YOUR
BOTTOM
LINE ON YOUR
HEALTH INSURANCE

It's True! Insurance companies know that the older you are and the more you have put your poor body through the wringer over the years -- the more ghosts you have created that can come back to haunt you.

If you have not had a cigarette in more than five years -- or never had one -- your premiums will be lower than if you have had one in the last five years or are currently smoking, this would be the preferred plus program.

Being an averagely healthy person and not smoking in the last three years will buy you the next best rate, preferred, at a lower cost than many.

The standard premium is for those individuals who might have some health issues and have not smoked in at least 12 months, they are still pretty good rates as well.

Then, you have the rate for professional smokers who bought into some high-priced commercial until they couldn't quit smoking. This premium rate for suckers and inhalers is about three times higher than for those people who haven’t smoked in the last 12 months. This difference in the price of these policies is big enough that many people are tempted to lie about whether they smoke or not.

Getting smarter by the minute, some insurance companies will require a urine sample to see if you have nicotine in your system. It is getting harder every day to lie to them. It is possible to cheat if you stop smoking for 72 plus hours before your urine sample is taken, nicotine is gone by then.

But you never know when they will ask for another sample

-- unannounced.

I also suggest you don't lie about your smoking habits because there of some insurance companies that don’t care if you start smoking after you get the policy nearly as much as they hate discovering that you lied to get a policy. What else, they wonder, did you lie to them about? First thing you know, you aren't covered any more.

Should You Spend A few dollars a month for dental protection that you can use Right Now or wait and spend $3,000 for dentures?  Your teeth were meant to last a lifetime.  With regular brushing and flossing, you will look happy and successful long after your prime.  All you probably need is one of the dental insurance plans that covers the cost of regular check-ups and cleanings. However, if hereditary teeth problems plague your family you should consider one of the plans which also covers the cost of dentures somewhere down the line.  Here is another Smart Tip: Shop before you buy.