Life insurance with Type 2 diabetes
In most cases, yes, Type 2 diabetes is not a disqualifier for life insurance. Carriers look at four main things: your A1C, your medications, how long you have carried the diagnosis and whether you have had any diabetes-related complications. Well-controlled Type 2 applicants often qualify for standard or even preferred rates.
What carriers look at
- A1C. The number carriers care about most. Preferred classes usually require 6.5 or below. Standard classes typically allow up to about 7.5. Many carriers go higher with rate-ups, up to around 10.
- Medications. Oral medications usually look better than insulin, but insulin is not automatic rate-up. Newer GLP-1 drugs (Ozempic, Mounjaro) are often viewed favorably when prescribed for diabetes.
- Years with the diagnosis. Longer duration can mean slightly higher rates, but it is not a hard cutoff.
- Complications. Neuropathy, retinopathy, kidney issues, cardiovascular history. Each of these can push a case into a modified class or into no-exam.
- Weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, tobacco use. Standard non-diabetic factors still matter.
Which policy types fit
Fully-underwritten term and whole life. The best rates live here. Many Type 2 applicants with A1C under 7 and no complications qualify at standard or preferred classes. This is the first place we shop.
No-exam and simplified-issue. A short tele-interview and a records check instead of a paramedical exam. Useful when A1C is higher, or when the applicant wants coverage fast. Rates are a little higher than fully-underwritten, but approvals are quick.
Guaranteed-issue and final expense. The floor option. No health questions, lower face amounts, waiting periods. We use this when fully-underwritten and simplified-issue both come back with declines or rate-ups that do not make sense for the applicant.
How much does Type 2 life insurance cost?
Rates vary. A healthy, non-tobacco Type 2 applicant in their 40s with controlled A1C and no complications can often secure a $500,000 20-year term policy for a monthly premium similar to a non-diabetic rate class one or two levels down from the best class. Older ages, higher A1C, or added complications push rates up from there. The only reliable number is the one a specific carrier quotes on your specific file.
Common questions
Does being on insulin disqualify me?
No. Several carriers underwrite insulin-dependent Type 2 applicants at standard or modified-standard rates when control is solid. Insulin use is a factor, not a disqualifier.
What is the highest A1C that still qualifies?
Different carriers have different ceilings. Many fully-underwritten policies cap acceptance around an A1C of 10. Above that, simplified-issue and guaranteed-issue policies are usually the right fit.
Does weight matter more or less than A1C?
Both matter. Build (height-to-weight ratio) is scored separately from A1C by most carriers. Reducing one does not cancel the other, but improving either helps your rate class.