Life insurance with Diabetes Type 2
Overview
Life Insurance is often available for those with Diabetes. The condition presents increased risk to longevity and other conditions developing and so Life Insurance premiums will be higher for most diabetics.
There are differences in how Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes are treated by Life Insurance underwriters. We have created separate, dedicated information for those with Type 1 Diabetes.
The following guidance is aimed at those who have been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.
Key Issues for Type 2 Diabetes Insurance
Being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes means lifestyle changes and does make finding Life Insurance more difficult for many, but not all diabetics. Pulse Insurance specialise and may well be able to find cover for diabetics when other insurers decline or when other conditions are also impacting health.
If you have good control and do not have complications arising from diabetes (such as peripheral neuropathy) you could consider approaching mainstream insurers first. Some may even be able to offer instant, online cover.
The main aspects affecting the availability and cost of Life Insurance for diabetics are: –
- Blood sugar levels – In most cases, you will need to provide your latest HbA1c readings (taken within the last 6 months). Your average blood sugar levels inform the insurer about the risk of developing diabetes-related conditions
- Age – The age when you are diagnosed has a significant bearing on risk and longevity. Very generally, earlier diagnosis sees more risk than late-onset diabetes.
- Stability –more stable and controlled diabetes is an obvious advantage
- Lifestyle – if you have been able to make meaningful changes to your lifestyle, lost weight since diagnosis and done anything else the doctors have recommended, this will likely improve your risk profile over time
- Complications – where diabetes has or may lead to other conditions or where these already exist, this can make cover more expensive and difficult to obtain
- Exclusions – Some insurers keep premium down with restrictions or exclusions. You need to be careful these are acceptable.
Conditions which may jointly occur with Type 2 Diabetes
There are some conditions where it is more common to also suffer other conditions at the same time than not. Equally, it is not always the case that these multiple conditions go hand in hand.
It is common for those with Type 2 Diabetes to also have blood pressure or high cholesterol or a high BMI (weight to height ratio) that need to be managed as well.
Another example is where those with long term and hard to manage conditions can sometimes suffer from mental health challenges that stem from coping with these conditions over time.
Equally, there are some “unrelated” conditions which may pre-exist or co-exist with your diabetes that makes things more difficult.
In all cases, if you have multiple conditions whether directly related or caused by your other condition, please ensure you tell us about all of them when you complete our Diabetes Type 2 specific questions to ensure we have all the details we need to find you cover. You can also add any additional information not specifically requested whether that be about your health or also complete our specific questions applicable to high risk occupations or pastime or sporting activities as may be relevant.
To tell us about multiple conditions, select your first condition and when that is complete, you will have the option to add more one at a time till you are ready.
The following conditions are known to present alongside Type 2 Diabetes:-
- Arthritis (rheumatoid)
- Asthma
- Back pain
- Heart Conditions
- Kidney disease
- Liver Disease
- Mental Illness including stress and depression
- Stroke
- Complications leading to and after Amputation(s)
Your application with Pulse Insurance will always be individually considered by our human underwriters based on the specifics of the details you provide; you will not be subject to some glib computer system assumption extracted from a condition name or worse.
If you are at all unsure how to proceed, please to not hesitate to give our friendly Pulse Team a call on 01280 841430
If you need a specialist underwriter
Pulse specialise in taking your diabetes and any other specific conditions and needs into account and finding you Life Insurance cover, if it is available.
We use our knowledge and experience to find a solution when other Life Insurers have declined to quote.
Why Pulse Insurance?
- Pulse Insurance have been focused on finding unusual cover since 1998
- We strive to offer caring and sensitive service
- We are knowledgeable insurance professionals who work as a team
- We provide a personal service to guide you through
- If we cannot help, it will not be for the want of trying or know-how
While finding cover for everyone is not always possible and the premium will be higher to reflect increased risk, we like to think we are rather good at helping people find the cover they need.
In 95% of diabetes cases we can offer indicative premiums and/or sense of if cover may be available or not early on; so, you can decide to proceed or not.
Being Transparent
It is always important to declare your Diabetes and any other medical conditions completely. Failure to be transparent with any insurer can result in a claim being denied – confounding the very reason for paying any premium in the first place.
Your Personal & Medical Details
Everything you disclose about your Diabetes to any life insurer or life agent should be treated with sensitivity and appropriate levels of privacy.
Your Health
Every person with more severe diabetes knows that their condition and its complications will be in some way unique to them. Other aspects of your lifestyle can impact your risk and the cover available. These will be explicitly considered when determining the fair premium, you would pay.
