Quick answer · Updated July 2026
Smokers pay roughly 16% more at Bupa — the only insurer publishing side-by-side smoker/non-smoker examples (£52.38 vs £44.90/month under 50, May 2026) — and smoking status is a named pricing factor at Vitality and in myTribe's market research. You won't be refused cover, and smoking-related conditions aren't automatically excluded — you just pay more for the same policy (verified July 2026).
Key Facts · 2026-07-17
- Bupa's published smoker examples run ~16% above non-smoker at every age band (May 2026 table): under-50 £52.38 vs £44.90; over-70 £201.33 vs £172.57.
- Vitality names 'current health and wellbeing (e.g. smoking)' among its pricing criteria (July 2026); myTribe lists nicotine/smoker status as a market-wide factor (March 2026 data).
- No automatic exclusions: smoking-related illness arising after joining is covered like any other new condition (existing COPD etc. is pre-existing as usual).
- Honesty matters: misstating smoker status is non-disclosure and can void claims.
How insurers actually treat smoking
Unlike life insurance's dramatic smoker loadings, PMI's are modest — Bupa's ~16% is the only published number, and several insurers' public pricing factors don't mention smoking at all (AXA lists age, location, excess, cover; Freedom lists age and cover level only — their own pages, July 2026). That variance is exploitable: a smoker should quote widely, because the loading differs more between insurers than most people expect. Vaping: definitions of 'nicotine use' vary by insurer — answer their exact question truthfully rather than self-classifying.
The quit dividend
Insurers reward quitting at renewal or new application once you've met their nicotine-free definition — and Vitality goes further: its programme rewards measurable health improvement directly, with status progression reducing renewal increases. A recent quitter's cheapest path is often Vitality now (engagement priced in) or requoting elsewhere after the nicotine-free anniversary (July 2026).
Who This Isn't For
If you already have a diagnosed smoking-related condition — COPD, vascular disease — PMI will exclude it as pre-existing and chronic; you'd be paying a smoker's premium for cover that carves out your main risk. In that position, Benenden's flat £15.85/month (no health questions, though its usual treatment gates apply) or simply saving the premium are the more honest options.
Related: see our private health insurance comparison hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes — Bupa's published examples show ~16% more at every age (May 2026 table), and smoking is a named pricing factor at Vitality and across the market (myTribe, March 2026). The exact loading varies by insurer, so smokers benefit disproportionately from comparing quotes.
Answer exactly what they ask — insurers phrase nicotine questions differently, and misstatement is non-disclosure that can void claims. Some ask about smoking, others any nicotine use (verified July 2026 that definitions vary; check your application's wording).