If you are a smoker, you may think you are ineligible for a life insurance policy of any kind. However, many insurance providers offer smokers' life insurance, so that even individuals in this demographic can enjoy financial peace of mind for themselves and their families. This article will cover the basics of smokers' insurance, to help you find the best policy for your needs and budget.

Qualifications for Smokers' Insurance
A smoker is classified as anyone who has used one of the following within the last 12 months:

• Cigarettes
• Pipe
• Cigars
• Chewing tobacco
• Nicotine patches

Keep in mind that it is not the act of smoking the raises life insurance premiums, but the amount of nicotine consumed during the activity. Those that use less nicotine may end up paying lower rates overall, although the cost of life insurance for any type of smoker tends to be higher than that of non-smokers. The only way to bring down your rates to a significant degree is to be completely nicotine free for at least one year. It is not advisable to lie about your smoking habits to get a lower insurance rate, since evidence after death that you had smoked during that time could negate your entire policy.

Finding the Best Rates
There is no way around the fact that smokers' insurance runs at higher rates than life insurance for non-smokers. The idea behind life insurance is to cover an individual in the event of death, disability or critical illness. In the case of a smoker, the risk of these incidences will be much higher across the board. Life insurance companies make a business of assessing risk, and the risk of covering a smoker is usually too high to warrant a life insurance policy at standard rates.

However, that doesn't mean you have to settle for outrageously expensive smokers' insurance - or no insurance at all. The good news is that there are enough insurance providers offering products to smokers to make the industry competitive. This means that if you shop around with a number of insurance companies, you will be able to land a rate that is affordable, even if it is not in line with the cost to a non-smoker.

Finding life insurance as a smoker isn't easy, but it is far from impossible. Many companies offer life insurance to smokers and the competition means better rates for you. By shopping around for the best rates and terms, you can find a sufficient life insurance policy to adequately protect your family financially if the unthinkable should occur.