Life Insurance for Diabetics
The Insurance Surgery is a leading Diabetes Life Insurance expert. We assess each client’s circumstances individually to identify which insurance providers will offer the best premiums to cover you and protect your family. We understand that every case is different and specialise in all types of life insurance, including life insurance for diabetics. This is why 70% of customers who apply for life insurance elsewhere and get declined manage to get accepted through us. If you are looking for diabetic life insurance, we can help.
How Diabetes Life Insurance Works
- Type of Diabetes
- Your HbA1c / Mmol (blood sugar) readings
- Medication you are taking (i.e. Diet, tablets or Insulin)
- Your age when you were diagnosed with diabetes
- Any diabetes-related complications
- Your Body Mass Index (BMI)
- Any other medical issues you may have
Who we work with
Our team of friendly life insurance experts will help you find the perfect policy for your individual circumstances, to protect your family and save you money. Our insurance partners include all the biggest brands and best insurers.
Diabetes Life Insurance
Diabetes is one of the most varied conditions for life insurance underwriters. This is due to the complex nature of the condition and range of severity.
Is diabetes covered under life insurance?
Sometimes, people are unsure if you can get life insurance if you have diabetes. Those with diabetes are eligible for life insurance. It can be obtained at very reasonable premiums by approaching the best providers for your life insurance. To see if you are eligible, you can get a life insurance quote through us quickly and easily. Our expert team can assess your individual case and find the best premiums.
It’s important for anyone with dependent children, debts, or a mortgage, to have the right cover in place should anything happen. Anyone with a medical history of diabetes or other health issues can get cover, especially with help from a specialist broker like The Insurance Surgery.
Whether you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, The Insurance Surgery can help you secure diabetes life insurance cover.
Underwriting for Type 1 Diabetes life insurance will depend on a number of factors. These are determined by assessing the levels of risk and severity of the condition. In most cases a full medical report would be required from your GP to confirm your readings and history of Diabetes.
Underwriting for Type 2 Diabetes works slightly differently.
It is less likely to need a full medical report if your diabetes is under control. It can therefore sometimes be underwritten online. At The Insurance Surgery, we can help you find the best term life insurance for diabetics in the UK.
Some Diabetes life insurance applications can be accepted immediately where there are no complications and the Diabetes is well controlled.
The main information required includes:
- Latest Hba1c/Mmol reading (your blood sugar level)
- Medication / treatments (e.g. diet, tablets, Insulin)
- Cholesterol readings
- Blood pressure readings
- Date of diagnosis
- Diabetes complications (e.g. Retinopathy, Neuropathy or Nephropathy)
- Height/ Weight
Diabetes life insurance rates/premiums will depend on your levels of control and how well you manage your condition. There are additional factors which may cause underwriters from certain insurance providers to decline your Diabetes life insurance application, such as:
- Smoking
- Heart problems
- High Hba1c readings (e.g. 10+)
- Other medical issues
Can I get life insurance if I have type 1 diabetes?
People are often unsure how much type 1 diabetes affects life insurance. Type 1 Diabetes life insurance is readily available through most leading UK life insurance companies. Most people with Type 1 Diabetes looking to take out life insurance will have been diagnosed early in life. This is useful for underwriters.
Typically, the ratings/loadings for Type 1 Diabetes sufferers’ life insurance will vary dramatically. Therefore, it is vitally important to approach the best insurance provider for your individual circumstances. Through our vast experience, The Insurance Surgery know the best insurers to approach for your individual circumstances.
Can you get life insurance if you have Type 2 diabetes?
We often get asked, can someone with type 2 diabetes get life insurance? Type 2 Diabetes life insurance is usually available for the vast majority of people living with the condition. There will usually be a small loading applied to the premium for people with Type 2 Diabetes looking for life insurance. However, this can increase to a decline if the condition is not well controlled.
Due to the fact that Type 2 Diabetes is a lifestyle condition, life insurance underwriting takes into consideration different factors. These include height, weight, BMI, dress and waist size. Life insurance premiums will vary depending on your health and lifestyle.
How To Get Cheaper Diabetes Life Insurance?
It is likely that you will pay a higher premium for life insurance if you have diabetes. There are lifestyle changes that you can make if it is Type 2 Diabetes, however, that will improve your health and wellbeing and possibly reduce your premium.
