Life Insurance and Marijuana in Canada: Costs, Coverage, and What to Expect

When cannabis legalization happened across Canada, the shift didn’t just affect consumers—it changed how the insurance industry approached marijuana use. Insurers had to rethink how they assessed applicants, set premiums, and defined the “smoker” status.

Marijuana users can access life insurance policies that reflect their actual risk profile, often without paying smoker rates. This is especially true for light, recreational marijuana users.

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Can you get life insurance if you use marijuana?

Yes. In Canada, using cannabis does not automatically disqualify you from getting life insurance—but it can affect your premiums or underwriting classification. Your rate will depend on how you use marijuana, how often, and whether you also use tobacco products.

How marijuana use impacts life insurance

Life insurance companies don’t automatically deny coverage for cannabis use, but your marijuana usage can affect how your life insurance application is assessed and how much it will cost.

When you apply, life insurance companies will typically ask you about:

• Your lifestyle: Do you use marijuana recreationally or for medical purposes? Do you smoke, vape, or use e-cigarettes? These details impact how the insurer classifies your risk.
• Frequency of use: Insurers typically treat occasional marijuana users the same as non-smokers, while daily use or heavy consumption may raise your rates.
• Method of use: Smoking or vaping cannabis may carry higher life insurance premiums than using edibles or oils, since inhalation is linked to respiratory health risks.

Recreational use vs. medical use

Insurers may also ask about whether you use marijuana recreationally or to help with a health condition.

Marijuana use vs. tobacco use

Insurance companies don’t treat marijuana and tobacco the same way. Here’s why:

• Health risk profiles differ: Tobacco has a more firmly established link to long-term cardiovascular disease. Despite the products carrying many of the same risky ingredients, cannabis research is still emerging on this front.
• Frequency matters more for marijuana: Insurers are likely to differentiate between a user who smokes a joint once a week and a user who smokes several joints daily.
• Delivery method: Marijuana doesn’t need to be inhaled, so some insurers avoid labeling cannabis users as smokers until they pass a certain threshold number of uses per week. Keep in mind, this number is not universal and differs among insurance companies.

Recreational cannabis users are often classified as non-smokers, provided they don’t also use tobacco products. But, if a cannabis user also uses tobacco (and specifically nicotine), they’re more likely to be classified as a smoker. This is true even of people who vape nicotine products. 

Many insurers explicitly state that marijuana users only qualify for non-smoker rates if they don’t also use tobacco/nicotine products.

Life insurance options for marijuana users

We always recommend applying for a policy with full underwriting. For most recreational marijuana users, a term life insurance policy is the best choice. It offers the lowest premiums and the widest coverage options, and it’s the most common type of life insurance coverage.

You’ll typically complete a detailed application, answer lifestyle and health questions, and may be asked to take a medical exam that includes a blood test or urine test (though this depends on the life insurance providers you’re applying with). 

While no-medical life insurance policies skip the medical exam and sometimes shorten the health questionnaire, premiums tend to be far more expensive and may have lower coverage amounts. It’s typically best to apply for a standard policy and keep no-medical options as a backup.

How much does life insurance cost for marijuana users?

Marijuana users can still access quality, affordable life insurance, but rates will vary depending on age, gender, health, and smoking status. Here are sample 20-year term life insurance rates from PolicyMe for applicants in Ontario who are considered non-smokers. These life insurance quotes assume coverage of $500,000:

‍Remember: These are sample rates. Your premium will depend on personal factors like health history, coverage amount, and more.

FAQs

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