Life insurance has this whole little underwriting niche that comes under the heading of lifestyle. It’s not about health or family history and it’s not about your lab results, it’s about, well, your personal life.

Probably the most common lifestyle issue that catches people by surprise when they apply for life insurance is their driving record. Underwriters regularly pull motor vehicle reports and with most companies if you’ve had 3 or more moving violations (speeding, etc) in the last 3 years, you will get whacked a bit. If you make something of a career out of talking to highway patrol officers you may even be declined for coverage.

Another lifestyle issue is smoking pot. Companies are all over the map on their treatment of pot smoking. Let’s set aside for a moment that in most places it is against the law. The underwriters feel the need to whack you to some degree, but it’s hard to figure out the logic. Given preferred plus health, finding preferred plus rates with admitted marijuana use is nearly impossible. Some companies will allow approvals at standard non smoking rates, showing their disapproval by bumping you a few rate classes. Other companies exact their social revenge by levying smoking rates so that you pay premiums comparable to those of a cigarette smoker.

Then there is the subject of legality and some companies flop down on the legally moral high ground (get it, high ground???) and decline to issue a policy at all.

Bottom line. It’s best to approach the issue of purchasing life insurance if you smoke pot with a clear head, and an independent agent who will have access to the companies that take the least offense to your relaxation method.