Life Insurance for Diabetics. How to Get a Life Insurance Policy.

There are five things you MUST know before you try to buy life insurance for a diabetic.

Especially if you don’t want to get declined.

When you purchase life insurance, there is something called underwriting. Every policy requires you to go through an underwriting process and every carrier has different guidelines that you have to meet to justify the price offered.

If you’re worried that you don’t know these five things, don’t. We know exactly what guidelines you need to meet, the best carriers for diabetics, and how to get you the absolute best price and coverage available.

And we will explain everything in this blog.

What is Diabetes

Diabetes Mellitus is a health condition that is characterized by abnormal sugar metabolism, which can, in turn, cause high blood sugar.

There are two types of this condition

Type 1 Diabetes

With Type 1 Diabetes, your body does not manufacture insulin. This condition usually comes on when you’re still a child, which is why it is often referred to as “juvenile diabetes.”

Type 2 Diabetes

With Type 2 diabetes – which is far more common than Type 1 – the body can still make insulin, but not very well. This can cause your blood sugar to remain higher than normal.

If not properly treated through diet, medication, or both, this condition can lead to other significant health issues, such as kidney problems, blindness, heart attack, or stroke.

So, when it comes to getting life insurance, if you are a diabetic can often have trouble getting approved for a policy. On the other hand, if a diabetic is approved for a policy, it could come at a high premium price.

What Underwriters Want to Know

There are several criteria that underwriters will want to know when applying for a high risk life policy, especially when trying to get life insurance with diabetes.

These factors will help the company determine whether or not you are eligible for coverage, and, if so, how much to charge for it. These criteria will usually include:

  1. Your age when you were diagnosed
  2. What type of diabetes do you have (Type 1 or Type 2)
  3. How many years have passed since you were initially diagnosed
  4. How you are controlling your condition (exercise, diet, medication, etc.)
  5. Whether you have any other health issues related to diabetes (such as neuropathy/nerve damage, cardiovascular disease, retinopathy/eye damage, etc.)

Other factors are also considered when applying

It could be that you get approved for coverage, but are charged a higher “table” rate. This is a type of “point” system that is used by insurance carriers that can increase your premium by a certain percentage as compared to someone who does not have diabetes.

How to get Approved for Life Insurance as a Diabetic

While it may take a bit more time and effort to find the right life insurance, diabetics can still oftentimes find the coverage that is needed, especially if you can show that it is well controlled.

Many carriers offer coverage to diabetics, either through a fully underwritten policy, or a guaranteed issue plan where you’re approved – with no health questions asked.

It is also important that you know what different insurers are charging, because different insurers may charge different premium amounts – even for the very same type and amount of coverage. Finding quotes can be frustrating and time-consuming.

That’s where having an experienced agent on your side can help.

In addition, not all insurers underwrite their applications in the exact same way. This means that you may have a better chance of getting approval with one company versus another.

There are some health issues that could cause you to be declined for life insurance if you have diabetes. These conditions can include:

  • Elevated cholesterol
  • High blood sugar or glucose levels
  • Elevated liver function
  • Hepatitis
  • Blood or protein in the urine (which is a sign of possible kidney disease)
  • Obesity

In some cases, the medications you are taking could also have an impact on whether or not you are approved for life insurance as a diabetic. Some of these medicines can include the following:

  • Certain types of painkillers, such as Percocet, Oxycotin, Norco, Morphine, Dilaudid, Lortab, Endocet, Hydrocodone, and Fenanyl
  • Some muscle relaxants, including Valium, Chlorzoxazone, Soma, Dantrolene, and Baclofen
  • Drugs that have the potential for abuse and/or may cause opioid overdoses, such as Methadone, OxyContin, and Vicodin

How to Get Declined

There are also some scenarios where an applicant may be denied coverage because they did not take their prescribed medications. For example, if you’ve been prescribed medication that can help to control your diabetes – but you have not been taking it – it could cause your condition to worsen, and in turn, a risk that the insurance company does not want to take on.

Believe it or not, there are some other factors that could also contribute to a denial for life insurance, too – with or without having diabetes. These factors could include a negative motor vehicle report (such as excessive tickets, numerous accidents, or DUIs).

Even if you have been declined for life insurance due to diabetes in the past, an Insurance Geek can help you get a second opinion – and when you work with us, we can forward your information to 40 carriers without having to spend time doing it yourself.

