Tipperary’s 22,500 smokers pay double for life insurance due to health risks
Those who quit in January 2021 could potentially nearly halve the cost of their premiums
January is a time when many people set new health goals, and those who smoke might decide that this year they will give up the bad habit once and for all.
Experts at Royal London are advising smokers in Tipperary who are considering quitting, that they could be further incentivised by the fact that those who successfully quit smoking in January 2021, may now be able to substantially reduce the cost of their life insurance premiums.
New figures from the leading protection specialist highlight how much of a difference smoking can make to the cost of life cover; with smokers expecting to pay twice as much for life insurance when compared with non-smokers.
Tadhg Malone of Royal London in Tipperary, commented, “The national average of people smoking is 18% which equates to 22,593 people in Tipperary. We want to let all these people know that they could reap huge financial benefits if they manage to quit the habit.
Mr. Malone continued, “In Tipperary alone, there are approximately 22,055 adults in 45–54-year age group, which would mean an estimated 5,200 of these people smoke.”
Mr. Malone concluded: “There is an overall trend in Ireland of less people smoking which of course, is positive. It shows that the Government’s campaigns to reduce the number of people smoking seem to be working.
“If you’re someone who successfully gave up smoking more than 12 months ago and already have life cover in place, you could potentially get a reduction in the cost of your policy premiums.”
If you wish to be re-categorised as a non-smoker for life insurance purposes, you must not have used any tobacco products in the last 12 months and have no intention to use any in the future. This includes e-cigarettes and nicotine replacement products such as patches or chewing gum.
"As well as providing some health-related information, it’s possible that your insurance provider may ask you to complete a cotinine test (smoker test). This is a simple test which involves screening a sample of saliva or urine for tobacco use.
“Each year thousands of people throughout Ireland aim to give up smoking, with the beginning of a new year seen by many as the perfect time to jumpstart their health goals.
"While we all know that quitting smoking isn’t easy, the Healthy Ireland report shows the prevalence of smoking in Ireland is reducing as more people successfully go tobacco-free. Beyond the physical health advantages of this, people can reap significant financial benefits too.
"It’s common enough to hear stories of people saving up the money from not buying cigarettes over a year and motivating themselves by allocating it towards a car or holiday. But a less commonly-known motivational factor is the thousands in savings that can potentially be made on their life cover.”