Smokers could pay more for home insurance

The health implications of smoking cigarettes are well documented, but many people do not consider the effect it might have in other areas of their life, including life and home insurance .

With National No Smoking Day having taken place on March 11th and many smokers wanting to cut down on the spending involved with the habit, higher home insurance premiums may provide further incentive for those wanting to quit.

Life insurance can cost smokers 78 per cent more than non-smokers, according to insurance comparison website Insurancewide.com.

In addition, £3,000 can be wiped from the market price of a smoker's house, and home insurance will also cost more.

Lucy Cooke, from Halifax Home Insurance, said: Insurance providers weigh up the likelihood of a customer making a claim and then price the policy appropriately - and for smokers the risk of fire is deemed to be greater.

Directgov has warned smokers not to light up in bed or when sleepy, to stub butts out properly and to keep lighters and matches out of the reach of children in order to avoid accidents leading to a home insurance claim .