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Smoking or illness and mortgage life insurance in Poland: what changes the premium and what to do after a refusal

How smoking and health conditions affect life insurance for a Polish mortgage: bank group policy vs your own policy, five possible insurer decisions, quitting smoking, the health questionnaire and what to do after a refusal.

Piotr Sułkowski · mortgage expert, KNF RHA0013513
Updated:

In short

Smoking and health mainly change the price of an individual life policy, because the insurer prices it by risk. In a bank group policy the premium is usually a percentage of the loan balance, the same for everyone, and the insurer checks your health only to decide whether to accept you. After the questionnaire the insurer may offer a standard premium, a higher premium, an exclusion of one condition, a postponed decision or a refusal. A refusal by one insurer does not end your mortgage plans: the bank must accept another insurer’s policy with the required cover, and often the policy only lowers the margin.

Why the insurer asks about smoking and health

Besides age, smoking and health are the main factors behind a life insurance premium. The questionnaire asks about nicotine, chronic conditions, hospital treatment and medicines. With your consent, the insurer may also obtain information about your treatment and test results from clinics and hospitals (art. 38 of the Polish Insurance and Reinsurance Activity Act). Without your consent they will not pass it on.

Bank policy or your own policy

  • Bank group policy: the premium is usually a percentage of the balance or the loan amount, so smokers usually pay the same as non-smokers. The health declaration is often short and decides whether you are accepted and whether a condition is excluded.
  • Individual policy: the price depends on your age, smoking and health. A healthy non-smoker may pay less than in the bank, a smoker usually pays more. The bank accepts it with an assignment (cesja) to the bank.

Smoking

Questionnaires often ask about any nicotine, not only cigarettes: e-cigarettes, heated tobacco and cigars too. Answer exactly the question you are asked. If you have quit, ask after how long without nicotine the insurer will treat you as a non-smoker; each insurer sets this period itself. If you quit during the policy, you can ask for a new assessment and a lower premium, or buy a new policy and assign it to the bank. Under Polish law you do not have to report changes in your health or habits during a life insurance contract (art. 815 § 2 of the Civil Code does not apply to life insurance).

Five possible decisions

  • Standard premium: cover on normal terms.
  • Higher premium: full cover at a higher price.
  • Exclusion: cover without the consequences of one condition; check that the bank accepts this scope.
  • Postponement: a decision after treatment or tests; come back with current results.
  • Refusal: no cover from this insurer; ask another one or offer the bank other security.

Answer the questionnaire truthfully

You must disclose everything you know that the insurer asked about. If you hide smoking or an illness, the insurer may refuse to pay in the first 3 years of the contract; after 3 years it can no longer raise this objection (art. 815 and 834 of the Civil Code). A higher premium costs less than a refused claim, which would leave the debt to your family.

After a refusal

Check whether the policy is a condition of the loan or only lowers the margin. Ask the bank for the minimum cover in writing and compare other insurers: the bank must accept a policy from any insurer with the required cover (art. 9 sec. 2 of the Mortgage Credit Act). You can also offer a second borrower or a higher down payment. If you think the decision is wrong, file a complaint with your medical records; the Financial Ombudsman (Rzecznik Finansowy) helps free of charge.

The full description in Polish: Palenie albo choroba a ubezpieczenie na życie do kredytu.

Frequently asked questions

Do smokers pay more for mortgage life insurance in Poland?

With an individual policy, usually yes, because the premium depends on smoking, age and health. In a bank group policy the premium is usually a percentage of the balance, the same for smokers and non-smokers.

Does vaping count as smoking?

Often yes. Many questionnaires ask about any form of nicotine, including e-cigarettes and heated tobacco. Answer exactly the question the insurer asks.

What can I do if the insurer refuses because of my health?

Ask another insurer, because the bank must accept a policy with the required cover, or check whether the loan is possible without the policy at a higher margin. A second borrower can also help.

Sources

  1. Civil Code, art. 815 and 834 (Polish)
  2. Insurance and Reinsurance Activity Act, art. 38 (Polish)
  3. Mortgage Credit Act of 23 March 2017, art. 9 (ISAP, Polish)
  4. Financial Ombudsman (Polish)
This guide describes general rules and typical bank practice as of October 2026. Details

It is not legal or tax advice and not a bank offer. Each bank sets its own criteria, and the lending decision is always made by the bank.

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