Lose Weight
If you have diabetes and a high BMI it’s likely that your life insurance premium will be higher. Reducing your body weight to get your BMI into a normal range will reduce the risk to your insurer. It can result in a lower premium as well as an increased quality of life.
Quit Smoking
If you’re a smoker the chances of you being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are much higher. Smoking also increases the chances of the condition being fatal and makes it much harder to manage. The health benefits of stopping smoking are well known. You might also save more money each month than the cost of your insurance premium!
Reduce Your Alcohol Intake
Excessive alcohol consumption is linked with increased risk in people with type 2 diabetes. Alcohol increases the risk of hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar levels).
Some people with diabetes may have been advised not to drink on medical grounds. Even if you have not been advised to stop drinking, it is wise to limit your alcohol intake. The government guidelines specify this as 14 units or less per week spread out over 3 or more days.
Alcohol will affect your blood sugar levels so reducing your intake can lead to a lower life insurance premium.
Reduce Your Cholesterol & Blood Pressure
Having good cardiovascular health means that your diabetes poses less of a risk to insurers. This can result in a lower premium. It’s always worth seeking advice from your GP if you have high blood pressure or cholesterol.
Communicate With Your Insurer
Providing updates to your insurer on how you are managing your diabetes is important. If you have improved your overall health it can result in a reduced premium. Insurers are always happy to reassess your premium based on your current circumstances.
At The Insurance Surgery, we provide a regular review of your insurance policy completely free of cost. We can assess any changes that you may have made. Quite often, positive changes can help to reduce your monthly premiums.
If you have improved your health by losing weight or quitting smoking, it can have a positive effect on your premiums. It is worth contacting us to review your life insurance policy. This is particularly important if you have a medical condition such as diabetes.
We also offer an insurance policy review if other life events have taken place. You may have recently taken out a mortgage, started a family or are reviewing your finances.
Does Life Insurance Pay Out For Diabetes?
YES, if you get a life insurance policy and disclose your pre-existing condition, life insurance will pay out a cash lump sum to your family if you die due to your diabetes or because of something that was caused by your condition.
Life cover is specifically designed to provide your family with financial support if you die from any medical condition, including diabetes.
Diabetes isn’t considered to be life-threatening in most cases, unless symptoms are severe. If it is not managed correctly and there are certain complications, that is when it can be fatal. If you do not manage your condition correctly, it can lead to:
- Heart attack
- Kidney failure
- Cardiovascular problems
- Stroke
- Cancer
How To Improve Your Chances Of Getting Diabetes Life Insurance
The Insurance Surgery are diabetes life insurance experts. We know the best insurers to approach for your specific circumstances. Having information on your condition prepared will help us to secure your cover more quickly. Before speaking to us to get a diabetes life insurance quote, think about the following:
- List the ways you are managing your condition (e.g. diet, taking regular exercise, stopping smoking)
- Your most recent HbA1c / Mmol reading
- Have any previous medical reports available
- Request from your GP an assessment of your current condition
Any information relating to your current condition and how you manage it will help underwriters provide an accurate and timely quote.
As with any type of insurance, it is important that you are honest and truthful throughout. All information provided during your application must be accurate.
If a claim is subsequently made, insurers will check whether any of these factors contributed towards your death. If you lie during the application process, the pay-out from your policy could be revoked or significantly reduced. Non-disclosure is a major issue to insurers.
Life Insurance Questions About Diabetes
Here are some of the most common questions that you’ll be asked when you apply for life insurance with type 1 or type 2 diabetes:
- What type of diabetes do you have? Do you have type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes, glucose intolerance, or diabetes insipidus?
- Are you awaiting any hospital referrals? This includes diabetes tests, scans or investigatons.
- Have you had any kidney problems or protein in the urine?
- Has your diabetes caused angina, heart attack, stroke, TIA, blocked or narrowed arteries?
- Have you ever had an ECG or chest pain that required hospital treatment?
- Does your diabetes cause any eye problems as a result of your condition?
- Has your diabetes ever caused tingling, numbness, loss of sensation in fingers or toes or foot ulcers?
- When were you diagnosed with diabetes?
- In the past 5 years, how many hypoglycaemic or hyperglycaemic attacks?
These questions can vary depending on your insurer. Don’t be too concerned if you don’t know the answers to some of these questions, as this information can be obtained from your doctor or GP.
