ICICI Lombard, on carrying out the survey of 914 regular smokers who smoke atleast once in a day in 4 major cities of the country, identified that 58% of the total smoking population do not have any health insurance coverage. The study revealed that the least number of smokers with insurance coverage is from Bangalore with 28%, then followed by Delhi with 34%, then by Kolkata with 45% and the highest number of smoker with health insurance is from Mumbai with 59%. This study was conducted before the ‘No Tobacco day’.
The study further revealed that Mumbai has a highest number of smokers with a 32% of the smoker’s admitting that they smoke 7 – 10 cigarettes a day. Kolkata comes next with 29% of the respondent admit of smoking 4 – 6 cigarettes a day. Analysis also reveals that pressure from friends or colleague’s amounts to 87% of the people taking up smoking and 31% is attributable to work pressure.
Contrary to the common belief of the 77% of the smokers, that smoking will not impact their health, ICICI Lombard’s internal investigation shows that in last two years 5% of the total cancer claim related directly to tobacco smoking, out of which 75% were male and 25% women. Further, highest number of tobacco related claims comes from the age bracket of 46 – 55 years, with men forming 31% and women forming 41% in this age group.
Mr. Shankar Nath, head – Marketing and Direct of ICICI Lombard, also put forward that at present discount in premium rate is given only to non smokers in their term insurance policies. In future, health insurance companies make also take into account this parameter for arriving at the insurance premium amount. He also said that 65% of the people involved in the study were not aware of the discount given to the non smokers.
