Life Insurance for Marijuana Users - Industry Secrets:

By Thomas Moran - April 24, 2011 - reprinted with permission, Kansas City Times Journal

There are literally millions of people who are interested in purchasing a life insurance policy for themselves or their family, but are spurned on the grounds of pot smoking. The reason this happens is due to the fact that insurers view it as a (definitely) illegal and (potentially) dangerous drug. It can accelerate an individual's heart rate and can also lead to short-term memory loss. On continued usage, you can easily become mentally addicted to marijuana and its active ingredient, THC, with some extreme cases suffering psychosis.

Though marijuana is used successfully in the treatment of certain illnesses, it can cause anxiety, fear, distrust, or panic in certain individuals. Insurance companies therefore prefer not to offer life insurance policies to people who have a history of marijuana use.

Many medical patients assert that pot smoking has reduced their suffering to a certain extent, but U.S. law categorizes marijuana as a Schedule I controlled substance. Whether or not insurers consider it to be a helpful drug that should be used in the medical field, it will never have a positive effect on a policy application unless prescribed by a physician, and then only in certain states.

There are Four Insurance Companies that Don't Test for Marijuana

There is no need to take a paramed exam. There are four companies on the market that offer policies irrespective of marijuana use and therefore don't test for THC in blood or urine and all of these policies can be purchased online. You don't need to be too candid; life insurance agents are usually worldly enough to take a hint, so subtly suggest that you want marijuana insurance and you will be directed to a provider that doesn't include THC testing in their procedure.

Failure to contact a marijuana-friendly insurance provider will more than likely place you in the smoker's category which usually means rates that are up to 3 times higher than their non-smoking counterpart, plus your details will be reported to the Medical Information Bureau (MIB). Once your name is on the register your insurance premiums will skyrocket and stay there for the duration that you remain there.

If you are a light/social marijuana user and you have abstained from use before taking your life insurance test for marijuana, then it can take anything between 5 and 90 days to leave your system depending on metabolic efficiency, body mass and several other contributing factors. With this in mind, it can be difficult to judge as to whether your test will come back positive or not. Once you have produced a positive result it can be very difficult to get insured, so this is something you may need to consider if applying for standard insurance with paramed exam. You can but a tester kit at Walgreens for around $16.00 that includes the lab fees and return postage, should you need extra peace of mind.

Simply submit the online form at the top of this page or better still, call the agent to discuss your ideal no THC exam marijuana life insurance policy. Any decent agent will understand your right to discretion and will do everything they can to find you the right policy at the best price. Your agent will not lie on your behalf as this will compromise their license, but if a provider isn't checking for THC and the customer can pay less, they will usually do everything they can to help you get insured for less.

Marijuana User Demographic Statistics

As you can see from the chart on the left (fig. 1), the vast majority of Marijuana users are Caucasians, occupying almost three quarters of the marijuana using population. This contradicts popular opinion that the drug is most widely used among ethnic minorities in the United States with African Americans and Hispanics sharing just 26% of marijuana usage.

The chart on the right (fig. 2) shows that adult marijuana users are often older people of 35 years and above. 64% of marijuana users fall into this age group, which contradicts the notion that drugs are most prevalent among our youth, with 18-25 year-olds making up a mere 18% of the marijuana using population.

What this means is that life insurance for marijuana users is most widely sought after by Caucasians who are well into adulthood. Surprisingly those seniors of retirement age or nearing retirement age are also prevalent users, meaning that the demand for marijuana life insurance is very high indeed and not confined to small ethnic groups or minorities.

What you Need to Know about Marijuana, Life Insurance and the Paramedical Exam:

Most insurance companies insist that applicants conduct a life insurance marijuana medical exam. On the basis of these tests, applicants are granted a life insurance quote. Should you fail to clear the paramed exam for drug reasons, it is likely that you won't get any kind of insurance, even for your car or possessions. This is especially true if you are buying insurance from an insurance provider/company that is affiliated with MIB.

If applicants are an occasional marijuana user, they can buy guaranteed life insurance. When applying for this kind of insurance, they are also saved from the trouble of undergoing any medical examination. The premiums might be a little expensive, but guaranteed insurance customers will be able to buy coverage for themselves and their family nonetheless. ING are one such company that specialize in guaranteed insurance for those that may not otherwise qualify.

Applicants may be denied insurance coverage if they don't divulge true information in any field, and the same applies to marijuana smoking. Some people are scared of admitting marijuana use for pleasure purposes because they feel they might be reported to the authorities. The simple fact is that medical exams for insurance purposes are very efficient and tests are accurate, so it's always best to divulge all to your medical practitioner beforehand.

Applicants can rest assured their life insurance application will not be forwarded to the police or any such authority. The information asked by the insurance provider is purely confidential and is used only to evaluate their application. The Hippocratic Oath applies here just as in any other medical situation.

Is Marijuana Always Linked to Tobacco Use with Life Insurance?

Unfortunately, due to the fact that it is often smoked with tobacco, Marijuana use is often linked to tobacco use for insurance purposes. This is seen as unfair by many due to the fact that marijuana has never been proven to have the same devastating effects on the human body as tobacco and alcohol. It has never been recognized as a carcinogenic, does not negatively affect internal organs and has actually been proven to relieve the nausea and discomfort associated with cancer and AIDS.

Those undergoing a paramed exam will usually be tested for cotinine, which is a byproduct of nicotine within your metabolic system. Cotinine will stay in the human body for at least 34 hours and most particles will exit the body within two to five days. Basic tester kits are only accurate to levels higher than 200ng per milliliter. Within three days of abstaining, most people will be below this level, but it is recommended that those undergoing the paramed exam quit for 3 weeks, as more sophisticated equipment can detect cotinine after much longer periods.

If you are using nicotine substitutes such as patches to quit, these contain high cotinine levels too, so it is advisable to go cold turkey or seek out herbal methods to assist you in quitting smoking. Of course once a person has gone without cigarettes for three weeks, they may as well stay as non smokers as the addictive element will long-since have disappeared. Lower cost premiums and a new lease of life await!

Term Life Insurance for Marijuana Smokers - Another Option

There is some good news for marijuana users: It is now possible to obtain term life insurance coverage for marijuana users. If you are in good health, but enjoy having that occasional joint, you can purchase life insurance from companies such as ING for 10, 15, 20 or 30 years. You will find many options nowadays that will offer life insurance that suits a marijuana user's requirements, provided you have an undertanding and knowledgeable agent.

Once you find your desired quote results, it's usually simply a case of filling an online form for processing. You'll also need to tell the company which plan you are interested in and how much insurance you want. After assessing your application thoroughly, they will inform you of the minimum time (usually a couple of weeks) required to process your application. Alternatively, call them! A good provider will always be happy to discuss their policies with a prospective customer. One such provider was a little too enthusiastic in his response: "I'll hand you over to Blake; he's our resident pot-head!"

There you have it: There are ways that you can be a marijuana user and still qualify for term life insurance at non-smoker's rates. Most casual users should take note before they decide to make a decision on a policy, after all, term life insurance is for the long haul and is not to be taken lightly. Remember: excessive use of marijuana can prove dangerous, so one should use it in moderation. If you are taking marijuana for medical purposes, then it is better if you vaporize weed rather than smoke it. This way you will not inhale hazardous smoke, but will still reap the benefits. As with any medication, always strictly adhere to your doctor's advice for use.

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