Can You Get Mortgage Life Insurance With Diabetes?
Many people think that it is not possible to get a mortgage unless you have taken out life insurance, which is no longer the case here in the UK. It is not a legal requirement for a mortgage lender to insist on life cover so if you are asked to do this then you should question it.
However, it is strongly advisable to get a policy in place, especially if you’ve got dependents or if you have a family to protect. If you have been declined elsewhere due to having a pre-existing medical condition, The Insurance Surgery knows the best place to get you life insurance and will find a policy that you and your family deserve.
We Work Closely With Diabetes.co.uk
Here at the Insurance Surgery we are proud to partner with Diabetes.co.uk.
Diabetes.co.uk is a community for people with diabetes as well as their family, friends, carers and supporters. They offer support and first-hand knowledge for you to learn more about the condition and find people who are in a similar situation.
It is a health platform and patient-support network all to do with diabetes. Daily, they publish news and information guides all about diabetes management, research and what it is like to live with diabetes, as well as publish handy cookbooks tailored to those with diabetes.
We are incredibly proud to have an excellent partnership with such an organisation. The Diabetes Forum is demonstrated in research to be the most actively used social medium for people with diabetes.
If you have diabetes, you will have found fantastic information from them via their website and forums. Thousands of our customers yearly are active users of the Diabetes.co.uk website, and they recommend to use The Insurance Surgery for diabetes life insurance on their website.
The Diabetes Forum is the hub of the Diabetes Community. Through the forum you can:
- Find support
- Connect with others and ask questions; and
- Share your experiences with over 281,823 people with diabetes, their carers and family.
You can find more about their mission and how they want to use digital media to shape the future of healthcare here.
Types of Diabetes
What is Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes?
Type 1
Type 1 Diabetes is also known as ‘Insulin-Dependent Diabetes’. This is due to it being caused by the immune system attacking the cells in the body which produce insulin.
As no insulin is being produced, the blood glucose levels dramatically increase. This can cause severe damage to a number of organs (i.e. kidneys, eyes and heart).
Type 1 Diabetes is also known as ‘Juvenile Diabetes’ or ‘Early-onset Diabetes’. This is because it generally develops in people under 40 and often in teenagers.
Type 1 Diabetes is treated through daily insulin injections. These will have to be taken for the rest of that person’s life. Significant lifestyle changes are also needed.
If you have been diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, you will visit your GP or Diabetes specialist regularly. This is to check your HbA1c levels. You will usually have an appointment with them every 3, 6 or 12 months.
For more information visit: Type 1 Diabetes Life Insurance
Type 2
Type 2 Diabetes is by far the most common type of Diabetes (around 90% of people with Diabetes have Type 2). It generally develops later in life due to certain lifestyles, behaviours or even ethnicity. Type 2 Diabetes is usually linked with obesity in adults. It is also known as ‘Maturity-onset Diabetes’ because of the link to older adults.
For more information visit: Type 2 Diabetes Life Insurance
Type 2 Diabetes is similar to Type 1 in that it is linked to the body not producing insulin. Or it can be that the cells in the body do not react to insulin, which is known as ‘insulin resistance’.
This type of Diabetes can be treated in a number of ways which include:
- Diet: Alter your diet to ensure that you manage your condition
- Tablets: Usually you will be offered metformin initially. If this doesn’t lower your blood sugar levels, alternative medicines will be recommended
- Insulin: Some people with Type 2 Diabetes can be told to use Insulin injections if other treatments don’t work
You may require a combination of treatments over time as recommended by your GP or Diabetes specialist. They will advise you how to take the medicine and how to store it. If you are required to inject insulin, they will show you how.
Side Effects
It’s possible that your diabetes medicine can cause side effects, although not everyone experiences them. Side effects can include:
- Weight gain or loss
- Diarrhoea
- Feeling sick
- Stomachache
- Bloating
- Swelling in your body caused by fluid build-up under the skin
You should speak with your GP or Diabetes specialist if you feel unwell or experience side effects after taking your medicine. It’s important that you don’t stop taking your medicine before receiving advice.
How Does My HbA1c Reading Affect Life Insurance Rates?
One thing you will always be asked about when applying for a life insurance policy with diabetes will be your HbA1c (Mmol) reading, which is the blood sugar level.
