Smokers pay 70% more for insurance  

Smokers could end up paying up to 70% more in mandatory life assurance, a new study suggests. 

Research by brokers Low.ie indicates higher life assurance costs significantly drive up the price of mortgages. 

It's boss Peter O'Reilly said: "Even a mortgage of €140,000 over 25 years would cost a 35-year-old smoking couple€3,430 more then non-smokers: even in their early 40s, they would see €9,788 go up in smoke. 

"In their early 50s with the same mortgage for just 20 years, they would pay an extra €23,626."

However if you quit for a year, you will then be considered a non-smoker and will pocket the cash savings.