So, it’s important to keep in mind that if you are denied coverage from one carrier, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you will be denied by another. If you have diabetes related complications, you may get declined for all carriers.

Working with a life insurance agent who has access to multiple carriers – and who knows which carriers are more apt to approve diabetics – could provide you with a more favorable outcome.

Best Life Insurance Companies for Diabetics

Who are the best life insurance companies for diabetics?

If your diabetes is well controlled (A1c under 7), and you have no history of hospitalization nor complications from your condition, all carriers can be considered. The life insurance rates will be determined after the underwriting is completed and the medical exam.

If your A1c levels are higher and you may have multiple conditions, one carrier stands out above the rest, and that is Prudential. They could also offer a healthy lifestyle credit for someone with a good health history.

You can see some of the case studies below from some of the applications we have placed and some that have been declined.

How Much Will it Cost for Life Insurance Coverage?

At Insurance Geek, we’ve helped thousands of people secure coverage – even with health conditions like diabetes. See some example prices below.

Tom Age 56

For example, Tom, at age 56, was declined by the Phoenix Life Insurance Company for a $200,000 10-year term life insurance policy (with a premium of $189.17 per month) due to his A1C level of 7.6. He also suffered from depression and was considered overweight at 270 pounds. This caused him to have sleep apnea and to use a CPAP machine.

But when Tom came to us, we were able to shop his application to several different carriers that we knew were a better fit. Because we know exactly what the underwriters need to know about an applicant with diabetes and other health conditions, we were not only able to secure a 10-year, $200,000 term life insurance policy for Tom but were able to do so at a lower premium amount of just $104 per month! That allowed Tom and his family to sleep better at night, knowing that they were protected.

Wayne Age 62

Our client, Wayne, came to Insurance Geek for help. At age 62 and an A1C level of 6.1, Wayne was initially approved as a standard rate for a 10-year, $500,000 policy, with a monthly premium of $258. But when we shopped his application to other carriers, it turned out that Wayne could get the same coverage for just $213 per month at a standard plus rate – a difference of $27 per month, or $3,240 over the life of the policy!

Keith Age 59

Another Insurance Geek client, 59-year-old Keith, was declined by two life insurance carriers because his lab work showed that he had an A1C level of 9.7 and he was overweight. Keith also had a history of skin cancer and was taking medication to control his cholesterol. When Keith worked with us, though, he received a much more positive response from a top-notch life insurer.

Tim Age 59

Tim, age 59, came to Insurance Geek, he told us he was taking medication for both cholesterol and high blood pressure. As a diabetic, he also had an A1C of 10.7. But we were able to get him covered with a $500,000 10-year term life insurance policy from Prudential, with a premium of under $485 per month!

Joe Age 61

We were able to help 61-year-old Joe get approved for a $100,000 15-year term policy for under $280 per month, even though he was a tobacco user and had A1C levels of 6.7 from the exam and 7.1 on his medical records.

What to do if I get Declined for life insurance coverage?

If you get declined for life insurance coverage, you can look for a guaranteed issue life insurance for diabetics, or you can look for group life insurance for diabetics. When you apply for a guaranteed issue life insurance policy, they do not take into account medical history or require a medical exam. The maximum death benefit you can get in a guaranteed issue policy is $25,000 in coverage. The full death benefit will not be paid until you live at least two years from the purchase date of the life insurance policy. These are permanent life insurance policies, so they do not expire like term life insurance coverage.

Conclusion

Getting life insurance for diabetics can be difficult if you don’t know what you are doing. The good news is that you don’t have to do all of the legwork yourself. It can just take a bit of research, but if you follow the steps in this article, you should be able to secure the coverage you need.

Working with an independent agent like us, you’ll have access to all of the best carriers all in one place. We work with more than 30 highly rated life insurance companies and know which ones are more apt to approve coverage for diabetics.

With just a few clicks, you can obtain the information you need about coverage and quotes. We’ll help you find the right policy at the right price, based on your situation. So, don’t waste time making endless calls and searching the Internet for hours, when all you have to do get a quote then we will contact you to go over your best options.

We can also guide you through the entire application process so that you’re never in the dark about any additional information that is needed, and which company may offer coverage to fit your needs and your budget.

We make it easy for you to get coverage.