Life insurance is supposed to cover your basic necessities, like food and rent. But what if you’re an active marijuana smoker? Can you still get life insurance coverage? And if you can, will you be insured for the amount your policy promises?
Given that marijuana is still federally illegal in the U.S., life insurance companies are not currently allowed to offer coverage to people who use it. As a result, most financial advisors recommend that you get additional coverage beyond the basic policies you have. Here are some things to consider when you buy life insurance, even if you use cannabis:
As the legalization of cannabis continues to spread across the U.S., so does the possibility that life insurance companies could soon be held responsible for paying out on a policy holder’s medical marijuana usage. However, that topic is a sensitive one, and one that has been fraught with controversy.
By 2025, the legal cannabis industry is expected to be worth $43 billion. As of July 1, 2021, 47 states in the United States have legalized cannabis, with 19 states legalizing it for both recreational and medicinal use. This implies that these states are home to 43 percent of the adult population in the United States, and that 5.4 million Americans will be registered as medical cannabis users by 2025.
When you look at these statistics, you may wonder whether all of these individuals will be able to obtain life insurance.
Marijuana use was formerly taboo and was not encouraged, much alone approved, by the health care and life insurance industries. Things have evolved, research has shown more in-depth results, and consumer demand and behavior have altered.
In the end, the answer is yes! People who use marijuana may obtain life insurance, and it may not cost any extra. Of course, the ultimate policy pricing and approval are determined by the insurance provider as well as other variables influencing the applicant.
Several criteria are examined by insurers when evaluating an individual’s application:
In a way, marijuana use is only one factor among a slew of others examined. Life insurance companies will almost certainly inquire about how often and why cannabis is used, as well as the medical reason or ailment it is used to treat.
Marijuana Use and Health
When you use marijuana, your judgment and short-term memory are affected. In addition, use changes perception and may put people in danger, such as drivers. Marijuana, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, has been related to long-term mental issues and long-term physical problems in later life.
Marijuana Use: How Often Do You Use It?
Questions regarding the applicant’s marijuana use frequency appear on life insurance forms. This response aids businesses in classifying health groups and determining life insurance premiums. Nonsmoking rates are often available for sporadic users, although each life insurance company sets its own criteria for occasional or infrequent users. This is important since smokers are often charged higher charges.
Marijuana Users’ Life Insurance Rates
The bottom line, or final quotations when applying for life insurance, will be determined by marijuana use or nonuse, as well as age, gender, and the quantity of coverage sought. Life insurance rates based simply on marijuana usage, on the other hand, rise – two or less times per month for infrequent users, and more than two times per month for habitual users.
Marijuana for Medical Purposes
When it comes to life insurance premiums, it doesn’t matter if marijuana is taken recreationally or therapeutically. However, providers will need to know the underlying medical condition that is causing the marijuana use; this condition may influence the cost of life insurance.
Obtaining Life Insurance
Life insurance companies are working harder than ever to reach out to prospective applicants using a number of methods; many have incorporated online platforms with or without the requirement for additional human contact. They depend on applicants to be open and honest, and they take steps to ensure that all data is accurate and transparent.
Companies such as Sproutt.com have simplified all parts of the application process, allowing for both online and offline contact based on the party’s preferences, presenting a range of alternatives to select from, and reducing the time it takes for the insurance provider to respond. For all applications, full transparency is required.
Transparency and the expectation of genuineness are, however, needed in both directions. Because an applicant with a history of medicinal marijuana use is more likely than not to be approved for life insurance, it’s critical that they be honest and detailed about their use history. The insurer is allowed to examine all outside records while making an application. To verify the information given, the responses on the application must match the medical records history. Medical examinations, medication reviews, and even access to motor vehicle data may all be sought. This is true for everyone, not just marijuana smokers.
If red flags emerge throughout the investigation, such as a history of drug abuse, criminal records, or traffic infractions such as DUIs, the rate will almost certainly be higher. In certain circumstances, candidates may be turned down.
Services are dictated by legalization.
Marijuana use is on the rise, legalization is on the way, and services supporting recreational medicinal use are expanding. Without doing research and closely monitoring customer behavior, the insurance sector has made efforts to adapt these changes.
Today’s life insurance business can accommodate recreational and medicinal users, and it will not leave them in the dark. Policies are accessible and are based on a number of other criteria, such as use, behavior, frequency, and purpose, as applicants are expected to be honest and transparent.
Annie Dudkiewicz is the author of this piece.
Although cannabis has become legal in many states, the life insurance industry still requires a policyholder to be abstinent and cannabis use is still considered a “contributing factor” to a policy’s claim.. Read more about does northwestern mutual drug test it’s life insurance applicants and let us know what you think.
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