Life insurance with Type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is one of the most common conditions our partner brokers help with. The good news is that most people with well-controlled T2 diabetes can get life insurance, often at reasonable rates. The key is understanding what insurers look for - and which insurer is best for your specific situation.
The short answer
Yes, most people with Type 2 diabetes can get life insurance. Your HbA1c level is the single most important factor. If it is under 58 mmol/mol (7.5%), you will likely get cover at reasonable rates. Well-controlled diabetes on metformin alone typically attracts the best terms.
What insurers actually ask about Type 2 diabetes
When you apply for life insurance with Type 2 diabetes, insurers will ask specific questions. Knowing these in advance helps you prepare and ensures you give accurate information that works in your favour.
When were you diagnosed?
More recently diagnosed with good control is viewed favourably. A long history of poorly controlled diabetes is viewed less favourably.
What is your most recent HbA1c level?
This is the single most important number. It measures your average blood sugar over the past 2-3 months. If you don't know it, ask your GP before applying.
What medication are you taking?
Metformin only is the best scenario for premiums. Additional oral medications add complexity. Insulin-dependent Type 2 is underwritten more cautiously.
Do you have any complications from your diabetes?
Retinopathy, neuropathy, nephropathy, peripheral vascular disease - these significantly affect underwriting. No complications is ideal.
What is your current BMI?
Many people with T2 diabetes also have a high BMI. Insurers assess both together, and combined risk factors compound the impact.
Have you had any hospital admissions related to diabetes?
Hospital admissions for hypoglycaemia or diabetic ketoacidosis indicate less stable control and may result in higher loadings.
Know your numbers before you call
If you can tell our partner brokers your HbA1c, medication, and whether you have any complications, they can give you an accurate picture in minutes.
Get QuoteHow your HbA1c level affects pricing
Your HbA1c is the number that matters most to underwriters. It tells them how well your diabetes is controlled. Here is a realistic breakdown of how different HbA1c levels affect your life insurance premiums.
Under 48 mmol/mol (6.5%)
Near-standard rates
This is technically below the diagnostic threshold for diabetes. If you are maintaining this level with medication, most insurers will offer standard or near-standard rates. Some may apply no loading at all.
48-58 mmol/mol (6.5-7.5%)
Minor loading
Good control. Most mainstream insurers will offer cover with a small loading, typically adding 25-75% to the standard premium. This is the range most well-managed T2 diabetics fall into.
58-75 mmol/mol (7.5-9.0%)
Moderate loading
Suboptimal control. Premiums may be loaded by 75-150% or more. Fewer mainstream insurers will offer terms, but specialist insurers and brokers can usually find cover.
Over 75 mmol/mol (9.0%+)
Significant loading or decline
Poorly controlled diabetes. Many mainstream insurers will decline at this level. Specialist insurers may still offer terms with a significant loading, or may postpone pending improvement in control. If your HbA1c is in this range, working with your GP to bring it down before applying could materially improve your options.
How your medication affects your premiums
The medication you take tells insurers a lot about the severity and progression of your diabetes. Here is how different treatment regimens are typically viewed.
| Medication | Insurer view |
|---|---|
| Diet-controlled only | Best possible scenario. Many insurers offer standard or near-standard rates. |
| Metformin only | Very favourable. The most common first-line treatment. Minor loadings typical. |
| Metformin + other oral medication | Moderate view. Suggests diabetes is progressing or harder to control. Moderate loadings. |
| GLP-1 agonists (e.g. Ozempic, Trulicity) | Relatively new class. Most insurers treat similarly to other oral/injectable non-insulin medication. |
| Insulin-dependent Type 2 | More cautious view. Suggests more advanced diabetes. Higher loadings, but cover is still available from several insurers. |
On insulin for Type 2 diabetes?
Our partner brokers work with insurers who specialise in insulin-dependent T2. Call to find the best available terms.
Get QuoteHow diabetic complications affect cover
Diabetes-related complications are the factor that most significantly affects underwriting. If you have no complications, your options are much wider. If complications are present, cover is still available but the terms will reflect the additional risk.
Diabetic retinopathy
Background retinopathy (the early stage picked up at routine eye screening) has relatively minor impact. It is very common and most insurers will still offer cover, typically with an additional loading. Proliferative retinopathy or significant vision loss has a much greater impact and will substantially increase premiums or lead to a decline from some insurers.
Diabetic neuropathy
Peripheral neuropathy (numbness, tingling, pain in the feet and hands) is relatively common with longstanding diabetes. Mild neuropathy managed with medication typically results in moderate additional loading. Autonomic neuropathy affecting heart rate, digestion, or bladder function is viewed more seriously.
Diabetic nephropathy (kidney disease)
Microalbuminuria (protein in the urine) is an early sign and results in a moderate loading. Established kidney disease with reduced eGFR significantly narrows options. Dialysis or transplant makes standard life insurance very difficult to obtain, though guaranteed acceptance products remain available.
Cardiovascular complications
Diabetes combined with a history of heart attack, stroke, or peripheral vascular disease is among the more complex combinations to insure. Cover is still possible, but premiums will be substantially loaded. Time since the cardiovascular event matters enormously - the longer the period of stability, the better the terms.
