_edited.jpg)
Why Did New York Life Give Me a Smoker Rate for Nicotine Pouches Even Though I Don’t Smoke?
- mattmims
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
The Quick Answer About Receiving a Smokers Rate Even Though You Do Not Smoke
If you use nicotine pouches — like Zyn, VELO, On!, or Rogue — New York Life (and several other traditional insurers) still classify you as a smoker. The good news? At LifeStein.com, you can get non-smoker pricing with companies that understand the difference.
LifeStein.com specializes in helping nicotine user's buy life insurance and not pay a smoker's rate. The link below directs you to our nicotine hub for nicotine pouch users, dip users, cigar smokers, and everything else nicotine related.
The Surprise: A Smoker’s Rate for a Non-Smoker
When I applied for a life insurance policy through New York Life, I expected smooth sailing. I’m 37, in good health, jog a few times a week, and I’ve never smoked a cigarette in my life.
But when my agent called to review the offer, my jaw dropped — I’d been approved at a smoker’s rate.
“But I don’t smoke,” I said. “The lab test showed nicotine,” they replied.
That’s when I realized that my nicotine pouch habit — the same one I use instead of cigarettes — had flagged me as a tobacco user.
Understanding the New York Life Smoker Rate for Nicotine Pouch Users
Most major life insurance companies use cotinine testing, which detects nicotine in your blood or urine. Unfortunately, these tests don’t distinguish between:
Cigarettes
Cigars
Vape pens
Dip or chew
Nicotine pouches (like Zyn, VELO, On!, or Rogue)
Nicotine gum or patches
So even if you’ve never smoked, New York Life’s underwriting rules treat any nicotine source as tobacco use.
That means if you use pouches, you can end up paying 30–70% more for the same coverage.
Real Example: My New York Life Offer
When I applied with New York Life, I requested a $2,000,000 20-year term life policy — standard coverage for someone in their mid-40s with a family and business to protect.
I’m 45, healthy, and I’ve never smoked a cigarette. The only thing I use is nicotine pouches — a few each day instead of coffee. But when my lab test came back positive for nicotine, New York Life automatically pushed me into a smoker rate class.
That’s a $470 per month difference — or roughly $5,600 more every year — just because of a nicotine pouch. Over a 20-year term, that’s nearly $112,000 in wasted premium.
Why Some Carriers Handle This Better
While New York Life, Northwestern Mutual, and MassMutual still classify all nicotine users as “smokers,” other companies take a modern underwriting approach.
At LifeStein.com, we work directly with carriers that separate nicotine pouches from smoking:
Legal & General (Banner Life) — Often approves pouch users as Standard Plus or even Preferred Non-Tobacco
Protective Life — Commonly offers Non-Smoker rates for pouch users after 12 months of no tobacco
Symetra Life — Flexible guidelines; considers type and frequency of nicotine use
Lincoln Financial — Accepts oral nicotine use under Standard Non-Smoker in many states
Pruco Life (Prudential) — Uses nuanced underwriting for nicotine replacement products
Cincinnati Life — Evaluates case-by-case; often better outcomes for pouch users
These companies recognize that nicotine pouches are smoke-free and tobacco-free, and that your risk isn’t the same as someone who smokes daily.
A Real Client Story — Matt L. from Tennessee
“I was paying $750 a month with New York Life — all because of nicotine pouches. I haven’t smoked a cigarette in over a decade, but their test still flagged me as a smoker. After finding LifeStein, I reached out and Matt personally reviewed my case. Within two weeks, he had me approved with Protective Life for the exact same $2,000,000 / 20-year policy — at a non-smoker rate of $280 a month. That’s a savings of nearly $5,600 every year, or over $100,000 across the life of the policy. I couldn’t believe how much I’d been overpaying.”
At LifeStein, stories like that happen every week — real people saving thousands just because they finally worked with a broker who understands how nicotine pouch underwriting actually works.
How to Fix It If You’ve Already Been Rated a Smoker
If you already have a policy rated as a smoker because of nicotine pouches, you don’t have to cancel it immediately. Here’s what to do:
Apply elsewhere first. Let LifeStein.com compare all 50+ carriers.
Get a new non-smoker approval before dropping your current policy.
Once approved, replace your old coverage and lock in lower rates.
(Never cancel an existing policy until a new one is active and approved.)
FAQs
1. Why did New York Life label me a smoker even though I don’t smoke? Because their lab test detected nicotine, which their underwriting automatically classifies as tobacco use — even if it’s from a pouch, gum, or vape.
2. Can I re-apply for a better rate? Yes. If you’ve switched to a smoke-free nicotine product or quit altogether, LifeStein can match you with carriers who classify you as a non-smoker.
3. Which companies are best for nicotine pouch users? Legal & General, Protective, Symetra, Lincoln Financial, Cincinnati Life, and Pruco Life offer far better underwriting for pouch users.
4. Will lying about nicotine use void my policy? Yes. If your test detects nicotine but you said “no,” it can lead to denial or cancellation. Always be honest and let your agent guide you to the right carrier.
5. How long should I wait after quitting nicotine pouches to apply? Most companies want at least 12 months nicotine-free for non-smoker rates, though some consider sooner if your use was light.
Matt Mims
CEO/Founder of LifeStein.com
(601)-218-7854 (call/text)
Comments