Becoming a smoker shortly before buying annuity

dunstonh

They ask when you started smoking and how much you smoke (amount and frequency).

To qualify you have to smoke above a certain threshold. The threshold can vary between providers but 10 a day for over a year is generally the sort of level you are looking at.

grey_gym_sock

Malthusian wrote: »

Would it shock you to learn that insurers are not entirely consistent and the inconsistency is in their favour?

you have shattered my faith in humanity.

McKneff

Bootsox wrote: »

Not as daft as smoking for 50 years, what a waste of time, effort and money.

Ten times as daft because people are aware of what is in cigarettes and what harm they do.


50 years ago, we didn't have a bluddy clue. My mum used to say to me, 'its bad for your lungs' while
she her self and dad smoked what no one told us is that it was and is bad for every single part of your body. I would probably have still been smoking now if I hadn't had a heart attack. Its not hard to tell you haven't been addicted to nictotine.

Chickereeeee

I guess my question would have been:'if you say you have smoked 40 a day for 10+ years, how would they know you had not?'

Assuming they can and do test for this, my questions would now be: 'if you say you had smoked 40 per day for 10+years, but stopped a year ago, how would they know you had not, and would you still get an enhanced annuity?'

Most detectable effects of smoking have left the body well before 12months are up, but you still have a greatly increased chance of nasties.

Not something that affects me, as I would not do it, and i dont want an annuity.

C

dunstonh

I guess my question would have been:'if you say you have smoked 40 a day for 10+ years, how would they know you had not?'

Some write to the GP. Some get you to do a test.

Telling lies is committing fraud. You can be prosecuted if caught. You can also be referred to the insurance fraud database and you will enjoy being on that as your premiums for all insurances (including motor and household) will be massive after that. Indeed, many insurers will refuse to offer cover.

Chickereeeee

dunstonh wrote: »

Telling lies is committing fraud. You can be prosecuted if caught. You can also be referred to the insurance fraud database and you will enjoy being on that as your premiums for all insurances (including motor and household) will be massive after that. Indeed, many insurers will refuse to offer cover.

Completely agree.

C

greenglide

50 years ago, we didn't have a bluddy clue.

Even 50 years ago, in 1960s t was generally known that smoking raised the risk of lung cancer, heart problems, strokes etc. What wasn't really understood was just how much of an impact it had and the much lower life expectancy then was caused by other problems as well, particularly for people working in manual jobs (and there were a lot of those).

Also lots of people didn't expect to live long with the Cuba missile crisis, Vietnam and other issues.

bigadaj

This is just like any form of contract and you abide by the terms of it.

I am an occasional smoker and have declared this where relevant, you can rapidly fall into the damned of you do or you don't category, and as I don't hold personal life insurance this has just been for records at gp, employment cover and the like. I smoke less than a cigarette a day, so would fail the criteria above but we're this to have an influence on a critical illness or death then had I not declared this then insurers would exclude this.

Ultimately you just need to answer all questions honestly so it's just down to the exact questions they ask.

Malthusian

50 years ago, we didn't have a bluddy clue.

Apart from what greenglide said, the coughing and nausea, the shortness of breath and tightness in the chest and the stink of the residue is a fairly good clue. If something smells bad, tastes bad and makes you feel bad and the body does its best to reject it, it's usually for a good reason.