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Just a thought .. whats to stop you.....

When buying an annuity what's to stop you declaring that you are a smoker (or some other illness) to obtain an enhanced annuity rate - I doubt the annuity provider does any checking in this respect, indeed a GP would not disclose any med condition to a third party without the express permission of the patient, and would the doctor know if his/her patient smoked !!
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  • dunstonh
    dunstonh Posts: 121,231 Forumite
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    edited 12 January 2012 at 5:42PM
    I doubt the annuity provider does any checking in this respect

    They do on a risk basis and random sample.
    indeed a GP would not disclose any med condition to a third party without the express permission of the patient,

    permission is granted as the application stage. They also often ask for copies of GP notes or prescriptions (or the list the GP produces showing all your medication)
    and would the doctor know if his/her patient smoked !!

    The GP doesnt carry out the test. The insurer uses a mobile nurse who comes to your home/work to do the test.
    I am an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA). The comments I make are just my opinion and are for discussion purposes only. They are not financial advice and you should not treat them as such. If you feel an area discussed may be relevant to you, then please seek advice from an Independent Financial Adviser local to you.
  • what test is there that the nurse would do to identify whether you smoked or not ? - apart from looking for nicotined fingers !!
  • atush
    atush Posts: 18,731 Forumite
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    I would imagine a simple blood test.
  • dunstonh
    dunstonh Posts: 121,231 Forumite
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    It is a cotinine test
    I am an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA). The comments I make are just my opinion and are for discussion purposes only. They are not financial advice and you should not treat them as such. If you feel an area discussed may be relevant to you, then please seek advice from an Independent Financial Adviser local to you.
  • chucknorris
    chucknorris Posts: 10,795 Forumite
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    what test is there that the nurse would do to identify whether you smoked or not ? - apart from looking for nicotined fingers !!

    The nurse french kisses you to see if your mouth tastes of nicotine
    Chuck Norris can kill two stones with one birdThe only time Chuck Norris was wrong was when he thought he had made a mistakeChuck Norris puts the "laughter" in "manslaughter".I've started running again, after several injuries had forced me to stop
  • The nurse french kisses you to see if your mouth tastes of nicotine

    CRIKEY !!! - if you saw my nurse you wouldn't want that ! - better come clean I suppose -
  • Koicarp
    Koicarp Posts: 323 Forumite
    "Nicoscreen® is the near-patient diagnostic test used to detect Cotinine in bodily fluids up to 3 days after the body has absorbed the substance". http://www.modernhealthsystems.com/drug-test/nicotine-testing/

    Might be worth starting smoking for three days before the test?
  • atush
    atush Posts: 18,731 Forumite
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    They can use blood, saliva or urine.
  • chucknorris
    chucknorris Posts: 10,795 Forumite
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    atush wrote: »
    They can use blood, saliva or urine.

    Wow your nurse sounds really kinky, I thought they just kissed you.
    Chuck Norris can kill two stones with one birdThe only time Chuck Norris was wrong was when he thought he had made a mistakeChuck Norris puts the "laughter" in "manslaughter".I've started running again, after several injuries had forced me to stop
  • stagey_2
    stagey_2 Posts: 201 Forumite
    Hubby a smoker and got enhanced annuity - no one checked him and as he hadn't seen his doctor for years at that point he wouldn't have known if he smoked or not. Hmm. interesting point!
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