Health Insurance.

[Ralucard]

I'm posting this here because as a "new member" this is the only board I can create a topic.

Say I weened myself off of regular cigarettes and have completely dedicated myself to the e-cig, could I get out of paying the extra "tobacco-user" money for my health insurance?

I know I should probably contact my provider about this, but I'd like to know if anyone here has any knowledge of this before I call them.

 

[djmikekc]

My insurance company requires me to promise I have been analog free for one year. Yours may vary.

 

[annah]

I'm pretty sure they don't require nicotine replacement therapy people to classify as a smoker.

The last time I filled out a quote form, it specifically asked about tobacco use. IMO- this does not qualify.

 

[yknotagain]

I would never consider vaping smoking for insurance purposes, but I'm quite sure all companies require a year b4 they consider you as no longer a smoker.

 

[Majestic]

Since a e-cig is nothing more than a nicotine inhaler, I consider myself smoke-free and would answer any insurance form or medical history accordingly. I figure we vapers fall into the same catagory as the folks using the patch or gum and they wouldn't classify themselves as still smoking.

 

[Why2Day]

I was thinking about this exact issue today. If your insurance company checks for nicotine in hair or blood samples to confirm that you are tobacco free there might be a problem.

 

[Ursa]

If they don't consider the gums, lozenges, patches as tobacco use, then I would go for it.

 

[Duckies]

I would tell them that you are using a nicotine inhaler/vaporizor. Cotinine shows up in urine from nicotine use and can be confused for tobacco use.

 

[Kate51]

My vote: depends on how it's worded, if it says tobacco use, one would assume combustible tobacco use. My husband got a pass on life insurance we bought, because he only admitted to chewing. I paid the premium as a smoker.
Ane I would think that by now, they would know that nicotine is not the culprit in tobacco smoke, it is the addictive part. And well yes it has it's little things it can do, but is it really so bad to be addicted to water PG VG vapor? (Caffein is about comparable, my opinion) I don't think I would qualify myself as a tobacco user unless it was specifically worded as nicotine use. The autopsy report wouldn't probably include any info on smoker/non smoker unless that would show in the lungs. If they did a test specifically for nicotine it would show up. To my knowledge can't say if a 'general' toxicology test would include nicotine, it may. So, would there be a clause in the policy regarding payment/nonpayment of benefits in case something was detected in 'normal' tox testing, read the fine print I guess. But frankly, my cotinine level (nicotine absorbed) right now would read at 'second hand' smoke levels, using 18mg/ml liquid. Hopefully my lungs are becoming healthier, but I'm not real sure damage done can be totally undone, after 44 years of smoking in my case. But they're saying tobacco free for 1 year, heck I wouldn't bat an eye at saying tobacco free.