For the 38 million Americans with diabetes, life insurance may seem tough to find, but thankfully, quality coverage is accessible. Seniors looking for life insurance for diabetics may not qualify for term life, universal life, or large whole life insurance policies, but final expense insurance is usually an option.
If you’d like to learn more about final expense insurance, you’re in the right place. With over 20 top-rated providers, Final Expense Benefits can help you find great coverage at a price that works for you.
Call us at (866) 786-0725 Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, or check our free online quoting tool for a personalized estimate.
Can You Get Life Insurance If You Have Diabetes?
Yes, diabetics can get life insurance and have multiple options. However, it can be difficult to qualify for many policies because of strict health requirements. Most life insurers base eligibility on life insurance, but because of the way diabetes affects glucose production, it can be tough to determine life expectancy, particularly for seniors and type 1 diabetics.
Eligibility for life insurance for diabetics often depends on the type and severity of the applicant’s diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is linked to genetics and lasts for life, while type 2 diabetes onsets later in life and is sometimes linked to obesity. It can be managed with diet, lifestyle, and medication.
Type 1 Diabetes and Life Insurance
Type 1 is usually more severe, requiring insulin injections for life to help stimulate glucose production. Type 1 diabetes can lead to major health complications such as blindness, kidney disease, and strokes, heavily impacting life expectancy estimates and, in turn, life insurance rates and eligibility.
Life insurance is tougher to qualify for with type 1 diabetes, and seniors may be ineligible for term, universal, and large whole life policies. Life insurance with type 1 diabetes is so expensive because underwriting, which is the process used to determine eligibility and rates, is strict on these types of policies.
Type 2 Diabetes and Life Insurance
Seniors with type 2 diabetes are more likely to qualify for a wider range of life insurance for diabetics. If your condition is well-controlled, you could even qualify for the best health ratings, making you eligible for great prices on term, whole life, and final expense policies.
With a wide range of options for life insurance for diabetics, what’s the best choice?
Best Life Insurance for Diabetics
Final expense insurance is often the best choice for seniors, but term, universal, and large whole life insurance for diabetics may seem tempting choices. Here are the pros and cons for each.
Term & Universal Life Insurance for Diabetics
Term life insurance usually has large death benefits and is often used as an income replacement for young adults. Because of the large payout and inexpensive rates, term life health requirements are typically strict, and usually exclude seniors and diabetics.
You may qualify for term life insurance with diabetes, but this is heavily dependent on your condition’s severity and any additional health complications.
Type 1 diabetes is harder to calculate life expectancy for and often leads to additional health issues, and may exclude you from term life insurance. While type 2 can be less severe, you’re not guaranteed to qualify, and seniors often are forced to pay high rates for term life insurance. It may not be the best choice.
Universal life insurance is an interesting choice, but it can be unreliable. Death benefits can change based on how your paid premiums are invested, but this can cause seniors to lose money if investment performance is poor. Seniors typically should have a more guaranteed return on their money if they are trying to provide coverage for funerals, end-of-life expenses, or an inheritance, so universal may not be the best choice.
Term & Universal Life Insurance for Diabetics
Whole life insurance works great for seniors. Offering lifetime coverage as long as premiums are paid, a rate that’s locked in at the policy’s start, and cash value growth, it’s a reliable choice. However, traditional high-value whole life policies can be tough to qualify for with preexisting conditions, or rates could be unaffordably high.
Seniors with type 1 diabetes may not qualify for traditional whole life insurance. Those with type 2 may be underwritten into an unfavorable health category, so a high-dollar whole life plan may also not work. This leaves final expense insurance as the best option for seniors seeking life insurance for diabetics.
Term & Universal Life Insurance for Diabetics
Also known as burial insurance, final expense insurance is always a great choice for seniors and works well as life insurance for diabetics. Final expense insurance is whole life, which offers lifetime coverage, locked-in rates, and cash value growth at a budget price.
Rates are low for final expense insurance because it generally has a smaller death benefit maximum than other types of whole life insurance. Final expense payouts usually range from around $5,000 to $50,000, perfect for covering funeral and burial costs and other end-of-life expenses. However, benefits may be reduced if health complications are severe.
Contact Final Expense Benefits to learn more about final expense insurance or to get your application started today.
Final Expense Life Insurance for Diabetics
Final expense life insurance is a great choice for diabetics because of the favorable underwriting process. Seniors with type 2 diabetes may qualify for level-benefit rates, which are the lowest burial insurance rates.
This largely depends on how well-maintained your type 2 diabetes is, but if you have an otherwise healthy lifestyle and no other major health complications, chances are good that you can get inexpensive coverage.
