Smoke signals of danger

It is always fascinating to watch a movie from the 1970s or 1980s to see how fashionable smoking actually was. Every leading man, and some leading ladies, were quick to light one up while on set.

If we fast-forward a few decades, we now live in an age where smoking is just not fashionable anymore. This however has given rise to a new form of tobacco use which is deemed healthier alternatives to conventional cigarettes. E-cigarettes (or Twisps) advertise that they are 95% healthier than conventional cigarettes and users of the hubbly bubbly argue that all of the toxins are filtered through the water.

Inconclusive data

While you cannot physically stop your client? from smoking, you need to make them aware how their life insurers regard their smoking habits. FAnews caught up with a few life insurers to find out what their views on the matter is.

The first matter that we need to deal with is the issue of whether e-cigarettes and hubbly bubbly’s are less harmful than normal smoking. According to Schalk Malan, Executive Director at BrightRock, while evidence is inconclusive, indications point to the so called alternatives being just as harmful.

Proponents of e-cigarettes believe it is an effective smoking cessation measure and much less harmful than cigarettes. It is commonly argued that tobacco cigarettes release nicotine in smoke containing 7 000 harmful chemicals (of which 70 cause cancer), while e-cigarettes deliver only one potentially harmful chemical, known as propylene-glycol (PG).

The decision makers

However, a recent report by reinsurer Gen Re argues the long-term risks of inhaling PG remain unknown and scientific evidence to support the view that smoking e-cigarettes aids in quitting smoking is inconclusive. In fact, many smokers do not stop smoking, but instead become dual-users of tobacco and e-cigarettes. Gen Re also believes more and larger long-term trials are urgently needed to establish whether smoking e-cigarettes can be an effective aid to smoking cessation.

In line with international insurance industry practice, BrightRock’s underwriters apply smoker rates to users of e-cigarettes. BrightRock’s underwriters follow a similar approach with smokers of hubbly bubblies.

No innocent plea

It seems as if there is no leg to stand on for people who want to argue that the effects of their habits are any better or worse than others. At the end of the day, a habit is a habit.

Dr Jack van Zyl, Sanlam Medical Adviser, explains the life insurer’s stance very clearly. He says that alternative cigarette smokers are not able to plead innocence anymore when answering the question about their smoking habits. The underwriting question concerning smoking habits is more explicit now.

The life insurance industry has always applied the same underwriting yardstick to these alternative tobacco products but the difference now is that the underwriting question specifically asks whether a person smokes cigarettes, e-cigarettes, chewing tobacco or hubbly bubbly.

So while in the past hubbly bubbly smokers might have answered no to the smoking question, they cannot do so anymore. The implication of this underwriting question is that when your answer is yes, your risk is rated the same as a general smoker.

Words to the public

Advisers have always played a crucial role in communicating information from insurers to clients. So what should advisers be saying to clients?

Dr Van Zyl points out that advisers should be telling clients that e-cigarette and hubbly bubble smoking is a potential harmful activity that should be declared. It is not a safe alternative to smoking.

From an individual risk perspective, it might be a less harmful activity if it reduces the concentration absorbed, but the habit may increase. It is possible that more quantitative tests will come on the market to monitor exposure but cost will determine the implementation.