Five Tips to Help Obtain Life Insurance with Type 1 Diabetes

Last Updated on October 26, 2024

The term “pre-existing condition” is often assumed to imply an automatic denial for coverage or an astronomically high premium amongst those living with chronic medical conditions like diabetes. When it comes to applying for life insurance with Type 1 Diabetes, you’ll find out quickly that it’s not as simple as you probably initially thought. Have you ever heard those radio commercials, saying you can get a $500,000 policy for $13 dollars per month? If so, we’re here to tell you that you’ll not qualify for policies like these.

With the possibility of a variety of serious complications that can present when the disease is not well managed, it’s understandable why diabetics seeking life insurance would be so quick to assume that they’re uninsurable. Because of this, you’ll want to work with an agent who is properly trained in working with the Diabetes community. Ideally one who is associated with Diabetes 365. Many agents out there mislead the people with Diabetes by presenting FAKE quotes and information.

While chronic medical conditions certainly can present challenges for those living with them, finding affordable life insurance coverage doesn’t have to be one of them.  Just because you live with Type 1 Diabetes, this doesn’t mean that you are unhealthy.  In our opinion, many people who live with Diabetes are extremely healthy and health conscious.  But with this being said, life insurance underwriters will review Type 1 Diabetics as a higher risk.

Why would you hesitate?  Historically obtaining life insurance with type 1 diabetes has been challenging.  However that is no longer the case!  In fact, we make getting life insurance easy every day of the year for consumers.  Disclosing to an insurance company that you have Type 1 Diabetes is no longer an automatic decline with a plethora of life insurance companies.

Here are a few ways to help ensure your eligibility for a type 1 diabetic life insurance policy.

Why would you hesitate applying for life insurance with Type 1 Diabetes? 

Historically obtaining life insurance with type 1 diabetes has been challenging.  And there are plenty of myths stating type 1 diabetics can’t qualify for affordable life insurance.  However that is no longer the case!  In fact, we make getting life insurance easy every day of the year for consumers.  Disclosing to an insurance company that you have Type 1 Diabetes is no longer an automatic decline with a plethora of life insurance companies.

We’ve worked with thousands of individuals with Type 1 Diabetes over the years, and have successfully found the best companies for the diabetes community.  Here are a few ways to help ensure your eligibility for a type 1 diabetic life insurance policy.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Weight management is one of the most important factors within your control when it comes to assisting in your eligibility for obtaining life insurance. When a patient is diagnosed with diabetes Type 1 and is overweight, the doctor’s first recommendations are to adopt a healthy diet, begin a regular exercise regimen, and set attainable weight loss goals.

By reducing excess weight, your condition may prove more manageable and may respond more effectively to treatment. The better managed your diabetes is, especially your A1C reading, the more favorable your application looks to insurance companies. So – if you’ve been working hard to maintain a healthy figure and stay fit, you’re a prime candidate for a quality life insurance policy at lower rates!

There are many ways to incorporate an exercise program into your life. This doesn’t mean you have to join a gym, sign up for cross fit, or go running at your local track. Walking in your neighborhood, doing a stationary bike, or even Yoga at your house will have positive benefits to your overall lifestyle. Showing a life insurance company that you exercise regularly, may lead to lower life insurance premiums.

All insurance companies will have different Height and Weight guidelines. It’s important to realize this. One company may rate you higher, while another would gladly accept you at your current Height and Weight. On the plus side, as you get older, companies are more lenient with your Height and Weight. You may feel you’re overweight, but it’s possible that the insurance company does not.

What we recommend is for you to share your health profile with us, and see if your current weight is an issue or not.  For some individuals, you may benefit from postponing applying while you try to lose weight.  We’ll be the first people to let you know if you fall into this category or not.

Don’t Smoke or Use Tobacco Products

Whether you have diabetes or not, smoking and using tobacco products sends up a huge red flag to any life insurance company. Smoking is a known contributor to a large variety of chronic and fatal illnesses and has no proven benefits for individuals who choose to use the substance.  You also probably realize using tobacco products with Diabetes is not ideal.