Realistic pricing examples
These are illustrative examples to give you a sense of what to expect. Actual premiums depend on your full medical history, age, smoking status, cover amount, and the specific insurer. Our partner brokers provide exact quotes on the phone.
| Profile | Cover | Indicative monthly premium |
|---|---|---|
| 35-year-old non-smoker, T2 on metformin only, HbA1c 52, no complications | 200,000 level term, 25 years | 15-25/month |
| 45-year-old non-smoker, T2 on metformin + gliclazide, HbA1c 60, no complications | 200,000 level term, 20 years | 40-65/month |
| 50-year-old non-smoker, T2 on insulin, HbA1c 68, background retinopathy | 150,000 level term, 15 years | 80-140/month |
These are indicative figures based on typical market rates at the time of writing. They are not quotes. Actual premiums may be higher or lower depending on your full circumstances and the insurer selected.
The honest answer
If your diabetes is well-controlled with an HbA1c under 58 mmol/mol, most mainstream insurers will cover you. The premiums will be higher than someone without diabetes, but they are manageable for most people. If your diabetes is poorly controlled with an HbA1c over 75 or you have significant complications, your options narrow considerably - but they do not disappear. Specialist insurers, guaranteed acceptance products, and group schemes through employers all remain available.
Critical illness cover with Type 2 diabetes
Critical illness cover is harder to obtain with Type 2 diabetes than life insurance. Most policies pay out on specific conditions like cancer, heart attack, and stroke - and diabetes increases your risk of several of these.
With well-controlled T2 diabetes, some insurers will offer critical illness cover with a loading, though the loading is typically higher than for life insurance. Others will decline critical illness even when they would accept life insurance.
It is worth noting that a diabetes exclusion is common on critical illness policies - meaning the policy would not pay out for conditions directly caused by diabetes. It would still cover unrelated cancers, for example, but might exclude a heart attack that the insurer attributed to diabetic complications.
Income protection with Type 2 diabetes
Income protection replaces your income if you cannot work due to illness or injury. It is generally available with Type 2 diabetes, though you may face an exclusion for diabetes-related claims or a premium loading.
Short-term income protection (paying out for 1-2 years) is usually easier to obtain than long-term income protection (paying out until retirement). If long-term cover with no diabetes exclusion is important to you, a specialist broker can identify which insurers are most likely to offer this.
Need critical illness or income protection with T2?
These products require more careful insurer selection. Our specialist brokers will find which insurers offer the best terms for your situation.
Get QuoteWhat if you have been declined?
Being declined life insurance because of Type 2 diabetes does not mean you are uninsurable. It usually means the wrong insurer was approached.
Try a specialist broker
A broker who specialises in medical conditions will know which insurers are most favourable for your specific diabetes profile. Different insurers have different appetites for diabetes risk, and the right broker can often find cover after a direct application has been declined.
Improve your control, then reapply
If your HbA1c is the reason for decline, working with your GP or diabetes nurse to bring it down can genuinely change the outcome. A 6-month period showing improved control can be the difference between a decline and an acceptance.
Guaranteed acceptance life insurance
No medical questions asked. Cover amounts are typically lower (up to 25,000) and there is usually a moratorium period in the first 1-2 years during which the full payout is not available. It is more expensive per pound of cover, but it guarantees you something.
Group life insurance through your employer
Many employer group life schemes offer cover at a multiple of salary (often 2-4x) without individual medical underwriting. Check whether your employer offers this - it could be the simplest route to meaningful cover.
Put your policy in trust
This applies to everyone, not just people with diabetes. If your life insurance policy is not written in trust, the payout goes into your estate on death. That means it could be subject to inheritance tax at 40% and delayed by months while probate is processed.
Writing your policy in trust is free, takes about 2 minutes, and ensures the money goes directly to your beneficiaries without delay or tax. Our partner brokers set this up on every policy they arrange.
Read our full guide to trusts and estate planning
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to declare my Type 2 diabetes on a life insurance application?
Yes, absolutely. Failing to disclose a known medical condition is non-disclosure and could void your policy entirely. If a claim is made and the insurer discovers undeclared diabetes, they may refuse to pay out. Always declare everything - a good broker ensures it does not work against you.
Can I get life insurance for a mortgage with Type 2 diabetes?
Yes. Mortgage life insurance (decreasing term cover) is available with Type 2 diabetes. Lenders require life insurance as a condition of some mortgages, and having diabetes does not prevent you from meeting this requirement. The premiums will be higher, but the cover works in exactly the same way.
Does my BMI affect my diabetes life insurance premiums?
Yes. BMI and diabetes are assessed together. A high BMI combined with diabetes results in a higher loading than either condition alone. If you are working on weight management, some insurers will take this into account positively, particularly if your HbA1c is improving.
I was recently diagnosed - should I wait before applying?
Not necessarily. If your diabetes is well-controlled from the outset, applying sooner may work in your favour - a short history of well-managed diabetes is viewed positively. However, if your HbA1c is still being stabilised, waiting 3-6 months for it to settle may result in better terms.
What is a loading?
A loading is a percentage added to the standard premium to reflect additional risk. A +50% loading means you pay 1.5 times the standard premium. A +100% loading means you pay double. Loadings are common with diabetes and are not a reason to avoid applying - they simply reflect the insurer's assessment of risk.
Will my premiums increase if my diabetes gets worse?
No. Once your policy is in force with guaranteed premiums, the insurer cannot increase them because your health changes. This is one of the key reasons to get cover sooner rather than later - you lock in today's terms regardless of what happens tomorrow.
Get a Type 2 diabetes life insurance quote
Tell us your HbA1c, medication, and whether you have any complications. Our specialist brokers will find the right insurer and get you an accurate quote in one free call.
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