Medical Aid, etc.

[SAVaper]

Good 2 know. Thanks

 

[Warlock]

Hi @BigGuy

I’m confused here.

( a French team found that combining nicotine with a cocktail of five other chemicals found in tobacco — anabasine, nornicotine, anatabine, cotinine and myosmine)



So Nicotine AND Cotinine are found in tobacco. They are not the same thing. Cotinine is not present in nicotine. So if we are vaping pure(diluted) nicotine where will the cotinine come from?

Should we be afraid of the cotinine test?

 

[RichJB]

@Warlock, according to the Wiki page on cotinine:

However, nicotine replacement therapies (i.e., gum, lozenge, patch, inhaler, and nasal spray) used to help tobacco users quit contain nicotine. Use of nicotine replacement therapy will result in a positive test for cotinine. Therefore, the presence of cotinine is not a conclusive indication of tobacco use.[19] Cotinine levels can be used in research to explore the vexed question of the amount of nicotine delivered to the user of e-cigarettes, where laboratory smoking machines have many problems replicating real-life conditions.[20]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotinine#cite_note-McNeill2015-20

 

[Warlock]

@RichJB

I now read that nicotine is metabolised into cotinine in one’s body....puts a spanner in the works for vapers ( and for the cotinine testers)

 

[SmokeyJoe]

Hi. I had to take out a life policy a few months ago, and they also tested for nic. I abstained from nic for 8 days and blood test was negative and put me down as a non smoker. Im a heavy vaper, 3-4 tanks a day on 3mg nic. So just go without nic for 8-9 days, drink LOTS of water and you will test negative. And yes, they test for cotinine, not nic. Nicotine is out of your system in 48 hours, but as the previous guys post, nic gets metabolized into cotinine and thats what they test against

 

[Stosta]

Also been in meetings with my financial adviser this week. He assured me that policies consider vaping in the same light as smoking due to the nicotine's effect on your capillaries or something. I argued with him about it for a while, but he eventually asked me if I would like him to set up a meeting with the decision makes so they could fob me off themselves.

I told him no, and he must reduce my premiums...

He told me no, and to sign the papers you stingy bastard.

 

[Duffie12]

Also been in meetings with my financial adviser this week. He assured me that policies consider vaping in the same light as smoking due to the nicotine's effect on your capillaries or something. I argued with him about it for a while, but he eventually asked me if I would like him to set up a meeting with the decision makes so they could fob me off themselves.

I told him no, and he must reduce my premiums...

He told me no, and to sign the papers you stingy bastard.

For what it's worth he did the right thing. If he'd reduced your premiums with the result that a claim of yours gets rejected by the insurer he would have been at fault...

And that's something to keep in mind guys. You might show negative on your first test but you risk a claim being rejected if they find cotinine in you when you make a claim.

 

[Stosta]

For what it's worth he did the right thing. If he'd reduced your premiums with the result that a claim of yours gets rejected by the insurer he would have been at fault...

And that's something to keep in mind guys. You might show negative on your first test but you risk a claim being rejected if they find cotinine in you when you make a claim.

Yep! I'm used to doing what he tells me, because I honestly believe at the end of the day he has my back, even if it's just because its his ass on the line should things go pear-shaped

 

[VapingSquid]

I recently just had to get life insurance for bond purposes. I went through all the processes and was asked on the phone if I smoke. Just those words. To which I replied no (it's become a reflex action). Upon further inspection of the policy documents, they consider "Smoker" to be anyone who takes in any nicotine product. Be it a patch, vaping etc. I now have to pay R90 pm more on top of my premium...Institutions really need to get with the times here..

For what it's worth - I really wouldn't take a chance with these kinds of things. Be honest. If I drop dead and get tested that day, I will fail and the whole idea of life insurance is void...pretty scary!

 

[OnePowerfulCorsa]

Hi. I had to take out a life policy a few months ago, and they also tested for nic. I abstained from nic for 8 days and blood test was negative and put me down as a non smoker. Im a heavy vaper, 3-4 tanks a day on 3mg nic. So just go without nic for 8-9 days, drink LOTS of water and you will test negative. And yes, they test for cotinine, not nic. Nicotine is out of your system in 48 hours, but as the previous guys post, nic gets metabolized into cotinine and thats what they test against

A word of advice in the event of a claim if they can prove you do "smoke" aka consume nicotine your claim will be repudiated.

 

[BigGuy]

WARNING!!!!

Please declare that you are a vaper when taking out any form of life assuance even if you use 0mg nicotine as the terms and conditions of a life assurance policy quiet clearly state " Do you use cigarettes, Hubbly, Pipe, snuf or E- Ciggs" if you say no here and at claim stage they can proove you were a vaper they will repudiate your claim.

I am still fighting the fight with insurers and we are slowly winning the fight as most of South African re-assurers are based in the United Kingdom and with the National health there it will slowly funnel into the insurance companies and will eventually get to us in my opinion.

But please declare you vape on all applications.

Regards

BIG GUY

 

[Chukin'Vape]

I totally get why a life insurance policy should know if you are a smoker, however clubbing all other nicotine usage under smoking is not fair. I wonder how much nicotine is allowed in your system before they consider you a "smoker". As we all know most of our veggies contain nicotine, so technically if you eat veggies you should also be considered a "smoker" - according to this logic.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/293186-list-of-foods-that-contain-nicotine/

 

[NewOobY]

mmm, very interesting topic. I wished I saw this earlier, I recently did the medical for life insurance. I claimed I wasn't a smoker. I already vape 0nic so I didnt have to stop vaping or something like that for the tests.

However reading this thread - I think I need to tell them I vape and that they should mark me as a smoker. I mean the change in premium is so minimal.

Thanks for all the info. Don't need to jeopardize my family to save a few Rands.

 

[boxerulez]

mmm, very interesting topic. I wished I saw this earlier, I recently did the medical for life insurance. I claimed I wasn't a smoker. I already vape 0nic so I didnt have to stop vaping or something like that for the tests.

However reading this thread - I think I need to tell them I vape and that they should mark me as a smoker. I mean the change in premium is so minimal.

Thanks for all the info. Don't need to jeopardize my family to save a few Rands.

Dude, wish I could say R90 is minimal.

Have been living off medical aid since i was 21.

10 Years going strong. Had to fork out once for a root canal and a few fillings...also went to the doctor 2 times for very bad bronchitis in that time.

We have a pretty good state hospital in East London, updated and fresh. Same doctors who service the private hospitals consult at Frere Hospital. I have confidence that they can offer the best service in East London. (I have not been here as a patient but quite a few of my people I am in contact with during day to day life has been around there for procedures, emergency ops, etc)

I cannot wait for our NHS to kick in and get these medical aid scavenger companies in gear to offer better services.

I see Discovery is already applying their exit strategy. (Increases for 2017)

 

[NewOobY]

apparently Discovery are increasing there rates significantly very soon. Sorry for the derail.

 

[Lord Vetinari]

mmm, very interesting topic. I wished I saw this earlier, I recently did the medical for life insurance. I claimed I wasn't a smoker. I already vape 0nic so I didnt have to stop vaping or something like that for the tests.

However reading this thread - I think I need to tell them I vape and that they should mark me as a smoker. I mean the change in premium is so minimal.

Thanks for all the info. Don't need to jeopardize my family to save a few Rands.

Agreed diff in premium in not worth the fuss it's like having one less burger a month.

 

[SAVaper]

Agreed diff in premium in not worth the fuss it's like having one less burger a month.

Jip. I agree