Does Chewing Tobacco Increase Life Insurance Rates? 
In most cases , yes chewing tobacco is viewed by the majority of life insurance companies the same as smoking . Nicotine is the key addictive ingredient that causes a higher rating . Therefore , nicotine gum and patches are rated as well . Life insurance companies typically double or triple rates based on nicotine use . However , there are a few carriers that under certain circumstances will underwrite you at a non tobacco rate . When you are being tested , underwriters use your paramed exam results , blood and urine , to detect your tobacco habits . They test for cotine instead of nicotine which stays in your system 14 days longer than nicotine . So , if you are an occasional cigar smoker , for example , you would need to be free of tobacco for at least 2 weeks prior to testing . If you are a heavy user it could take months to clear your system . Feel free to contact me if you have any further questions . I am always glad to help . 