How to Get Affordable Life Insurance with Diabetes

When you have diabetes, life insurance is a crucial part of your financial plan. Without it, your loved ones could face a financial burden.

The good news? Most people with a high-risk medical condition, such as diabetes, can be approved for all types of life insurance, including term life insurance, whole life insurance, universal life insurance, and guaranteed issue policies.

You might think getting life insurance with diabetes is impossible or unaffordable. However, many life insurance companies specialize in underwriting for people with diabetes.

Finding the best life insurance companies for diabetics depends on several factors:

• Type of diabetes (Type 1, Type 2, Gestational)
• Age at the time of diagnosis
• Diabetic control history (A1c, blood glucose levels, etc.)
• Compliance with treatment (regular endocrinologist visits, medication adherence)
• Medications and dosages – What do you take, how much, and how often?
• Diabetes complications – Neuropathy, retinopathy, insulin shock, coma.
• Other health issues (especially heart and kidney disease.

You might pay more than someone without a high-risk medical condition, but finding affordable life insurance for diabetes is achievable with our help.

Type 1 is tougher. Because it’s lifelong and insulin dependent, life insurers price in extra risk.

But here’s the good news: Some companies are better than others. Corebridge Financial, John Hancock, and Prudential often offer more favorable terms for individuals with well-managed Type 1 diabetes.

What underwriters want to see:

• Consistent A1C below 8
• No significant complications (neuropathy, retinopathy, etc.)
• Compliance with treatment (doctor visits, insulin usage)

Insider Tip: We use a quick quote process where we summarize your medical history and get feedback from diabetes-friendly companies before you apply.

Life insurance can be expensive, and underwriters may add a table rating to your policy. Expect to pay 50–275% more than someone without diabetes, depending on your A1C and history.

Example: Type 1 Diabetes—$500,000 of 20-year term life insurance, non-smoker monthly rates at table 4, table 6, and table 8 rates. (best, average, worst case)

Age	Female	Male
	(Table 4-6-8 rates)	(Table 4-6-8 rates)
30	$46 – $56 – $66	$54 – $66 – $78
35	$52 – $64 – $76	$63 – $77 – $91
40	$70 – $86 – $102	$87 – $107 – $128
45	$110 – $136 – $162	$142 – $176 – $210
50	$161 – $200 – $239	$227 – $283 – $339
55	$242 – $300 – $359	$348 – $433 – $519

Type 2 is more common and more forgiving when well controlled.

Best-case scenario: A1C less than 7.5, no complications, stable weight, and no other issues like hypertension or high cholesterol.

Banner Life, Prudential, and Lincoln Financial offer competitive rates for individuals with Type 2 diabetes.

When Type 2 diabetes is well-controlled, rates may improve over time.

The best-case scenario is a “standard plus” rate for individuals with A1C levels of 7.5 or less and all lab results within normal ranges.

Example: Type 2 Diabetes—$500,000 of 20-year term life insurance, non-smoker monthly rates.

Age	Female	Male
	(Standard – Table 2- Table 4 rates)	(Standard – Table 2- Table 4 rates)
30	n/a – n/a – $43	n/a – n/a – $52
35	n/a – $40 – $50	n/a – $47 – $60
40	n/a $53 – $68	n/a – $66 – $85
45	$56 – $83 – $108	$74 – $107 – $140
50	$84 – $121 – $159	$117 – $171 – $225
55	$124 – $181 – $239	$177 – $261 – $346

As you can see above, the rates for well-controlled type 2 diabetes are substantially less expensive than those for type 1.

If you’re currently pregnant and diagnosed with gestational diabetes, most life insurers will postpone your application until after birth.

What they look for post-pregnancy:

• Return to normal glucose levels
• No ongoing insulin needs

Some insurers may initially underwrite you as a type 2 diabetic if you use insulin.

Control is everything. Underwriters will examine your complete medical history and lab results.

Key Tests That Affect Life Insurance:

• HbA1c: Average blood sugar for 2-3 months (target < 7.5)
• Fasting Glucose: Best if < 100 mg/dl
• Fructosamine: Not as common, but shows a 3-week blood sugar window
• Urine Microalbumin/Creatinine Ratio: Measures kidney function. Target is 0.0 – 0.010 mg

Having your most recent results available will help us when shopping for coverage.

