The short answer
To choose final expense insurance with type 1 diabetes, compare companies by how their questions treat insulin and complications. Many people with well-controlled type 1 or type 2 diabetes may be offered level coverage that pays in full from day one. Complications, recent hospital stays or insulin started at a young age can lead to a graded policy instead.
Key takeaways
- Diabetes alone rarely rules out final expense insurance; how it is treated and whether it has caused complications matter more.
- The CDC estimates 40.1 million people in the United States had diagnosed or undiagnosed diabetes in 2023.
- Type 1 always involves daily insulin, so companies that focus on complications rather than insulin use may be a better fit.
- Complications like kidney disease, nerve damage, eye damage or amputation often lead to a graded or guaranteed issue policy.
- Prescription-history checks will show insulin and other diabetes medicines no matter how a question is worded.
- Check level and graded options before accepting a guaranteed issue policy.
Can you get final expense insurance with diabetes?
Yes, often. Diabetes is a common condition among people who apply. The CDC estimates that 40.1 million people in the United States had diabetes in 2023, diagnosed or not. It does not rule you out. What usually matters is how it is treated and whether it has caused other health problems.
Final expense insurance, also called burial insurance, is a small whole life insurance policy meant to help pay for a funeral and final bills. Many policies use a short list of health questions to decide which type may be offered. See how the three policy types work.
Type 1 vs type 2 diabetes: why insurers ask
| Type 1 | Type 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| What happens | The immune system destroys the cells that make insulin | The body does not use insulin well |
| How common | About 5 to 10% of people with diabetes | About 90 to 95% of people with diabetes |
| Treatment | Insulin every day | Lifestyle changes, pills or injected medicines; some people use insulin |
| Usual start | Often in children and young adults, but can start at any age | Most common in middle-aged and older adults |
Because everyone with type 1 uses insulin, questions about insulin affect them more directly. Some companies look past insulin and focus on complications and control. Others ask when insulin started or how old you were when diagnosed, which can lead to a graded policy. This is why the company that fits type 1 is often different from the one that fits type 2.
How insurers commonly look at diabetes
| Factor | Why it can matter |
|---|---|
| Pills or diet vs insulin | Diabetes managed with pills or diet is often treated more favorably. Some companies ask about insulin directly. |
| Complications | Kidney disease, nerve damage (neuropathy), eye damage (retinopathy), circulation problems or amputation often lead to a graded or guaranteed policy. |
| Age at diagnosis or insulin start | Some companies ask. This matters more for type 1, which often starts young. |
| Control | Recent hospital stays or episodes of very high or very low blood sugar may count against you. |
| Other conditions | Heart disease, stroke or kidney disease alongside diabetes is often looked at closely. |
Kidney problems get close attention. The NIH (NIDDK) says diabetes is the leading cause of kidney disease and that about 1 in 3 adults with diabetes has kidney disease. It also notes that most people with diabetes and kidney disease do not go on to kidney failure.
A1C, a blood test showing your average blood sugar, is sometimes discussed. Many final expense insurance applications do not ask for lab results, but knowing your recent A1C can help a Licensed Insurance Agent understand how well your diabetes is controlled.
How to compare policies if you have diabetes
No single company fits everyone with diabetes. When you compare, look for a policy with these features:
- You get it with honest answers. A policy won by stretching the truth may not pay.
- It pays in full from day one if your health allows. That is a level policy.
- The price is fixed for life and the benefit does not go down.
- It fits your budget so it does not lapse. A policy that lapses no longer provides a benefit.
Some sales pages suggest finding an application that "doesn't ask" about your condition. It is fine for a Licensed Insurance Agent to match you with a company whose questions truly do not apply to you. It is never fine to leave off something a question does ask. During the first two years a policy is in force, a company can usually contest a claim over a wrong answer that mattered.
Living with type 1 for decades
Many readers over 55 have had type 1 diabetes since childhood. Long-standing type 1 without complications may still fit a level policy at some companies. Questions about insulin pumps, glucose monitors or episodes of low blood sugar vary by company.
