year term life insurance policy with a $500,000 payout.

Here's a breakdown of the risk classes used by insurers:

Insurers will also consider factors such as the type of vape device used, the frequency of use, and whether the user also uses traditional cigarettes when determining their risk class.

Insurers test for vaping through a medical exam, which includes blood and urine tests. These tests can detect nicotine, cotinine, and THC in your system.

A blood test will look for nicotine and cotinine, a byproduct of nicotine that stays in your blood even after nicotine has left your system. Cotinine can be detected in your blood for up to 36 hours after nicotine use.

Urine tests can detect THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, for up to 30 days after use, depending on how often you vape. This means that even if you've stopped vaping, you may still test positive for THC.

Insurers can also check your medical records through the Medical Information Bureau (MIB) and request an attending physician statement (APS) from your primary doctor to confirm your health history. This means it's essential to be honest about your vaping habits when applying for life insurance.

Here's a breakdown of how long THC can be detected in your system:

Being truthful about your vaping history is crucial, as insurers may order a blood test to detect cotinine, and test results can be submitted to a reporting agency.

Vaping can significantly impact your life insurance premiums. If you vape, you'll pay higher premiums than non-vapers or those who don't use nicotine products.

Most insurers classify e-cig use as tobacco use because vape juice often contains nicotine, which insurers test for using a medical exam. Tobacco users receive a separate health classification, leading to costlier policies.

The cost of life insurance varies depending on age, gender, and health. For example, a 30-year-old female who vapes nicotine and is in good health can expect to pay $65.75 per month for a 20-year term life insurance policy with a $500,000 payout.

Here's a breakdown of average monthly rates for smokers and non-smokers:

Keep in mind that rates may vary by insurer, term, coverage amount, health class, and state.

If you vape marijuana, you may not qualify for the lowest smoker rates with some insurers. A Policygenius agent can help you compare quotes to find the right policy for your vaping history.

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.

A 30-year-old female who vapes nicotine and is in otherwise good health can expect to pay $65.75 per month for a 20-year term life insurance policy with a $500,000 payout. This is significantly higher than the $22.98 per month a non-smoker in the same age group and health profile would pay.

It's worth noting that some insurance carriers may view vaping as a form of tobacco use, and may not offer lower rates even if you haven't smoked a cigarette in a year. A Policygenius agent can help you compare quotes to find the right policy for your vaping history.

If you're a vape user and want to quit smoking altogether, including using e-cigarettes, but already have life insurance and are paying smoker rates, you should inform your insurance company. If you have been smoke-free for at least 12 months, there is a good chance your premium costs would decrease.

Here's a breakdown of the risk classes and how they relate to vaping and life insurance:

In general, most insurance companies will put e-cigarette users in a smoker category, which means you'll likely pay higher premiums. However, if you've been smoke-free for at least 12 months, you may be able to switch to a lower premium rate.