Life insurance with diabetes
See your life insurance options with diabetes
Free to useNo obligationLicensed agents only
Many people with well-managed type 1 or type 2 diabetes may qualify for traditional coverage. Answer a few quick questions and we'll connect you with a licensed agent who can compare options for your situation.
- Free matching service, no obligation
- Options whether you manage with diet, pills or insulin
- Takes about 2 minutes
Why diabetes doesn't have to mean no coverage
Underwriters look at control, not just the diagnosis
Traditional policies typically weigh things like your A1C history, how long you've had diabetes, your treatment and any related complications. Steady control can matter as much as the diagnosis itself.
Options exist if you use insulin
Using insulin doesn't rule you out on its own. Insurers review the full picture, and an agent can look at carriers whose guidelines may fit someone who manages with injections or a pump.
Simplified and guaranteed issue for tougher cases
Simplified issue asks health questions but no exam. Guaranteed issue asks none, but usually has a graded benefit: if death from illness happens in the first 2–3 years, it typically pays back premiums plus interest instead of the full amount.
Final expense coverage for seniors
Smaller whole life policies, often $5,000 to $25,000, are built to cover funeral costs and final bills. Many are available to older applicants, including people with diabetes-related health issues.
- 01
Newly diagnosed with type 2
Recently diagnosed and managing with diet, exercise or pills? An agent can explain how your treatment and recent lab results may affect your options.
- 02
Type 1 since childhood
Living with type 1 for decades? Some carriers look closely at how long you've had it and how well it's controlled. An agent can compare which carriers fit your history.
- 03
Insulin pump or CGM user
Using a pump or continuous glucose monitor doesn't disqualify you by itself. An agent can talk you through options based on your overall health.
- 04
Senior with complications
If you have nerve, kidney, eye or heart issues related to diabetes, final expense and guaranteed issue policies may still be options. An agent will explain how any waiting period works.
- 05
Declined before
One insurer's decline doesn't mean every insurer will say no. Guidelines differ from carrier to carrier, and an agent can look at alternatives, including no-exam coverage.
Life insurance with diabetes
Type 1 vs. Type 2 Diabetes: How Life Insurance Differs
Life insurers use the same core factors for type 1 and type 2 diabetes: how long you've had it, how it's treated, how well it's controlled and whether you have complications. The difference is how those factors usually line up, since type 1 is typically diagnosed younger and always needs insulin, while type 2 is often diagnosed after 45 and may be managed with lifestyle changes, pills or insulin.
Editorial Team · September 30, 2026
Life Insurance for Diabetics: How to Get Covered
Many people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes can buy life insurance, but the diabetes usually shapes which policy you qualify for and what it costs. Insurers look at your type of diabetes, age at diagnosis, treatment, recent A1C results and any complications, and if a fully underwritten policy isn't available, simplified issue, group or guaranteed issue coverage may be options.
Editorial Team · September 30, 2026
Final Expense Insurance for Diabetics: Your Options
Many seniors with diabetes can buy final expense insurance, and your answers to a few health questions usually decide which kind you get. Well-managed diabetes without serious complications may qualify for a simplified issue policy that pays the full benefit from day one, while complications can lead to a graded policy or a guaranteed issue plan that typically pays a limited benefit for natural death in the first two years.
Editorial Team · September 30, 2026
Best Life Insurance for Diabetics (2026)
The best life insurance for diabetics depends on how much coverage you need and how well your diabetes is controlled: John Hancock Aspire is built for people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes who want traditional term or permanent coverage, Foresters PlanRight is a simplified issue option with health questions but no exam, and Mutual of Omaha, Gerber Life, Corebridge and Colonial Penn sell guaranteed acceptance plans with no health questions. We compared six companies using their own published terms, rating agency information and NAIC complaint data.
Editorial Team · September 30, 2026
Life Insurance for Diabetics on Insulin: What to Expect
Many people who take insulin can still buy life insurance, but insulin use tells an insurer your diabetes needs more treatment, so it usually shapes which policy you qualify for and what you pay. Underwriters weigh insulin together with your type of diabetes, age at diagnosis, A1C history and any complications, and if a fully underwritten policy doesn't work out, simplified issue or guaranteed issue coverage may be options.
Editorial Team · September 30, 2026
Diabetes in America by the Numbers: CDC Data by Age
The CDC estimates 40.1 million people in the U.S., or 12.0% of the population, had diabetes in 2023, and 11.0 million adults with diabetes didn't know it. Diabetes climbs steeply with age: 4.6% of adults 18 to 44 had it in 2021 to 2023, compared with 28.8% of adults 65 and older.
Editorial Team · September 30, 2026
Common questions
Can I get life insurance if I have diabetes?
Often, yes. Many people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes may qualify for life insurance, though approval and price depend on the insurer and your full health picture. If a traditional policy isn't available, simplified issue and guaranteed issue policies are other routes. A licensed agent can compare what fits your situation.
What do insurers look at when you have diabetes?
Insurers commonly review your type of diabetes, age at diagnosis, how long you've had it, your treatment, recent A1C results and any complications such as kidney, heart, nerve or eye problems. They also look at general factors like age, weight, blood pressure and tobacco use. Each insurer weighs these differently.
Does using insulin mean I'll be declined?
Not necessarily. Using insulin is one factor insurers consider, alongside how well your diabetes is controlled and whether you have complications. Some people who use insulin are offered traditional coverage, while others are better matched with simplified or guaranteed issue policies. Results vary by insurer and by person.
Will I need a medical exam?
It depends on the policy. Traditional fully underwritten coverage may include an exam, blood work or a review of medical records. Simplified issue policies ask health questions but usually skip the exam. Guaranteed issue policies ask no health questions. An agent can explain which type suits the coverage amount you need.
What is a graded benefit?
A graded benefit limits what a policy pays in its first years, commonly two or three. If the insured dies of natural causes during that period, the policy typically refunds premiums paid, sometimes with interest, instead of the full death benefit. Accidental deaths are usually covered in full from the start. After the period ends, the full benefit applies. Terms vary by policy.
Is final expense insurance an option for seniors with diabetes?
Yes, it can be. Final expense policies are smaller whole life policies meant to cover funeral costs and final bills. Many are sold to people in their 50s through 80s, and some ask only a few health questions. Depending on your answers, a policy may have a graded benefit. An agent can walk you through the details.
Does prediabetes affect life insurance?
It can, but often less than a diabetes diagnosis. Insurers may look at your blood sugar readings, weight and other health factors. Many people with prediabetes and no other major issues may qualify for traditional coverage. How it's treated varies by insurer, so comparing options through an agent can help.
Is this service free, and are you an insurance company?
The matching service is free and there's no obligation. We're not an insurance company or agency. We connect you with a licensed agent who can review your answers, explain your options and compare policies. Any policy you choose has its own premiums, and you decide whether to move forward.