Seniors with type 1 diabetes have a tougher time qualifying for cheap rates and may need to get a more expensive or limited policy. Final expense insurance is split into three broad categories: level-benefit, modified-benefit, and guaranteed policies. Below is an overview of each category and how diabetes affects eligibility:
Level-Benefit Final Expense Life Insurance for Diabetics
Level-benefit plans are the cheapest final expense policies. They’re usually reserved for applicants in good health, but final expense health requirements are loosened to help seniors with preexisting conditions qualify for inexpensive coverage. If you’re a type 2 diabetic, your symptoms are well-maintained by diet, exercise, or medication, and you’re otherwise healthy, you have a great chance of qualifying for a level-benefit plan. It’s also important to note that level benefit policies don’t have a waiting period.
Modified-Benefit Final Expense Life Insurance for Diabetics
Modified-benefit policies are a middle ground for most final expense providers. Seniors with health concerns like diabetes may only qualify for a modified policy with a waiting period. Waiting periods typically last two to three years. If the policyholder dies within this time, death benefits may be reduced or delayed. A typical payout structure is 40% of the death benefit in the waiting period’s first year and the remainder a year later. Rates are slightly more expensive than level-benefit policies, about 10% to 25% more.
Guaranteed Final Expense Life Insurance for Diabetics
Guaranteed plans are the most expensive final expense policies, usually costing about 25% to 40% more than comparable level benefit ones. However, guaranteed policies don’t deny applicants based on health conditions, making them a great choice for seniors with major health complications caused by diabetes. Like modified plans, guaranteed plans always have a waiting period.
If you’re interested in final expense insurance, call us at (866) 786-0725 Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, or check our free online quoting tool for a personalized estimate.
How Much Does Life Insurance for Diabetics Cost?
Rates for life insurance for diabetics are largely dependent on the type of diabetes and how well the symptoms are managed. Rates may also vary if diabetes is diagnosed before age 50.
Below are rates for type 1 and type 2 diabetics for a benchmark $10,000 final expense policy from our top providers, calculated using a non-smoking applicant with no additional preexisting issues.
Level-Benefit Life Insurance Rates for Type 1 Diabetics
| Company |
Male 50y/o |
Female 50y/o |
Male 60y/o |
Female 60y/o |
Male 70y/o |
Female 70y/o |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
$34 |
$27 |
$51 |
$41 |
$73 |
$58 |
|
|
$32 |
$27 |
$47 |
$38 |
$79 |
$61 |
|
|
$33 |
$26 |
$48 |
$36 |
$82 |
$58 |
|
|
$37 |
$31 |
$48 |
$37 |
$86 |
$64 |
|
|
$34 |
$29 |
$50 |
$40 |
$82 |
$57 |
These figures are estimates only, based on a $10,000 final expense insurance policy with no additional applicant pre-existing conditions.
Modified-Benefit Life Insurance Rates for Type 2 Diabetics
| Company |
Male 50y/o |
Female 50y/o |
Male 60y/o |
Female 60y/o |
Male 70y/o |
Female 70y/o |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
$49 |
$39 |
$78 |
$60 |
$122 |
$89 |
|
|
$44 |
$36 |
$68 |
$57 |
$120 |
$99 |
|
|
$61 |
$42 |
$74 |
$59 |
$115 |
$87 |
|
|
$71 |
$68 |
$102 |
$85 |
$142 |
$110 |
|
|
$59 |
$56 |
$85 |
$76 |
$142 |
$110 |
These figures are estimates only, based on a $10,000 modified-benefit final expense insurance policy with no additional applicant pre-existing conditions.
If you’re interested in these or any of our other life insurance policies, call us at (866) 786-0725 or check our free online quoting tool for a personalized estimate.
Final Thoughts
While other eligibility for other types of plans may be limited, seniors looking for life insurance for diabetics have plenty of final expense options. This isn’t a bad thing – final expense policies are inexpensive and well-tuned to fit seniors’ needs. Whether you have tough-to-manage type 1 diabetes with complications or a well-maintained case of type 2 diabetes, you have a good chance of finding inexpensive burial insurance coverage.
Contact Final Expense Benefits for assistance finding final expense life insurance for diabetics. Our expert agents can help connect you to the policy that works for you at a great price.
FAQ
Can you get life insurance if you have diabetes?
Life insurance is available to diabetics, though eligibility depends on the type of diabetes. Managed cases of type 2 diabetes tend to have lower rates and better eligibility odds than type 1 diabetes.
How do types of diabetes affect eligibility for life insurance for diabetics?
Insurers note applicants’ type of diabetes, treatments, medications, and more health information to determine eligibility. Type 1 diabetes requires insulin injections and can be tough to control and project life expectancy, so it often has more restrictive underwriting. Applicants with type 2 diabetes have better chances of eligibility because it’s typically easier to manage and maintain.
What is the best life insurance for diabetics?
Final expense insurance is usually a great choice for seniors and works great for diabetics. Health requirements are relaxed, rates are affordable, and benefits are focused on covering seniors’ needs.
What is final expense insurance?
Final expense insurance is a low-cost type of whole life insurance with lower death benefits used by seniors to cover funerals and other end-of-life expenses.
How much does a funeral cost?
The typical funeral costs about $10,000. That’s why final expense insurance’s quote benchmark is $10,000, though policies usually range to $50,000.