Insurers will look for diabetes-related complications such as:

• Heart disease (history of heart attacks, stents, valve disorders)
• Kidney disease (proteinuria, high creatinine)
• Retinopathy or Neuropathy
• Diabetic coma or insulin shock history

These may result in a decline or a higher table rating.

Related Guides:

• Life Insurance with Heart Disease
• Life Insurance with Kidney Disease
• Cancer History Life Insurance
• Gastrointestinal Conditions Life Insurance

John Hancock Aspire:

• Includes Vitality (wellness rewards) and Onduo (diabetes coaching)
• Possible discounts for consistent control and participation

It’s an excellent program for individuals with type 2 diabetes, focusing on long-term health improvement.

You can obtain life insurance without undergoing a blood test, but you will still undergo underwriting.

To qualify:

• Consistent records of A1C under control
• No severe complications
• Compliance with medical advice

Great for busy people or those who dislike labs, but rates are usually slightly higher.

If A1C is above 8 or you’ve had recent diabetic coma events, guaranteed issue is an option.

• No health questions
• No medical exam
• Higher premiums and graded death benefits

Compared to: Colonial Penn, AARP. We’ll help you shop smarter.

1. Control First – A1C is king, keep it under 7.5 for the best offers.
2. Stay Compliant – Follow your doctor’s advice and show up for appointments.
3. Disclose Everything – Hiding medical history = decline.
4. Shop Strategically – Not all insurers treat diabetes the same. Use our quickquote process to get the best rates available.
5. Ask for Help – We do this every day – let us shop for you.

Having diabetes doesn’t mean you’re stuck with expensive or limited life insurance options.

With the right strategy—and the right company—you can still get great coverage at a fair price. Whether you’re newly diagnosed or managing diabetes long-term, your control and compliance matter most.

We specialize in helping people with diabetes find affordable life insurance. If you’ve been declined before or just want to make sure you’re getting the best deal, start with a free quote today. No pressure. Just honest answers.

The following conditions and lab markers are common in people with diabetes, and they can affect your life insurance rates. We include this section for completeness, even though it won’t apply to everyone.

Nearly 50 million Americans have metabolic syndrome, often without knowing it. It’s a cluster of risk factors that increases your chances of developing Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Life insurance underwriters treat metabolic syndrome similarly to Type 2 diabetes. You may have metabolic syndrome if you have three or more of the following:

• Waist size: ≥ 35″ for women, ≥ 40″ for men
• Fasting glucose: ≥ 100 mg/dl
• HDL cholesterol: < 50 (women) or < 40 (men)
• Blood pressure: ≥ 135/85
• Triglycerides: ≥ 150 mg/dl

Well-managed cases may still qualify for Standard Plus – Table 2 rates.

You may have had lab work recently that came back with high protein in urine levels, also known as proteinuria. While proteinuria is not a specific disease, it may indicate an endocrine condition like diabetes, or, in some cases, may indicate a kidney problem.

How does proteinuria affect life insurance rates?

The cutoff level for normal protein in urine is typically 10mg/dl. A small part of that protein is Albumin, and the standard cutoff for Albumin is 3mg/dl.

Elevated levels of Albumin are referred to as albuminuria. If your protein levels are:

• 30 – 50 mg/dl – Standard rates may be available.
• 51 – 125 mg/dl – Table 2 – Table 4 ratings are likely.
• Above 125 mg/dl – Table 8 rating is likely if coverage is available.

The American Diabetes Association has been promoting the estimated Average Glucose – eAG reading.

The eAG numbers closely resemble blood glucose readings, making it easier for individuals to understand.

This test measures your blood sugar levels after fasting for 8 hours or more, providing a snapshot of your diabetes control.³

• Normal – 100 md/dl or less
• Pre-Diabetes/ Impaired Glucose – 100 – 125 mg/dl
• Diabetes – 126 mg/dl or greater

Fructosamine indicates blood sugar control over a three-week period.

• A level of less than 1.7 mg/dL is considered excellent control.
• Levels between 1.7 – 1.9 mg/dl indicate good control.

Life insurance companies do not use fructosamine testing as widely as HbA1c testing.

The urine microalbumin/creatinine ratio, or the ACR test, may indicate kidney-related problems.  

Life insurance underwriters are looking for a Urine Microalbumin/Creatinine ratio of 0 – 0.010 mg/mg. 

This number should be zero on lab testing.

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