By M.K. Guetersloh, Life Quotes, Inc.

The hard partying years after college may have been replaced by the calm of married life. But those past behaviors may haunt you like an unwanted call from a former sweetheart—especially when you try to buy life insurance.

In order to receive standard rates, most insurance experts agree that drug and alcohol abuse problems need to be behind you for a minimum of five years.

Excessive use of drugs and alcohol can cause a number of serious health conditions.  Researchers from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, estimates that alcohol and drug abuse can decrease your lifespan by nearly 10 years. Among the health risks, drug and alcohol abuse can cause high blood pressure, cancer (breast, esophageal, mouth, larynx and pharynx), liver disease, and heart or respiratory failure. The American Cancer Society reports that 2 to 4 percent of all cancers are directly related to alcohol abuse. The mixing of drugs and alcohol can be immediately fatal leading to seizures, coma, heart attack and respiratory failure.

“That kind of behavior can affect your rates catastrophically,” says Ryan Pinney, a high-risk insurance specialist for Pinney Insurance Center, Inc. located in Roseville, Calif. “It’s a health hazard and a moral hazard.”

In addition to affecting your rates for life insurance, Pinney says, drug and alcohol abuse can also affect your health and auto insurance rates.  In some instances, if you have a DUI, you might find your auto insurance policy cancelled altogether.

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