STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

member · Hermes

Health Insurance Question

Cortney1982 · Chanel

Well, if I was the insurance company, I would sue your boyfriend for insurance fraud! You should never lie about stuff like that. If something were to happen to him and Blue Cross found out he was a smoker, I am guessing they could refuse to pay any claims.

lindsayp · Kenneth Cole

my guess is they'd likely raise the rates if he told them he smoked but quit. That's probably what I'd do...

atlgirl · Gucci

Likely his rates will go up, but they *may* drop him...there's always that possibility, so be aware of that.

They will do their damndest to not pay any claims that can (by the weakest of links) be connected to smoking. And they may not pay any claims...

Not to come down on you (or him), but he was foolish to lie on the app. Smokers usually do get coverage (assuming no smoking-related cancers or etc), but the rates are significantly higher.

member · Hermes

Yeah I know it was dumb to lie atlgirl, but it wasn't my choice - it was his and he can't take it back. What's the best route to go here? I don't want him to get dropped???

As for him being sued for insurance fraud - I really doubt that will happen.

atlgirl · Gucci

I know it wasn't your choice, ShopC - I didn't mean to sound like I was harshing on you.

I can't recommend LindsayP's suggestion personally, because it too is dishonest if he still smokes, but it's probably his best bet. IMO the most likely scenario is that they'll raise his rates - already on the plan, so I'm sure they'd want to keep the payments coming...but the claims might be another story.

I found this - haven't read it all though - but maybe it will help:

Insure.com

member · Hermes

atlgirl wrote:

I know it wasn't your choice, ShopC - I didn't mean to sound like I was harshing on you. I can't recommend LindsayP's suggestion personally, because it too is dishonest if he still smokes, but it's probably his best bet. IMO the most likely scenario is that they'll raise his rates - already on the plan, so I'm sure they'd want to keep the payments coming...but the claims might be another story. I found this - haven't read it all though - but maybe it will help: Insure.com

Oh no I didn't take it as you being harsh - no worries That article was really helpful actually.

Some insurance companies we spoke to say they have caught smokers who claimed to be nonsmokers during the underwriting process. When this happens, the "proposed insured," as you are known, is simply given the smoker rate when the policy is approved. No insurance company says it would automatically reject you if it caught you lying.

The companies we spoke to stressed the importance of being truthful at the time you apply for the insurance; they don't expect you to let them know that you've started smoking after your nonsmoker policy is issued.

As dishonest as this may sound - this makes me think he should say "no he was not a smoker at the time he applied for their insurance but that he recently started." I know his rates will probably raise, but then I think they would probably pay his claim and not drop them or him.