The term HbA1c is an abbreviation for Glycated Haemoglobin which develops when hemoglobin (a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen through the body) meets glucose in the blood, which becomes glycated.
There are two types of measurements for this type of reading – mmol/mol or % (HbA1c).
HbA1c levels for people with diabetes are as follows:
Normal – Under 42mol or under 6.0%
Prediabetes – 42 to 47mol or 6.0% to 6.4%
Diabetes – Over 48mol or over 6.5%
Life insurance underwriting for people with diabetes has several levels to consider, that can have an impact on your premiums:
Low (good control) – Under 53mol or under 7.0%
Moderate (could improve) – 54 to 74mol or 7.0% to 8.9%
High (poor control) – 75 to 85mol or 9.0% to 9.9%
Very High – Over 86mol or over 10.0%
In recent years there have been changes to the levels being accepted and more insurers are accepting people with readings over 10% or 86mol. At The Insurance Surgery, we understand that blood sugar levels is not an exact science and there are situations when people could be asked to maintain higher readings, for example if you are a sportsperson.
Pre-Diabetes Life Insurance
Life insurance if you have prediabetes is currently not considered to be an issue until you have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Currently, there is no question on a life insurance application that specifically asks about prediabetes, so you shouldn’t need to disclose it. Generally, your doctor or GP will tell you about prediabetes to help you to manage your health and diet to prevent you from becoming diabetic.
Some common health-related problems linked to prediabetes include:
- High BMI
- Raised cholesterol
- High blood pressure
- Blood sugar levels
High BMI Life Insurance With Diabetes
Obesity and high BMI are very closely linked to the symptoms or causes relating to having Type 2 diabetes. Commonly type 2 diabetics are seen as people who are overweight or have a poor diet and lack of exercise.
Being overweight is a common link, but is not the only or the main reason why someone would develop type 2 diabetes.
Having a high BMI can affect your life insurance policy. You will typically pay a higher premium if your BMI is over a certain number. You will always be asked about your weight when taking out a new life insurance policy. You can read more about High BMI life insurance here.
Can You Get Life Insurance With Diabetes And High Blood Pressure?
Having a pre-existing medical condition is always a worry when it comes to looking for a life insurance policy, but it is possible to take out life insurance if you have multiple health conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
It’s important to be open and honest with our team of experts as they will be able to find the best policy for your conditions. If you do not disclose your medical conditions at the time of application, there could be issues with your policy down the line.
What Are The Best Life Insurance Companies For Diabetics?
It’s possible to get life insurance coverage with diabetes from most major insurance providers now, however the cost can vary which is why it’s a good idea to use a specialist broker like The Insurance Surgery.
The number of diabetics is increasing so there’s also an ever-increasing need for insurers to offer competitive rates for diabetes and new products, which we can look at on your behalf.
Without knowing your personal circumstances, it would be difficult to tell you exactly which insurance company would be best for you and your diabetes. One company may offer a great life insurance policy for type 2 diabetes but be different if you have type 1 diabetes. That’s why we like to get to know you, your lifestyle and your expectations before we find you your policy.
You may be able to find a competitive quote from some of the well-known insurers, however it is incredibly time consuming to compare these yourself. We can find the best cover for you.
Critical Illness Cover for Diabetics
Is diabetes covered under critical illness?
Critical Illness Cover for Diabetes has become more available in recent years. However, it is still only available to a fairly small proportion of sufferers as underwriting is still strict. It is usually only available where there have been no additional complications (e.g. Neuropathy, Retinopathy or Nephropathy).
Is Type 2 Diabetes covered under critical illness?
Some insurance providers will consider critical illness cover. This would only be if the Hba1c readings are less than a certain level (usually around 7.0). It is only available for Type 2 Diabetes at the moment and the criteria for acceptance is quite strict.
It is likely that the underwriting of critical illness will change for Diabetes in the future. The Insurance Surgery is working with insurers to improve criteria.
Our team of Diabetes Critical Illness Cover experts are constantly researching and assessing the market. This is to determine which authorised and regulated providers can offer the lowest premiums. Our aim at The Insurance Surgery is to find the best cover for you.
Diabetes Income Protection
Income protection for Diabetes in reality is difficult to obtain because of the strict underwriting process. Currently, income protection is more or less unavailable to those with Type 1 Diabetes. This is unless your diabetes is very well controlled and your Hba1c readings are constantly at an acceptable level.
