Health Insurance for Smokers

It is clear that smoking is bad for health and that people who smoke are a greater risk to health insurance companies than people who do not. You are probably aware of the dangers of smoking and of the connection between smoking, medical expenditures and mortality.

Hard statistics show that hospital admission rates for those who smoke are much higher than for non-smokers, smokers stay in the hospital a longer period, take outpatient treatment that is much more expensive and need health insurance payments that are about 50% higher. Taking into consideration this big difference in costs for health care, the cost of health insurance for smokers is also higher.

Health insurance companies have developed different methods to deal with the problem of health insurance for tobacco users. Some companies offer policies considering an individual's health state no matter whether the individual is a smoker or not. The monthly health insurance premiums can be raised by $25 if you are a smoker. If your spouse also smokes the monthly premiums can be raised by $50.

You may save on health insurance if you're a smoker. The solution is - give up smoking!

There are special programs that help people stop smoking including the program with the use of products for smokers such as patches, gums or lozenges.

If you are a smoker searching for health insurance, you have to be ready to pay higher premiums. Some insurance companies may even refuse to cover you because you are a tobacco user. If you don't feel like quitting smoking now, shop around comparing several health insurance companies on the Internet because rates for premiums may vary.

Related

• Buy health insurance for yourself and stop worrying.