Life insurance carriers will charge 20% to 30% higher rates for tobacco users. But what many people with Type 1 Diabetes aren’t aware of, is that having diabetes in combination of using tobacco may lead to even higher rates. Companies will oftentimes add an extra table rating to a health profile of a person who has Type 1 Diabetes and used tobacco products. The more table ratings added to your health profile, the higher your premiums will be.

Below is a quick chart showing various table ratings, and how they drive up the cost of life insurance.  For most people with Type 1 Diabetes, your profile will start at a Table C or Table D as an example.  Using certain tobacco products may bump you into a higher category, that’ll increase your life insurance premiums.

• • Table A = + 25%
  • Table B = + 50%
  • Table C = + 75%
  • Table D = + 100%
  • Table E = + 125%
  • Table F = + 150%
  • Table G = + 175%
  • Table H = + 200%
  • Table I = + 225%
  • Table J = + 250%

In some extreme circumstances, a company may automatically decline an applicant for having Type 1 Diabetes, and using any type of tobacco products. It’s important to work with a knowledgeable agent who knows the underwriting guidelines for various life insurance companies. There’s nothing worse than applying to a company, and being automatically declined.

If you smoke, consult your doctor about the best way for you to take on the task of tobacco cessation. If you have always made a point to refrain from smoking, you’ve made yourself a marketable applicant to life insurance companies. With the variety of possible complications that accompany diabetes, the negative impact of smoking could ruin your potential for obtaining an affordable premium, or a policy in its entirety.

Use Diabetes Technology

Technology is generally your friend, when it comes to managing your Type 1 Diabetes. Continuous Glucose Monitoring devices are becoming more and more common, and available to the Diabetes community. Studies have shown that those who use a CGM device, tend to have overall better control of their Diabetes.

Many people are also turning to Insulin pumps, to help deliver variable amounts of insulin when a meal is eaten are also being used by many people with Type 1. These forms of technology are making managing Diabetes a little bit easier. But how are life insurance companies viewing a person who’s utilizing technology?  In our opinion, very favorably.

Certain life insurance carriers will offer lower rates to a person with Type 1 Diabetes who uses various types of technology to manage their condition. These carriers will view a person’s complete health profile, and may provide a healthy lifestyle credit to the file. These credits would lower the premiums, for the applicant.

Another type of technology that may lead to discounts, are wearable devices. FitBits, Apple Watches, etc. are becoming more and more popular for consumers. If you were willing to share your ‘activity’ to an insurance carrier, you may qualify for additional discounts. We understand this can be a little scary sharing your activity, but if you were OKAY with this, 3 life insurance carriers are offering lower rates.

Not everyone with type 1 diabetes will qualify for flex credits, or these healthy lifestyle credits.  It’s best to share with us your complete health profile, and if you are using diabetes related technology.  This will help us determine if one life insurance company would be better than another for your unique situation.

Shop Around

Any time you have a chronic illness such as Type 1 Diabetes, you are going to want to shop around for the best possible policy. This doesn’t mean you need to submit countless applications and take multiple paramedical exams. The bottom line is this. ALL life insurance companies will view your health history differently, and their offers will vary.

Ideally, you’d want to work with an independent agent, from Diabetes 365. Our agents are properly trained in working with the Diabetes community. Most importantly, we’ll ‘shop’ your complete health profile past several A rated companies, and provide to you the most competitive options available for people with Type 1 Diabetes.  We encounter many consumers who are overpaying by thousands of dollars over the life of their insurance policy.  Don’t fall into this category.

Now, we will warn you.  Avoid any websites or agents who quote you Standard, or Preferred rates.  People with Type 1 Diabetes will NOT receive ratings like this.  In fact, less than 1% of all applicants with Type 1 Diabetes would ever receive an offer of coverage with those rates.  We’d love it if companies would offer rates like those more often, but this simply is not the reality of the situation.

Having Type 1 Diabetes will most likely lead a company to make a Sub-Standard offer. Simply meaning your life insurance offer will not be Standard, or Preferred, like websites tend to advertise. These are misleading, and you’ll be disappointed that you’ll not ultimately receive those lower rates. To be honest, you’ll probably receive an offer in the Table C to Table F range. The higher the table rating, the more the life insurance will cost you. If you’ve been declined life insurance due to Diabetes, you’ll want to contact us ASAP, and let us share what options you have.

