Smoking and health insurance
Whether you’re a smoker now or were in the past, find out how smoking affects your health insurance policy.
Edited by:
Ryan Kildare, health insurance expert at Bupa
Last updated 1 November 2024
2 minute read
Health insurance for smokers
When you apply for a health insurance policy, you'll be asked about your smoking habits.
This is because smoking is a risky lifestyle choice. It increases your chance of developing health issues relating to your lungs and heart.
What health insurers might ask
- If you’re a smoker
- If you’ve ever smoked
- How much you smoke, or used to smoke
- How long you’ve been a smoker, or when you last smoked
Do smokers pay more for health insurance?
Yes. As smoking worsens your health, most insurers will charge smokers more. It can affect the type of health insurance policy you're able to buy, too.
Sometimes, policies can cost more than the amount of a non-smoker’s.
Failing to tell your insurer that you’re a smoker may invalidate your policy. This means they may not pay for claims you make.
What happens if I stop smoking after I've taken out my health insurance policy?
You should tell your insurer that you've given up smoking as this may bring down the cost of your policy.
However, you often have to be nicotine-free between one and five years before the cost of your policy is brought down.
What happens if I start smoking after I've taken out my health insurance policy?
You need to tell your health insurer if your smoking habits change.
Smoking increases your chance of developing health issues, so they may need to charge you more based on the risk of insuring you.
If you start smoking and don’t tell your health insurer, they may not pay out for claims that are connected to smoking.
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Bupa health insurance is provided by Bupa Insurance Limited. Registered in England and Wales with registration number 3956433. Bupa Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Arranged and administered by Bupa Insurance Services Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England and Wales with registration number 3829851. Registered office: 1 Angel Court, London, EC2R 7HJ.
