Sorry to remind all you died in the wool smokers but November was Lung Cancer Awareness month. But no don't click away ¨C spare a few moments of your time, please.

If hard words on packets wash over you, let me put the financial case to you for quitting. As well as feeling healthier I can offer you a holiday for two on Paradise Island in the Maldives, for two, for every year of your longer life!

OK, I know you don't believe me. Let's explain.

Say the average smoker is 40 and smokes 20 a day. With cigarettes at ?5 a packet that's ?1,800 a year. Then you'll save loads on the cost of your your life, critical illness and medical insurance. Just how much was highlighted in a recent snapshot study by www.express-life-insurance.co.uk. This found that the average smoker paid 56% more for life insurance than a non-smoker. Therefore, giving up could easily save you ?50 per month on your various insurance premiums.

So as a non-smoker you could be ?2,400 per year better off. Wearing a financial hat I can show you that if a 40 year old man put those savings into a personal pension plan with NFU, then at 5% per annum growth, he'll have a healthy retirement fund of ?97,860. On retirement that could give an in the pocket tax-free sum of ?24,465 plus an annual lifetime income of ?3,830 (or ?5,100 per year if the tax-free cash was left in the pension).

On the other hand let's have more fun!

For ?2,400 you can have a 5 star 10 day holiday for two on Paradise Island in the Maldives. Give up smoking forever and you could afford to go back to Paradise Island every year!

QED ¨C makes you think doesn't it?

Michael is the chief editor of Express Life Insurance offer life insurance as well as critical illness cover and mortgage insurance.

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