There are a number of providers who will consider Type 2 Diabetes income protection. This would be based on a similar criteria to critical illness cover.
Type 2 Diabetes can cause a number of health issues. In turn this increases the likelihood of a claim being made on an income protection policy. Therefore, the criteria is fairly strict.
Diabetes income protection is another product where we hope and expect to see development over the coming years. Our team is constantly talking to insurance providers about how it might work.
Whole of Life Insurance Cover for Diabetics
Whole of life insurance cover is also available to those with pre-existing medical conditions, including diabetes. There is one major benefit of taking out a whole of life insurance policy when you have a diabetic condition. In the case of death, the policy is guaranteed to pay out to your loved ones. Due to the guarantee, this type of insurance tends to have higher premiums attached.
There are many benefits to whole of life cover if you suffer from diabetes. We would recommend that you speak to one of our expert advisors. They can discuss this with you further if you are considering a whole of life policy. We can help you compare costs and find the best policy for your needs.
Does Coronavirus (COVID-19) Affect Life Insurance For People With Diabetes?
In 2020 and throughout the pandemic, Covid-19 had a huge impact on the diabetes community due to the additional cardiovascular risks on those with both Type 1 Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes.
From a life insurance point of view, there are no issues with getting cover for people with diabetes as long as you do not have covid at the time of application.
Case Studies
Our customers love us.
Would recommend using this service
Tom has been incredibly helpful throughout the whole process of getting my life insurance set up. Very knowledgeable and absolutely ‘on it’ to get me the best product out there.
Mat Wise
First Class Experience
Service was first class, Simon kept me informed at every step in the process.I would have no hesitation in dealing with him again.
Duncan Fordyce
Great, Quick Service
Dealt with Karl who could not have been more helpful. Made the whole process of getting life insurance far easier than other providers I had approached.
Shelley Jenkins
Fantastic!
Approved immediately. Process was so fast and a lot cheaper than I thought. Highly recommended.
Nicola Storr
Facts About Diabetes
Diabetes is currently a chronic (life-long) condition. It causes the blood sugar levels to increase or decrease to levels that go beyond the recommended limits.
Diabetes Stats (UK)
- Currently, over 4 million people are diagnosed with Diabetes
- 90% are Type 2 and only 10% are Type 1
- 1 in 8 people (between 20 and 79 years) die because of Diabetes
- Life expectancy is reduced (Type 1 = 20 years / Type 2 = 10 years)
- NHS spends £9 billion per year on Diabetes treatment (£173 million per week)
Diabetes Symptoms
There are a number of symptoms caused by having Diabetes. The main ones are as follows:
- Thirsty: More often than normal
- Urination: More frequently and especially at night
- Fatigue: Constant tiredness
- Healing: Cuts or scars take longer to heal
- Vision: Blurred or double vision
- Itching: Especially around genital areas
- Hunger: More hungry than usual
Diabetes is a condition that affects many areas of the body. Therefore the symptoms can be extremely varied and do not have to be localised. It is important to visit your GP if new symptoms develop or if you have any concerns. Diabetes can cause far more serious health problems if untreated such as:
- Neuropathy (kidney disease)
- Retinopathy (eye issues)
- Nephropathy (nerve damage)
- Raised or high blood pressure
- High cholesterol levels
- High body mass index (BMI)
- Stroke
- Heart attack
It’s vitally important, therefore, that your condition is well managed to prevent further complications from developing.
Does Diabetes Affect Life Expectancy?
People who have been diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes often worry about their life expectancy and think it could be something that they have to worry about.
But how long does a diabetic patient live? According to research, a person with type 2 diabetes is expected to live up to 10 years less than general life expectancy.
Someone with type 1 diabetes traditionally would have a shorter life expectancy of around 20 years less than the general population.
As we say to all of our customers, it is so important to get life insurance as early and as young as possible, to ensure you get an affordable policy that can support your family down the line.
Useful Links
The Insurance Surgery is a leading life insurance expert for Diabetes. We have helped thousands of families, individuals and businesses to protect themselves financially. We also offer a leading specialist Diabetes Travel Insurance service (see below). For more information about Travel Insurance visit: Diabetes Travel Insurance
Click the links below to find out more: