Household insurance for smokers

When you apply for home owner’s insurance, one of the questions that you’ll be asked is whether or not you (or any family member) is a smoker.

If you’re a non smoker, most home owner’s insurance policies will give a discount of 10%.

As with all insurance, policy premiums are determined through studies on the risk factors that certain groups of people exhibit. Those that are found to be part of a riskier group usually have to pay more money for the same amount of insurance. Studies show that homes owned by smokers are more likely to have home owner’s insurance claims against them than non smokers.

1. Smokers burn down houses. There are over 20,000 residential fires a year caused by cigarettes. Since smokers are the ones that have cigarettes, the act of smoking increases the risk that a house will burn down.

2. Smokers tend to have riskier overall habits than non smokers. These riskier habits can lead to more home owner’s insurance claims than non smokers.

3. Because smokers need matches or lighters for their habit, this means that children in the house are likely to have more access to these than children living in houses with non smokers. This increases of an accidental fire started by the children.