Can people with Type 2 diabetes get life insurance?
Yes — the majority of people with Type 2 diabetes can get life insurance. The key factors are: how well controlled your diabetes is (your HbA1c level), whether you have any complications, how long you've been diagnosed, and your BMI.
See cover from Aviva, L&G, Vitality, Royal London, Zurich and more — side by side, your exact profile.
Get a Free Quote →How does Type 2 diabetes affect premiums?
Well-controlled Type 2 diabetes may attract only a modest premium loading or, in some cases, standard rates. Poorly controlled diabetes with complications (e.g., peripheral neuropathy, retinopathy, kidney disease) will usually result in higher loadings or exclusions.
What will insurers ask?
- Date of diagnosis
- Most recent HbA1c reading and date
- Current medication (diet-controlled, tablets, or insulin)
- Any complications (kidney, eyes, nerves, heart)
- Any hospital admissions related to diabetes
- BMI
Getting the best premiums with Type 2 diabetes
Use an independent broker who can approach multiple insurers on your behalf. Each insurer has different underwriting stances on diabetes — what one may load at 50%, another may accept at standard rates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Outright refusal is rare for Type 2 diabetes. Most applicants are accepted — sometimes at standard rates, sometimes with a premium loading.
Yes — diet-controlled Type 2 diabetes (without medication) is typically viewed most favourably by insurers, often resulting in standard or near-standard rates.