Your Pulse underwriting specialist will look to gain a detailed picture of your condition and you should take care to disclose everything.
Requirements for more information
Occasionally our initial enquiry may not gather enough information to make a definitive decision, our insurers may ask for more in depth information regarding your Diabetes and/or any other conditions. Sometimes the details you can provide may allow them to reduce the premium they seek.
As you have a medical condition, it is possible that underwriters will need to seek a Doctor’s report or for you to undergo medical examinations, blood tests or other tests that will confirm your health to allow them to quote an accurate premium and confirm cover details. The costs involved in obtaining the medical information are usually paid by the underwriter, but if not, you will be informed before they are requested.
Pulse will never sell your details to anyone ever. We will use your details to provide the service you have asked for according to the permissions you grant us– read our Privacy and Data Protection policy in full.
Medical Reports
If you have any recent or relevant medical reports, these can enable underwriters to provide a more accurate indication. Please send these either to [email protected] or post them to us n.b. Do not worry if you don’t have any medical reports as they are not usually needed to give an indication of cover / cost.It may be necessary anyway for separate specific medical reports to be sought if you decide to proceed with an application. If you have any queries, please give a member of the team a call on 01280 841430.
Additional Covers
Pulse may be able to offer covers beyond everyday Life Insurance to give you the peace of mind and protection you desire.
- Beyond Life Insurance
- More Life Insurance
The reasons you may need life cover may be simple or complex, but having the right covers brings peace of mind for you and your family.
Useful Diabetes resources
We suspect if you have read this far, you are relatively well informed about your Diabetes.
You may know of or find these external resources useful; although Pulse are inevitably not responsible or in control of the accuracy or nature of the information provided.
For Pulse Intermediaries
The following details may help you when competing an application for your client.
Related Conditions and Terms
Type 2 Diabetes is also: Diabetes mellitus type 2, maturity-onset or non-insulin-dependent diabetes.
Common complications
Type 1 diabetes include: – atheroma, circulation problems, dehydration, kidney failure, nerve damage, and hypoglycaemia
Possible Symptoms
These may include: – dry mouth, excessive thirst fatigue, frequent urination, weight loss, increased appetite
Medications and Treatments
The medicines and some brand names are included in parentheses: –
- Acarbose (Glucobay)
- Actrapid
- Apidra (Insulin Glulisine)
- Diamicron
- Exenatide (Byetta and Bydureon)
- Glibenclamide (Daonil)
- Gliclazide
- Glimepiride (Amaryl)
- Glipizide (Glibenese, Minodiab)
- GlucaGen / Glucagon
- Glucose anhydrous
- Humalog / Insulin lispro
- Humalog Mix / Insulin lispro / Insulin lispro protamine
- Humulin I
- Humulin M3
- Humulin S
- Insulatard
- Insulin aspart / Insulin aspart protamine (Novomix 30)
- Insulin aspart (NovoRapid)
- Insulin detemir (Levemir)
- Insulin Glargine (Lantus)
- Insulin glulisine
- Insulin isophane bovine (Hypurin Bovine Isophane)
- Insulin isophane human (Insuman Basal)
- Insulin isophane human/Insulin soluble human (Insuman Comb, Mixtard)
- Insulin isophane porcine (Hypurin Porcine, Hypurin Porcine Isophane)
- Insulin isophane porcine/Insulin soluble porcine (Pork Mixtard)
- Insulin protamine zinc bovine (Hypurin Bovine Protamine Zinc)
- Insulin soluble bovine (Hypurin Bovine Neutral)
- Insulin soluble human (Insuman Rapid, Velosulin)
- Insulin soluble porcine (Hypurin Porcine, Hypurin Porcine Neutral, Pork Actrapid)
- Insulin zinc suspension mixed bovine (Hypurin Bovine Lente)
- Liraglutie (Victoza)
- Metformin
- Metformin / Pioglitazone (Competact)
- Metformin Hydrochloride (Glucophage)
- Metformin hydrochloride / Sitagliptin phosphate (Janumet)
- Metformin Hydrochloride / Vildagliptin (Eucreas)
- Nateglinide (Starlix)
- Onglyza
- Pioglitazone (Actos)
- Regranex
- Repaglinide (Prandin)
- Saxagliptin (Onglyza)
- Sitagliptin (Januvia)
- Tolbutamide
- Vildagliptin (Galvus)