How Does A Life Insurance Company Know If You Smoke? 
If there is any written medical record of your smoking , like your doctor 's chart notes for example , chances are it will be in the MIB records . When you apply for insurance , you grant permission for an insurance company to check your medical records and other history and they may come across it there . Most all companies , if you are looking for best price will also test for nicotine in your system as part of the exam process . Those companies that do n't test , just factor it into the price . So you pay like you do smoke in those cases or somewhere close to . One thing to keep in mind if you decide to miss the right answer when it comes to smoking is that some states refuse to let insurance companies settle a claim at a smoker rate . They have blocked insurance companies from paying the lesser claim and require the insurance company just to return premium . In the case of smoking , these states even waive the two year contestability window . Always check for any special state conditions when signing off on an application . 