Life insurance and critical illness cover with diabetes

7 September 2026

Diabetes rarely stops you getting life insurance. Your HbA1c reading and your complications move the price far more than the diagnosis does.

5 min read · Ben Tomlin · Last reviewed September 2026

The short answer

Yes, in almost every case. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are routinely insured in the UK. Your HbA1c reading, how long ago you were diagnosed and whether you have complications move the price far more than the diagnosis itself. Critical illness and income protection are underwritten more tightly than life cover.

Can you get life insurance with diabetes?

Yes, in almost every case. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are routinely insured in the UK.

What changes is the price, and sometimes the shape of the policy.

Insurers treat diabetes as a well understood risk with a large evidence base, which is why underwriting for it is systematic rather than arbitrary.

A decline usually comes from complications or very poor control, not from the diagnosis on its own.

The headline.

Two people with the same type of diabetes can be quoted very different premiums. The difference is control, complications and how long ago they were diagnosed.

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What insurers ask about diabetes

Expect a specific set of questions rather than a general one. The answers decide everything.

Type and date of diagnosis. Type 1 and type 2 are underwritten differently, and time since diagnosis matters.
Your most recent HbA1c reading. This is the single most influential number in the application.
How it is treated. Diet alone, tablets, GLP-1 medication or insulin.
Complications. Retinopathy, neuropathy, nephropathy, foot ulceration or any cardiovascular event.
Other risk factors. Blood pressure, cholesterol, body mass index and smoking.
Attendance. Whether you attend your annual reviews, retinal screening and foot checks.

Know your latest HbA1c before you apply. If you do not have it, your GP surgery or diabetes clinic will.

Applying without it usually means the insurer writes to your doctor, which adds weeks and sometimes produces a worse answer than the number would have.

The other risk factors matter more than people expect. Diabetes plus smoking plus high blood pressure is underwritten as a combination, not as three separate items.

How diabetes affects life insurance prices

Insurers apply a rating, which is a percentage added to the standard premium for your age and cover.

Well controlled type 2 diabetes diagnosed several years ago, with no complications, often attracts a modest rating and sometimes none at all.

Type 1 diabetes usually attracts a larger rating, particularly at younger ages, because the insurer is pricing a longer exposure.

Poor control or an existing complication moves the rating up sharply, and can lead to a postponement until the position is stable.

Critical illness cover is harder than life cover. Some insurers will exclude related conditions rather than rate the premium.

Income protection is often the hardest of the three, because diabetes affects the chance of time off work rather than the chance of death.

The spread between insurers on the same application is the important part. This is not a market with one right answer.

One insurer went further and built a separate plan for it. Royal London Diabetes Life Cover prices on your HbA1c and reviews it every year, so improving control can bring the premium down.

How to get better terms with diabetes

Get your HbA1c and your last two annual review results before applying, so the file is complete on day one.
Apply after a good reading rather than during a difficult period, if you have the choice.
Deal with smoking first if you smoke, because it makes the diabetes rating worse.
Ask for pre-assessment across several insurers instead of submitting a formal application blind.
Consider separating the products. Life cover with one insurer and critical illness with another can beat a bundled policy.
Re-apply after a few years of good control, because terms can improve and old policies do not update themselves.

That last point is worth money. People take a rated policy, control their diabetes well for five years, and never go back to the market.

A review costs nothing and the existing policy stays in force until the new one is on risk.

The one thing that does not work is leaving something off the form. Diabetes is visible in your medical records, so non-disclosure gets found at claim stage.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I get life insurance if I have type 1 diabetes?

Yes. Type 1 diabetes is routinely insured. It usually attracts a higher premium than type 2, particularly at younger ages, because the insurer is pricing a longer period of exposure.

Does diabetes make life insurance much more expensive?

It depends far more on your control and complications than on the diagnosis. Well managed type 2 diabetes with a good HbA1c and no complications can attract a small rating or none. Poor control or an existing complication costs considerably more.

What HbA1c do insurers want to see?

There is no single published threshold, and each insurer sets its own scale. What matters is that a lower, stable reading produces better terms, and that you supply the number rather than leaving the insurer to request medical records.

Can I get critical illness cover with diabetes?

Often yes, but it is harder than life cover. Some insurers rate the premium and others exclude diabetes related conditions. The answer varies enough between insurers to make comparing them worthwhile.

Can I get income protection with diabetes?

Yes, though it is usually the most heavily underwritten of the three products. Diabetes affects the likelihood of time off work, which is exactly what income protection insures.

Should I tell the insurer about a pre-diabetes diagnosis?

Yes, if you are asked about it or about raised blood sugar. It is generally underwritten far more lightly than diabetes, and declaring it costs you much less than omitting it.