dy156

At work, we're changing health insurance, and I dip tobacco and smoke cigars occasionally with my friends. Should I check no, and feel dishonest, rationalizing to myself that I will probably never get lung cancer, and that's what the insurance company is afraid of?

Should I check Yes, and risk increased rates, possible denial of coverage, or have them cover me, and somewhere down the line, heaven forbid, I get lip/throat cancer and find out there's an exclusion for that?

Anyone in the insurance business?
Anyone in a similar situation?

Thanks in advance

yournamehere

You can check "no", and get a cheaper rate.
But if it ever comes down to them finding out you have tobacco in your system, it will void your policy, and you will have wasted every cent you've ever paid in premiums. And I'm sure that when it comes to cases that are typically caused by tobacco use, they will check.

Better to just tell the truth. Also, depending on the insurance company, even if you quit, it will be three to five years before you can claim that you are not a tobacco user.

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onetime2

Be honest. Should they decide to deny your claim you'll likely be losing a hell of a lot more by paying it yourself than you'd save in premiums.

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Grouper

I also dip. I've noticed that most health insurance forms simply ask "Do you smoke". That's an easy answer, no. In your situation, if I smoked one cigar a month, I would probably answer "no" as well. Ask only what they answer, don't offer up any more than you have to.

CSflim

Do you smoke? Yes.

Check the yes box. Anything else is lying.

Plus if you get caught out, they won't pay you a penny if you make a claim, even if you are claiming on something completely unrelated (at least thats how the law works over here).

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Rodney

Lie. After all, if you check "yes," all you're saying is, at this point in time, you don't smoke. Who's to say you didn't start after you filled out the form? Nobody.

I've been in fights with insurance companies. My wife spent two years trying to get an insurance company to pay a claim for a benefit she was legally entitled to. I once told an insurance company that I'd seen a chiropractor a couple of times, and they disallowed any claims having to do with the back for years, even thought it had nothing to do with the chiropractic issue. I had to fight, and even then I didn't get everything.

Insurance companies aren't straight with you, and they're in the position of power. So defend yourself. It's not a matter of truth or lie. It's protecting yourself against a big bully.

Other than that, how old are you? How long do you expect to have this insurance? If you're young, odds are slim that, even under worst-case scenario, you will have any tobacco-related issues in the time you're with them. Especially since your usage is so small.

It may sound like I'm advocating unethical behavior. But what I'm really advocating is your personal survival in an unfair system that you have to rely on but which is not really constructed for your benefit.

irseg

I'm not sure, but I imagine somewhere in the fine print they'd require you to notify them if you start smoking. I can't imagine they would leave a loophole like that open.

alkaloid

I like Rodney's interpretation. It makes sense. Either hire a lawyer or think like one. Stick to the minimal interpretation of the question. Don't lie, but don't volunteer unnecessary information.