Example: a hypothetical 62-year-old diagnosed with type 1 at age 15 uses an insulin pump and has no kidney, eye or nerve problems. One company asks about age at diagnosis and may offer only graded coverage. Another asks only about complications and may offer level coverage. Comparing companies is what makes the difference.
Questions you may see on the application
Wording varies, but diabetes questions often look like these:
- Have you been diagnosed with or treated for diabetes?
- Do you use insulin? If so, at what age did you start?
- Have you had diabetic complications, such as kidney disease, neuropathy, retinopathy or amputation?
- Have you been in the hospital for diabetes in the past [number] years?
Answer every question honestly. Many insurers check prescription records, so insulin and other diabetes medicines will usually show up anyway.
What to have ready and what to ask a Licensed Insurance Agent
Have ready:
- Your type of diabetes and the year you were diagnosed
- Your medicines and doses, including insulin and the year you started it
- Your latest A1C, if you know it
- Any complications your doctor has told you about
- Hospital stays in the last few years, with rough dates
- Your height, weight and whether you use tobacco
Ask the Licensed Insurance Agent: Which companies may offer me level coverage, and what do their diabetes questions ask? If you suggest a graded policy, what is the waiting period and what is paid during it? Is the price fixed for life?
Estimate how much coverage you need with our coverage calculator, or see what burial insurance costs. If you are shopping for a parent with diabetes, see burial insurance for parents. If diabetes has affected your kidneys, see burial insurance for dialysis patients. This page is general information, not medical advice.
Common questions
How do I choose final expense insurance with type 1 diabetes?
Look for a policy you can get with honest answers that pays in full from day one, has a fixed price and fits your budget. For type 1, companies that focus on complications rather than insulin use are often a better match. A Licensed Insurance Agent can compare how several companies word their diabetes questions.
Can I get burial insurance if I take insulin?
Often, yes. Some companies may offer level coverage to people on insulin with no complications. Others may offer a graded policy, especially if insulin started at a young age. A Licensed Insurance Agent can check which companies fit your situation and how each one words its insulin question.
Is type 1 diabetes treated differently from type 2?
It can be. Type 1 always involves insulin and often starts young, and some companies ask about both. Type 2 managed with pills is often treated more favorably. Other companies focus mainly on complications for both types. Rules vary by company.
Which diabetes complications do insurers look at?
Complications such as kidney disease, nerve damage, eye damage, circulation problems or amputation are often looked at closely. They may lead to a graded or guaranteed issue policy. A recent hospital stay for diabetes can also affect the type of policy offered.
Can I get burial insurance with type 2 diabetes on pills like metformin?
Often, yes. Type 2 diabetes managed with pills or diet and no complications is often treated more favorably than diabetes that needs insulin or has caused complications. Many people in this situation may be offered level coverage. Prescription checks will show your diabetes medicines, so list them when you apply.
Can I get burial insurance with diabetic neuropathy or an amputation?
Often, yes, but the type of policy may change. Complications such as nerve damage, kidney disease or an amputation commonly lead to a graded or guaranteed issue policy, which has a waiting period. Some companies treat mild neuropathy differently from an amputation, so a Licensed Insurance Agent can compare how each company words its questions.
Will my premium go up if my diabetes gets worse after I buy?
Generally, no. The health questions cover your health when you apply. On a whole life burial insurance policy, premiums are typically set on a fixed schedule, and a later change in your health is generally not a reason to raise the premium or cancel the policy, as long as premiums are paid and your answers were accurate.
Will I need to share my A1C for burial insurance?
Usually not. Many burial insurance policies use health questions and record checks, such as prescription history. Knowing your recent A1C can still help a Licensed Insurance Agent understand how well your diabetes is controlled and which companies may fit.
Does diabetes make burial insurance cost more?
It can. If you are offered level coverage, the price may be the same as for someone without diabetes at that company, or somewhat higher, depending on the company. Graded and guaranteed issue policies usually cost more for the same benefit.