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Life insurance exam: How long does it take tobacco/nicotine to leave system?

I have a life insurance exam scheduled in the next few weeks. I had smoked some cigars and cigarettes during a bachelor party not long ago. Should I postpone the medical exam? I am not a smoker and want the non smoker lower premium. Above that I do not want to be flagged for being one.

Public Comments

1. They Absolutely would not be able to tell that you had smoked. You are considered a non-smoker. Even if you were a somewhat regular smoker, they would not be able to prove this without extensive exams, which they do not do. Nicotine leaves the body completely within less than 24 hours.
2. You'll be fine. Tobacco doesn't show up in tests and there's no way for anyone to tell if you are a smoker or not.
3. Most life insurance companies will ask if you've used any kind of tobacco in the past X months (usually 12 months). If you explain to them when and why you smoked they make give you the non smoker rate or make you pay the smoker rate for a year, retake the nicotine test and then lower you down to the nonsmoker rate. I would advise you not to cover it up because I'll guarantee you that life insurance fraud is much worse than being branded a smoker. Pay the rate you can get now honestly and then after you've been nicotine free for another year then go back and apply for a cheaper rate. If you need the insurance you don't want to wait because you never know what might happen to you in the next year.
4. I am a life insurance broker that compares almost all companies to guarantee the lowest price (insure.com). The fact is that when the paramedic companies complete the physical, they will look for a specific nicotine metabolite called cotinine. Cotinine can stay in your system for up to a month after smoking a cigarette. If it has been less then that, you should either postpone the exam, or purchase a no-exam plan.