Assuming you are looking for the lowest priced option, you’ll benefit from having your case shopped out. Various life insurance companies’ offers will all differ. One company may rate you 25% to 40% higher due to your Type 1 Diabetes history, while another would offer you a more competitive rate. Maybe one company would apply healthy lifestyle credits due to having a favorable A1C history. In some cases, a particular company would decline you altogether for coverage, where another carrier would happily issue you a policy.

Having options in terms of the life insurance companies you can work with is critical, any time you have a chronic illness. Working with Diabetes 365 for life insurance needs will be one of the best decisions you ever make. Our agents will make the application process as simple as possible.

Don’t let the thought of purchasing life insurance coverage overwhelm you.  Let us help, and simplify the application process for you.

Make Sure Your Type 1 Diabetes is Well-Managed

Type 1 Diabetes that is well-managed and responsive to treatment is a great bargaining piece when you submit your application for life insurance. Although you still have diabetes, the risk of complications is drastically reduced in patients who have diligently monitored their blood sugars and have responded well to their doctor’s treatment plan. Less risk, equals a higher likelihood of approval and affordability.

In order to receive healthy lifestyle credits, which lead to lower life insurance premiums, companies will want to see that you’ve had control of your A1C for an extended amount of time. Ideally, at the time of your paramedical exam, they will want the lab results to show an A1C of 7.3 or below, to consider you for lower rates. If your A1C is above this level, don’t get nervous. This simply means your rates may be slightly higher. In some situations, you may want to postpone the blood and urine exam, until your Diabetes levels are lower, and more favorable.

In addition to reviewing your recent A1C readings, life insurance underwriters will also focus on the following:

• Albumin – Measures the amount of protein albumin in your blood
• Creatinine – Measures how well your Kidneys are filtering waste from your blood
• GFR – Blood test that checks how well your Kidneys are working
• Total Protein – Levels helps show if there’s any Liver or Kidney Disease
• BUN – Helps evaluate if there’s and Kidney Disease
• Glucose – Screens for diabetes by measuring the level of glucose (sugar) in a person’s blood

Also, you’ll want to make sure that you are compliant with following your Dr. Orders, in regards to treatment of Diabetes, as well as completing any type of additional testing. If a Dr. recommends a sleep study, you need to do this. Companies will postpone you for coverage, if you have not completed any type of recommended appointments or treatments.

In certain situations, it may be a wise decision to postpone applying for coverage.  Before making any decisions, speak with an agent, and share with them your personal situation.  They would be able to recommend if it’s the right time to move forward or not. As an example, if you have excellent control of your A1C, certain companies make better offers if you have readings at 6.0 or lower.  Applying to the right life insurance company means you get to hold onto more of your money!

Here’s the Bottom Line

Don’t let the myths about diabetic eligibility keep you from pursuing a life insurance policy that suits you and your family’s needs. People with diabetes are still very insurable – especially those that monitor their conditions closely and take good care of their bodies. To be 100% honest, there’s never been more life insurance options for a person with type 1 diabetes.

Many people with Type 1 Diabetes have the opportunity to be approved for coverage, and also receive lower priced premiums. The trick is to work with the right agent, and the right life insurance company. You do not want to try and do all this on your own. You’re going to want to work with an agent, to help you find the best policy for you and your family. Maybe you’ve been declined life insurance due to diabetes in the past from other providers. Or maybe you think there are better priced options available to you.

Our agents are happy to work with you, and provide some tips and tricks to help your health profile be viewed as favorably as possible. Maybe you are unsure of how much life insurance you need. That’s not a problem. We are here to have a mature financial conversation with you, to help you determine appropriate amounts of coverage. Don’t hesitate to contact us and begin working with us. A 5 minute phone call is all it takes.

Now all you have to do is find the policy that is right for you! This could be a whole life insurance policy, or a term life insurance policy. Everyone’s financial needs are different. Let us help you and your family obtain the protection you need.