Ok, so since I got married and bought a house I thought that it might be good to look into life insurance. I spoke with an agent that I've known before and of course the smoking question comes up. Seeing that I knew the person I was honest and I smoke cigars, about 1 per month on average which I can honestly say is not a lie.
Here's the question: She mentioned that just as long as I don't admit to more than the 1x/month and that my urine analysis comes back negative for nicotine i'll be in the non-smokers.
So how long does nicotine stay in the system that it will be a positive in the urine test? I've never heard of this type of test, or are they just trying to get you to "admit" that you smoke more?
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about 8 days
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Don't lie.

The amount you save for being a non tobacco user isn't nearly worth the risk of having your family need the insurance, and it getting denied because they discovered you lied.

Tell them the truth and let the chips fall where they may.
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There is a long thread on this subject with lots of great information.

As Pete said, don't lie.

Cigar only will not show on your test. Not a drop showed on mine and I had to fight with the agent to make sure he put me down as a cigar smoker as he did not want to.
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I'm not going to lie. That's why I told the agent right out. But i had just never heard of a nicotine test and didn't know how long the nicotine last for so that I actually do stay away from smoking and it doesn't come back positive.
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Thanks for the information, I never knew that you have to take a urine test.
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I've never heard of a nicotine test either, very interesting.
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In my experience it is cheaper getting life insurance quotes online. Some of the bigger companies offer discounts when ordering online, because it is less work for them. But to be safe you could compare quotes online, pick the best offer and try a local agency to see if they can match it or do better.
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Less commissions pay out's too.

It's alright to be candid with an insurance agent. They are just the agent, representing multiple insurers. Another thing to consider is your liver enzymes. Make sure to lay off booze a week before and double dose Milk Thistle up till the test.

Milk Thistle in general is quite good for the liver and is a worth daily supplement.
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They will usually draw blood and take a urine sample and they take vitals and also ask you a page or two of health questions. If you have been honest (as you have) with the agent he can pretty much tell you what you will get for a rating. The blood draw is what they test for nicotine.
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my life insurance didnt have me do any blood or urine tests
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Life insurance companies may offer non-smoking rates to people who are occasional or "celebratory" smokers. To qualify as an occasional smoker, you should be smoking 12 cigars or less in a year.

As part of your underwriting process, you'll have to go through a medical examination to test, among other things, the presence of cotinine in your system. Cotinine is a metabolite of nicotine and while nicotine disappears from the system in about 48 hours, cotinine can be detected in blood and urine for up to 7 days.

Denise
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What are some of the preferred insurers we should consider as cigar smokers?
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Prudential I know is favorable to cigar smokers.
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This.

If you kick the bucket next week and they find out you smoked? They can, in theory, negate the insurance. Not worth it.
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Mine either. I have a policy with the Knights of Columbus.
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Many times, the amount of the insurance depends on whether or not a blood or urine test is necessary.
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Whether or not you are required to have a para-med exam is dependant on the amount of insurance you are buying. Most companies waive the exams for $50,000 policies but will require increasingly more extensive exams as the amount of insurance increases.
Regarding online quoting, remember those are just that, "quotes". The final premium you will be charged is dependant upon a lot of factors, including your age, health and smoking habits. Trust me when I tell you that there are LOTS of bait and switch insurance quotes on the web.
My advice, go to a reputable independant agent who can get you quotes from multiple companies. Be completely honest with him, as he generally knows which companies in his area are more or less tolerant of cigar smokers and he will give you an honest, informed quote. You are never required to buy any insurance, even after having the medical or para-med exam, so shop with complete confidence that you will know exactly what you are buying before you sign on the dotted line.
Disclaimer - I'm biased, having been an independant agent for the last twelve years.
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I drank up to the night before my test, ended up in the ER with stitches and was pretty hungover and tired for my test, got the best rating possible. I've never heard of alcohol making a difference.
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