Life insurance,.. smoker vs non-smoker..

fimonkey

Last question from me today.

I'm looking at life insurance policies and they all ask whether you're a non-smoker or a smoker? How can they actually tell? (I've heard a brief mention of a saliva test, how does that work)?

You see I'm a non-smoker, but my mother and father were heavy smokers both throughout my mothers pregnancy and when I was a child (to the extent this gave me childhood asthma). Both my parents died of lung cancer less than 60 years old. I now share a flat with my boyfriend and his cousin who are also competing to be the biggest chimneys in the UK.

So given my exposure as a child, and familial history, and the fact I live in a very smokey atmosphere at home (to the extent asthma is making a reappearance for me), I'm at HUGE risk of lung cancer.

If I answer NO to "are you a smoker?" would a saliva test show up positive due to my huge passive smoking history past and present? In that case would it then be deemed I'm lyinmg about smoking? (I'm not and anyone who knows me will vouch that I'm not a smoker, but will insurance companies go taht far to ask my family and friends)?

Thanks in advance